Race Day Foot Care (part 2)

Race Day Foot Care at Transition. by: John Bevier    Before the race starts, it is important to take precautionary measures to remedy issues before they become a "show stopper"during the race. Here are a few triathlon transition tips that I've found to be helpful.

Clear your transition area of any debris that might get carried into one of your shoes on a wet foot.

Some racers use a small tub of water to rise their feet before putting on shoes and socks... but then your feet are wet when you put on socks and shoes. Wet feet make it difficult to put on socks and shoes. Instead of using water, I've had good luck with sprinkling a "fine vail" of cornstarch powder on my towel where I will be standing as I put on my shoes. Unlike baby powder, cornstarch does not turn into a paste when it gets wet.

Cornstarch also helps to clear any debris from the feet. Putting socks on wet feet will require at least 45 seconds (if you are good at it)... It might take longer, if you fumble around with the process. Cornstarch helps a wet foot, to slide into a shoe much quicker. Putting your shoes on quickly, (with or without a sock), can be a struggle too. This cornstarch tip can be used for cycling shoes and running shoes.

Cornstarch also speeds the process of putting shoes on. I typically put a small amount of cornstarch in each of my shoes, and shake it around in the shoe. That will distribute the cornstarch in a thin film over the entire interior of the shoe, making it much easier to put a shoe on.

Note: Corn starch is very dry, and can become an airborne cloud if you shake it on your towel too vigorously... So be considerate of the other racers. sprinkle the cornstarch from an height of no more than 18" above the towel...and keep the air clear.

Next week we will talk about; Do you tie your shoes, and what to do if debris gets inside your shoe during a race.