Cold Weather and Blisters

Hi all!

Now the cold weather is settling down over Ontario for the past few weeks, I have noticed a little issue that has started to form. I would like to get your experienced input before it causes a major issue or if I should be covering me feet for the winter.

The back story:
This morning, I was out for a 7km traditional barefoot run. Last week it was 10km run with similar conditions. Both times the feet felt great during and right after the run, even though the temperatures were near freezing. During 20 minute car ride home, the feet blistered up mostly over the balls of the feet, which caused walking to be painful. This morning, there was a heavy frost on the ground and the feet took about 3 km to finally warm up. Whereas, 3 weeks ago, I completed a 5km race with no blisters (plus had a pb - 23:06 - 2minutes and 12 seconds faster than my previous 5km time). I have been running on similar stone dust trail surfaces with no blisters for over the last 3 or 4 months.

The question:
Are the blisters a way the body is adapting to the colder weather and after a few more cold weather runs they will stop forming? Or is the colder temperatures causing a slight shift in my form and therefor causing the delayed blistering? Have you experience this before when the temperatures drops to near or below freezing (0c/32f)?Any suggestions on how to prevent them and keep my feet feeling great?

Thank for any input.
 
Hi! I think the cause of your blisters is your second suggestion.

It may just be that the cooler temperatures are reducing sensations from your feet and any slight imperfections in your technique are not being conveyed to your brain. Try easing off the pace a little, you may have to dress a little warmer, and relax into your running.
 
Overall, I felt nice and warm, almost over dressed on the upper-body. But, I can see your point about the cold reduced sensation in the feet. The pace was nothing fast or near race pace, just a comfortable jog with an easy to talk pace. Maybe I need to reduce the distance for a bit, at least until the feet get more accustomed to the cooler temperatures?

On a side note - I find it a bit funny that you recommend relaxing into your running, whereas I'm running to relax into or from my day. I'm constantly finding myself too stressed and running with tight shoulders, hips and I.T. Bands (all the fight or flight muscles).

Thanks for your input.
 
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I find it a bit funny that you recommend relaxing into your running, whereas I'm running to relax into or from my day. I'm constantly finding myself too stressed and running with tight shoulders, hips and I.T. Bands (all the fight or flight muscles).

Thanks for your input.
I'm running to relax as well! My morning commute wakes me up and in the evening for my first 2 miles, up Madison avenue in Manhattan, I have to be totally in the moment and any issues from the day are taken off even the back-burner as I weave my way through the hordes of pedestrians. The subsequent miles home are generally spent in "the zone" with no conscious thought being given to any work problems.

Rather than concerning myself with which, if any, bits of my body feel tight I make an effort to run with relaxed wrists - everything else seems to follow along and I generally end a run feeling relaxed and refreshed.
 
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I will have to try your relaxing the wrist idea, to see if that helps me to relax. I think, I also need to speed up the cadence a bit to put less pressure on the feet.

It must be nice to be able to run home from the office in the afternoon! It would be a nice break at the end of the day. I work from home, so I squeeze in the runs mainly when I start feeling overstressed from the day or when I meet up for my scheduled run groups. Since I work from the home and for myself, I sometimes fall down the rabbit hole (to quote a past co-worker) and miss the workouts, run out of time, or get strange grid like pattern on the face (if I'm too tired).
 
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