With the Mid Sussex Marathon coming up, many runners across Burgess Hill and the surrounding areas will be reaching the final stages of their training. Distances are getting longer, small aches are starting to show up, and you begin to notice things you might have ignored earlier on.

As a podiatrist, we often see runners dealing with foot pain, nail issues and skin problems in the lead up to longer events. From what we tend to see in clinic, it is often not one big issue that causes problems on race day, but a combination of smaller things that have been building over time. Feet usually give a bit of warning if something is not quite right.

Building up without overdoing it

It is quite common to try and squeeze in a bit more mileage in the final few weeks, especially if training has not gone exactly to plan. The difficulty is that the feet and lower legs do not always catch up as quickly as you would like.

If something starts to feel different rather than just tired, it is usually worth easing back slightly. Heel pain, soreness through the arch or the ball of the foot can all come from doing a bit too much too soon.

Shoes that feel right over distance

A pair of trainers can feel perfectly fine on a short run and then become uncomfortable once you get further in. This is something people often notice too late.

If your current shoes are quite worn or feel flatter than they used to, that can start to show up as general foot fatigue. On the other hand, changing to a brand new pair just before the event does not always go smoothly either. It is usually better to have run a few times in them so you know what to expect.

Nails and pressure in the shoe

Toenails do not get much attention until they start causing problems. If they are slightly too long, you may not notice on a quick run, but over a longer distance they can press into the end of the shoe.

It is often a dull, building discomfort rather than anything sharp. Keeping them trimmed back and fairly even can make a difference, particularly if your route includes any downhill sections.

The start of a blister is usually obvious

Most blisters do not come out of nowhere. There is often a point during a run where something starts to rub slightly differently.

If you notice that familiar hot feeling in the same place you have had issues before, it is usually a sign that something is off, whether that is the sock, the fit of the shoe or how the foot is moving inside it.

Conditions on the day

The Mid Sussex Marathon can be a bit mixed in terms of conditions. If it has been raining, or you are running through wet ground, the skin tends to soften, which makes it easier for friction to build up.

If it is warmer, you might notice your feet feel a bit tighter in your shoes later in the run. That slight swelling is normal, but it can make areas of pressure more noticeable. This is something we often see in clinic here in Burgess Hill, particularly in the lead up to local events.

When something does not settle

A small ache that comes and goes during training is easy to ignore, but if it keeps returning in the same place, it is usually worth paying attention to.

We often see runners who have pushed through a bit of heel pain or forefoot discomfort, hoping it would ease off, only for it to become more of an issue closer to the event.

After the run

Once the event is done, it is not unusual for your feet to feel a bit sore, especially if you have covered more ground than you normally would.

Most of the time this settles on its own. Giving it a couple of days before getting back into running tends to be enough. If something feels more localised or does not improve, it is usually a sign to get it checked rather than letting it drag on.

If something does not feel quite right in the lead up to the Mid Sussex Marathon, it is usually easier to get it checked before race day. At Parkside Podiatry in Burgess Hill, we regularly see runners preparing for local events and can help with foot pain, nail problems and areas of rubbing. If needed, you can arrange an appointment and have it looked at properly before it turns into something that affects your run.