The London Marathon is now less than two weeks away. This gives us plenty of time to start prepping our feet for the big day and give them the TLC they need to get us over the finish line.
We’ve gone straight to London manicurist, Kimberley Nkosi for some of her top expert tips. Her client portfolio includes Jennifer Lawrence, George Clooney, Paul Costello, Saoirse Ronan & Ellie Goulding, so we can’t wait to try her tips out.
Here are Kimberley’s five easy steps…
1. We know the right shoes or trainers are for the win. It’s so important to make sure the trainer is the right fit. If the trainer is too tight or too wide the feet could end up with many ailments such as extreme discomfort, black toenails or blisters caused by friction.
2. The same can be said for the socks you are wearing. Follow the same rules for fit and fabric as the wrong socks can also be the root cause of blisters, which could end your marathon journey all too quickly. Thankfully socks are cheaper than shoes so you can try out a few brands before deciding what will be the best for the day.
3. Keep skin soft and supple. I know that many might argue that you protect feet when running with thicker skin but I’ve found from personal experience and clients that this isn’t the case. Thicker skin can be more prone to cracks from impact which can cause infection. To prevent blisters use a foot scrub or you can use the JML Foot Scrubber, as well as moisturizing daily. My favourite foot scrubs at the moment are the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Foot Magic & Origins Modern Friction Exfoliator. The best way to maximise hydration is to apply moisturiser and put socks on.Try L’Occitane Shea Foot Butter Cream, Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Cream and massage to revive them. If your feet are really tired, plunging them into a bowl of ice might seem like torture but will bring them back to life and get rid of inflammation.
4. Keep toenails trimmed, long toenails can cause snagging which in turn can cause blood pooling under the toenails, and tearing. It’s important to improve the strength of the toes and ankles which can be done through yoga and or foot strengthening workouts.
5. Massaging the feet can relieve a lot of tension and pain instantly. If you can afford to work with a specialist then great. If not, try rolling the feet with a tennis ball or a foam roller, these techniques are solely designed to reduce pain and although painful at the time can be so satisfying after. If you prefer to use your hands apply pressure to the 7 Pressure points as shown in the diagram to relieve stress and swelling which will help reduce pain.
For more tips follow Kimberley on Instagram @kimberley.nkosi.