My Running Invention: Blister Instafix

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. I proved that yesterday during my first run in a New York City Marathon 16-week training program. Hopefully I will be able to show you on Katie Couric's TV show!

My Mizuno running shoes recently developed a bare patch in the right heel area. I wore them yesterday on a trail run from Piermont to Nyack, up the Hudson River just north of the city. About 2 miles in, I began to feel blistering in that area, as my heel rubbed against that unpadded surface of the shoe. A very common blister.

I toughed it out for another mile and I knew that if I went any further I was going to ruin my chances for good 10K races this weekend, as I am in Saturday's Boomer Esiason Run To Breathe 10K at Central Park and also the Queens 10K in Flushing. So I stopped and took off my shoe. Then I took off my Balega sock.

I examined the blister, and lacking any bandage means at the time, I did something new: I doubled the Balega sock over and pushed it against the back of my shoe. Then I slipped my foot into the shoe. The sock gave double the padding between my heel and the shoe, and I was unaffected in finishing my 5 miler.

As for Katie Couric's TV show: She just tweeted that she is looking for #MothersOfInvention -- people who have come up with products others can't live without.

Hey, inventors with can't live w/o products I'm looking for you! I want you on the next #MothersofInvention segment: http://t.co/KSdjDtBfJY
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) July 19, 2013

Mine is a process rather than a product, but it's my invention and I submitted my entry in hopes of being on the show. Hopefully they'll pick me! Either way, I now have something to pass along to my running friends here -- feel free to copy the Blister Instafix!