Blisters to Headlamps: How to Solve Any Race Problems

A runner returning for her first ultra in years asked my opinion for solving toe blisters.

She encountered her first ones on a long training run and her race was a week away.

She asked other runners for solutions and got great tips to try - various tapes and lubes - but was nervous because she didn’t have time to try any of it, so she asked me for a strategy.

Here’s how I answered.

The most common strategy is to figure out the right answer and have it all dialed in on race day.

But in this case, she won’t know what the right answer is until race day. That’s one flaw in the usual strategy.

Another flaw is that you can’t know the solution for every problem you might encounter in an ultra. There are too many and the solution that works today might not work tomorrow.

Plus, the more you rely on knowing the right solution for everything, the less able you are to solve problems. And you need to be able to solve problems because problems will happen and some will be new.

So a far simpler strategy is to have one solid set of problem-solving skills you can apply to any problem.

And it’s like carrying an all-purpose multi-tool instead of a thick encyclopedia.

Here’s why.

At Massanutten 100, I found myself at night, between aid stations with my headlamp about to lose battery. My solution - a spare headlamp - was out of battery and wouldn’t work.

I was alone in the dark woods without a solution and no one in sight.

Instead of panicking, I walked through the same problem-solving process I teach my clients.

As a result, I found I had spare AAA batteries…but one headlamp had a special rechargeable battery and the other took AA’s.

I had a spare charger for the rechargeable headlamp…but not the right cord.

I had my cell phone, which would do…but didn’t have a full charge, was cumbersome, and I didn’t want to drop it on the four miles of muddy, rocky climb and descent ahead.

It looked like I was out of solutions and if I didn’t have a process, I would have stopped here.

But I kept going and suddenly remembered a tiny, super bright, one LED I kept in the emergency baggie of odds and ends I automatically toss in my pack every race. I’d carried the light for 10 years and never used it or checked the battery, but it was worth a try.

I dug it out and voila, it worked!

Even better, it was lightweight, small enough to leave some of fingers on that hand free for navigating around boulders, and bright enough to light the trail if I held it low.

Now instead of no light, I had a solution AND a backup (the phone), which reassured me.

The one LED got me to the next aid station - fast enough that I passed runners on the way - and I was able to finish the race.

The ability to come up with creative solutions on the fly gives you the confidence to relax and run your best, whatever lies ahead - blisters, dead headlamps, whatever.

You’re know you’re ready to run past any problem - the ones you expect and ones you don’t.