I’ve always loved adventure sports and exploration, finding those lonely wild places and tasting real freedom. I like to push myself, well beyond my comfort zone and generally take a no-safety net approach – I like to know there are real consequences to my decisions, and move under my own steam. This makes these experiences all the more real, all the more raw and all the more valuable to me.
I have therefore always thrown myself in at the deep end with athletic pursuits and training. You have to when you choose to go where most won’t. Planning and preparation is critical. If you’re not prepared, nature will eat you alive – almost literally. Before an expedition, big or small, I train hard, work to understand the risks involved, and plan for potential exits if shit hits the fan. This attitude has led me to some wild places and given me life defining moments, like surfing 12 ft waves in Indonesia, injuring myself doing insane ski jumps from cliffs, running unsupported solo ultra marathons in the mountains, scaling Tryfan mountain in the dark to watch the sun rise on my own, and many more.
When your frame of mind is “there is no plan B”, you learn to plan very well, and for me this often involves a proactive approach to my health and fitness, rather than reactive. The importance of this was hammered home for me while doing something I think many of us found ourselves doing in 2020 – running.
After running as a teenager at a reasonably high level, I got back into the sport during the lockdowns as it seemed a great way to explore. I threw myself into long, epic runs that pushed my physical limits, and the more miles I put in, the more I experienced all-too-common foot problems and injuries.
Because I was running in the wet fields and fells all day I ended up with terrible Athlete’s foot. It was painful. It bled. My skin cracked. It wasn’t pretty!
I also encountered injuries, such as seriously sprained ankles and even Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) – aka Runner’s Knee. Basically I was beginning to realise that to push hard in training to achieve personal goals, I was going to need to think differently, way more preventatively.
It started to bug me that things seemingly so preventable were affecting my training, so I started to take a much more holistic approach to running in general. I decided to focus on my foot care and ensure I was training my lower limbs properly to take the strain of heavyweight training. By taking just a few steps to look after my feet after each run, I was able to tackle many of the annoying little niggles that stopped me from going after big goals. And with a focus on balance, stability and strength training (as well as making sure I was using the right gear) alongside the mileage, I was able to reduce injury occurrence significantly.
Basically I started to think more actively about my foot care and health.
Active foot care vs retroactive foot care
When was the last time you thought to yourself: “I should really make sure I don’t develop problems with my feet that will stop me from doing what I love?”
It rarely happens before an injury or little niggle appears. In fact, most people only pay attention to their feet after a discomfort starts to affect their running, climbing, cycling, or whatever other activity they use their feet for. Even walking can become an issue if your feet aren’t on top form.
Lost or blackened toenails. Cracked skin. Foot odour. Knee and joint aches. Shin splints. There are so many things that can affect your feet, and by extension, your life.
To be frank, I’m tired of hearing phrases like “just rest it”, or “put some ice on it”. I also don’t believe anyone should have to pay for expensive physio appointments just to carry on doing the physical activity they love.
It is possible, in fact strongly advised, that one think more long term and plan for injuries and niggles with a goal of preventing them in the first place. That’s why The Feets exists, and it’s why we’re creating a whole new kind of foot care – active foot care.
When I was looking for something to help with Athlete’s foot, I couldn’t find a single product marketed to me – an active person – that would help me prevent this annoying condition. All I could find were products that treated the problem after it had already developed.
While brands like Deep Heat and Scholl help manage injuries and common foot issues like muscle soreness or dry skin after the fact, The Feets is all about active foot care; preventative solutions that keep your feet healthy and active. This means you never have those foot problems in the first place and can continue to nail those PBs or achieve your next personal goal.
So instead of waiting for an issue or pain to emerge, start thinking pre-emptively – what could you do for your feet now to prevent future injuries and problems that will inevitably interrupt your goals?
Injuries and common niggles affect training on so many levels, and from our own research we know that 74% of runners' training is somewhat or significantly impacted by these things. Not only that, rehabilitation after an injury can cause a lack of confidence, fear and anxiety for many people. One study found that 5% – 19% of athletes experience psychological distress after an injury, and because stress increases the risk of an athletic injury, the cycle continues.
