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00:00:01
Simon Dent & Sophie Bennett
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In this episode, we chat to Simon Dent from Save Our Soles, and ultrarunner and coach Sophie Bennett about looking after your feet.
We discuss:
- Why foot health is often overlooked by runners
- how to keep your feet in good condition
- what should be in your footcare kit on a long race?
- pre- and post-race footcare tips
- how looking after our running shoes can help keep our feet in good condition
IG https://www.instagram.com/saveoursoleshq/
X https://x.com/saveoursoleshq
IG Sophie https://www.instagram.com/sjbennett10/
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Transcript
00:00:00
UKRunChat
Hello and welcome to the UK Run Chat podcast. How often do you think about your feet as runners? Probably only when there's a problem, right? Well, today we're here to try and change that. Joining me are Simon Dent and Sophie Bennett, two incredible advocates for foot health. Welcome Simon and Sophie. Thank you so much for coming onto the podcast today. How are you? You okay?
00:00:26
Simon
Great, thanks for having us.
00:00:26
Sophie
Thanks. Yeah great, thank you.
00:00:29
UKRunChat
Simon, did you want to start just by sharing your story behind and Save Our Souls and why you decided to focus on foot health?
00:00:37
Simon
Yeah, absolutely. excuse Yeah, thanks for having us on. um So save our souls. um i'm a sort of i should add i'm I'm a wannabe ultra runner. We've done about 20 ultras, got into the sport quite late 2018. I'm 48 now. And Yeah, Save Our Souls launched um at the start of 2025. And it was a a bit of a journey that started for me probably 18 months ago, really. And that was, it was born out of the lack of information, content and advice really for runners and foot care. And it was a journey that for me started, um I do quite a lot of running on the South Downs.
00:01:21
Simon
And I'm all getting to the grizzly details later, I'm sure, but, um, basically just getting damaged feet from running. And that was then compounded really. Um, I did marathon to solve, um, in 2023. And for your listeners and you guys, you'll be aware of the race it is a, is an absolute foot care frenzy. I mean,
00:01:44
Simon
that There were 25 specialist foot doctors following us around the desert. So you know coming back from that, I suddenly, realize you know the the light had been shone on foot care. So really that's where the idea for Save Ourselves came from.
00:01:56
UKRunChat
Yeah, okay, so so what is it? Is it kind of a community? Is it, you know, a campaign? Just explain a little bit about what it is.
00:02:02
Simon
Yeah, no, did did it's a brand, it's a community. There are 11 of us who are the the family partners, obviously Sophie's one of them as well. And we've taken people from all different parts of the running community. um And we're building a brand that will basically help shine a lot on the issue. the As well as shining a lot on the issue with tips and tricks, we are obviously launching products as well. And the first product we launched earlier this year was the Atacama shoe dryer. So again, going back to the story that I had with For Care, I was always running in damp trainers. And what I had realized was damp trainers
00:02:41
Simon
were causing me foot fumble problems, were causing me chafing, which led to blisters, which was softening the skin, leaving the ingrown toenails, and in the winter especially, chilled bones. So I was sort of struggling with always going out in the morning with down trainers on, obviously finding solutions in the airing cupboard or on the radiator, which which weren't going down too well in the home. so I then went on a bit of a journey with the team as to developing and building a ah shoe dryer, which, as I said, we we we've been working on throughout 2024, various prototypes. And and as I said, yeah, a couple of weeks ago, we launched the first version.
00:03:18
UKRunChat
Yeah, oh that's fantastic. Do you find many runners own a shoe dryer? I know I've certainly got one and I can advocate for its benefits.
