Da Dogs

Dogs bark, but the trail runners persevere, or, if this is the worst thing that ever happens to me while I train……

Cracked heels. And NOT like the ones shown here. Times 1000000 worse. Fissures the size of the Grand Canyon. I am fairly certain that my recent knee problems (self diagnosed as patellar tendinitis) was a direct result of my favoring left side foot strikes due to crack pain and over pronating to the point of stress at the knee. Compensation. At approximately 1,000 fspm (foot strikes per mile) one can quickly see how this compensational transferal of skeletal-muscular responsibility might arise. I can sum it all up in one word:

OUCH

So last night, after a joyous morning in the HoM, an afternoon filled with domestic chores and myriad magical and marvelous moments, a movie, replete with fire and popcorn, INSIDE MAN (Denzel and Clive Owen, a must see if you like heist flicks), I decided to practice some podiatry. Really, my thinking went, it's not like home root canal or brain surgery for dummies, just pamper your feet a little.

Where to start?

Shiraz. Check. Then the callus file I bought in Florida while filming 2007 IMF at a Body Shop in some giant mall from a very cute young blond who seemed to be interested in my pitiful sob story. File the dead skin. Check. Clip toenails. Check. Soak feet in HOT water with Epsom salts. Check. Twenty minutes. Re-fill Shiraz. Check. Exfoliate with foot scrub lotion. Check. Re-soak with more hot water. Dry and massage with hand and foot lotion (see pic). Insert feet into clean, warm and fuzzy cotton socks. Put another log on fire and sleep for eight hours. Check.

The dogs feel pretty good this beautiful morning after treatment. I am going out for a 90 minute trail run. I will let you know how they bark.

Pix: Creamy pumice Foot Scrub (peppermint and plum) soothes the cracked dogs. My vast and extensive expertise in tree house roofing, and the application of the (patent pending) RCVman roof-boot rain diversion system will soon be applied on this little gem. And for the record, I have been enthralled with tree houses since I saw Swiss Family Robinson in 1960. Now you know.