My philosophy is simple; no excuses. Take ownership of your training and health care.
You wouldn’t wait until you needed a filling before starting to brush your teeth, so why would you ignore the limbs that carry you from A to B every day?
Why is active foot care so important?
Many of us have this misguided idea that our feet are extra durable and need no intervention. In reality, studies have found that up to 50% of regular runners report having more than one injury each year, and more than 80% of running-related injuries involve an area of the body below the knee.
For me the thing that brought my training to a crashing halt was a rolled ankle that happened just a few miles from my house. I’m not saying I could have prevented that injury, but I know now there were things I could have done to make it less severe. Running in the right trainers would have been a good start, as well as a more holistic approach to training that included balance, stability and strength work.
While sudden injuries and traumas like this can affect running and physical activity, effectively ending any training we are doing, it has actually been found that over 80% of running injuries are caused by repetitive stress, i.e. pounding the pavement over and over again on a long run.
Even those frustrating and uncomfortable problems such as athlete's foot affect a large number of us. Apparently up to 25% of people suffer from athlete’s foot at some point, which just seems crazy to me when simple foot hygiene can stop this from ever happening in the first place. And this is just one problem! There are so many that impact runners.
The majority of the injuries and general painful conditions we sustain and endure – the ones that end our training, or just make it really uncomfortable – could have been prevented by taking a few simple measures before our feet and lower limbs start to feel the effects. Instead, they seem to remain an afterthought in the current landscape of healthcare.
We’re changing that, effective today.
Our mission is to bring you the very best science-backed ways to future-proof your feet, so they can continue to carry you through life’s challenges – the ones we don’t plan for, and the ones we rise to.
But why does The Feets really exist?
By now you have probably figured it out. There’s more to The Feets than just active foot care.
Here’s a question for you (and it’s one that haunts me): could a single blister stop you from leaving behind a legacy?
My belief is, unfortunately, yes. Not looking after your feet doesn’t just end your training, it can put a stop to you going after the goals you have set for yourself, and ultimately affect whether or not you achieve the things you want in life. A whopping 40% of injuries related to running are related to overuse (or over-training), and - even worse - 30% of those are related to previous injuries. So it adds up, and it adds up way beyond just a little down time.
In other words, there is more at stake here than just a couple of weeks off running.
Active foot care from The Feets can help people stay on their feet for longer, train harder, be more comfortable and ultimately achieve more out of life. If a blister can stop you from running, it can stop you from keeping up with your training plan.
And if a blister can interrupt your training plan, it can stop you from finishing that ‘couch to 5K challenge’.
And if a blister can stop you from achieving the couch to 5K, it can ruin your chances of running a half marathon, or a marathon, or an ultra, or achieving another ambitious challenge that will give you the sense of satisfaction we all strive for when running.
Ultimately, if a blister can get in the way of even one life goal, it can affect the discipline we need for everything else we want to achieve, and could impact the legacy we leave behind when we come to the end of this very short adventure called life.
“Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you’re going to while away the years, it’s far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive than in a fog, and I believe running helps you do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that’s the essence of running, and a metaphor for life.” - Haruki Murakami, Writer and Runner
The Feets came about due to my personal belief that people don’t live the meaningful, purposeful lives they could. I constantly see people fall short of their true potential, so whether you’re a serious or regular runner, a new adopter of the sport, or you’re returning to it after a long break, I’m committed to helping you tick off those bucket list moments and find the real ‘you’.
It’s those personal challenges and battles of willpower that make us stronger, better, and show us what we’re really made of. We find those moments whilst pushing our physical and mental limits, and clocking up the miles that no one sees.
Personal growth and development are all about becoming the best version of yourself, so if an entirely preventable injury or discomfort could get in the way of that, it’s time to take action.
So, if you really want it…. go get it.
Logan
We’re The Feets. We know what it’s like to set the alarm for 5am, drag yourself out of a warm bed, lace up the shoes that are starting to show the miles, and head out in the grey morning to clock a few Ks before work. We’ve been there, we are there, and we’ve got your back. Follow us on Instagram or Tiktok for stories, motivation, tips and tricks, or just to be part of the growing community of those wanting to make something of themselves.