00:03:23
Simon
Yeah. Yeah it's really interesting because there's there's certainly quite a lot, and we did quite a lot of research on this and I think there was quite a few people especially trail the trail running community and people that spend time in the hills were aware of them and but what we did found find at the same time was that those people were we're buying products which are really just commodities so they were um heavy discounted, dare I say, so bits of know electrical equipment, usually off Deepest Dark is Amazon, um that takes three weeks to arrive. And so what we are trying to do is we' we're trying to launch a premium product, which we believe we have, but also, as you said earlier, build a community around it and and provide a broader education around it. And I think huge eyes are quite interesting because I think once you find someone that's got one,
00:04:13
Simon
they're real evangelists and they love it. But it's sort of what what we're finding and what we will find is as we sort of go throughout this year is that um it's almost convincing people that we have a product that's the better solution than their radiator at home, which is a great challenge and and we're relishing.
00:04:31
UKRunChat
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So Sophie, what drew you to this mission then? What's, you know, how is your perspective on foot health change? Cause you've done some incredibly long endurance races.
00:04:42
Sophie
Yeah, I mean, when I am first, when Simon first explained to me and what him and the fellow founders were doing, like he mentioned, I was slightly late to this, and I literally couldn't think of anything better to be involved with. Two of my passions are running and feet, and that that might sound stupid, but obviously, um without my feet, I would not have the privilege um or to have gone to half the incredible places um or completed some of the epic challenges that I've been lucky enough to do.
00:05:09
Sophie
um I quickly learned after my first dragon's back, and the kind of pain that you could suffer from your feet doing these sort of epic challenges. And even though, like in the build up to dragon's back, I had like researched quite a bit on feet because obviously um amongst dragon's back participants, that is, it's a sort of a big talking point. But again, there's not actually much out there.
00:05:31
Sophie
um the Obviously, the the Gospel book that we all look at is that Fixing Your Feet book, but other than that, there wasn't much else out there for you. so you know, I think I always went into it sort of with damage limitation in mind, you know, what could I do, you know, but regards my feet to obviously try and get through the race. But when sort of Simon came to me and said, you know, look we think there's a gap for a sort of company or the community aimed at active people that really care for your feet. I like, yeah, there was nothing else I'd like to get involved in more because I think also not just being a brand that's
00:06:04
Sophie
they're sort of churning out these things for your feet or this support for your feet by actually having this community around it and actually get people talking about it.
00:06:11
UKRunChat
Yeah. Yeah. oh Well, it's it's brilliant that you've both come on today. So let's let's move on then from that Sophie, what you just said. So how do you keep your feet in good condition during your long races?
00:06:22
UKRunChat
Like what happened to them during the dragon's back?
00:06:25
UKRunChat
I'm intrigued.
00:06:25
Simon
you.
00:06:25
Sophie
Um, well, I mean, dragon's back was one thing, but more recently, um, I think I had seven days of pain at tour de gion and that really, really was. And I mean, I look after my feet and I still went through that pain. So I've kind of come to sort of a bit of a conclusion that, you know, you are, you know, there is going to be some foot pain if you're on your feet for 150 hours, but I've got quite a strict routine in that, you know, I visit my.
00:06:50
Sophie
I get a pedicure. Well, it used to be a pedicure. Now it's a podiatrist, because if you don't have nails, it's a bit of a waste of time going to a pedicure. I see the podiatrist every few weeks. I mean, I was there this week. and I see him. um I look after my nails in terms of, i you know, you file your heels, your feet. Pre-race, I take my feet. And then um during the race, obviously, I will like, at ah life bases, I will dry them, change my socks, change the tape, take the strapping.
00:07:17
Sophie
and I haven't been lucky enough to to try the Atacama yet, but I'm so excited for this because I think that is actually what the, you know, the biggest thing is your wet feet, your wet trainers. And with Tour de Gion, our first day, it acts we we went through every single weather system you can think of. So we had trench rain on the first day, we had snow, we had technical ground, we had um blazing sunshine and so um my I mean for me I'm quite lucky I think because of the foot care that I do do I don't tend to get blisters touch wood but for me more it's my toes and um yes so 150 hours on feet during that race um they were pretty pretty sore um and basically yeah infections I had to have like the nails pierced yeah it was
00:08:04
Sophie
pretty traumatic. So anything we can do to improve foot health is I'm i'm here for.
00:08:09
UKRunChat
Yeah, that sounds painful.
00:08:09
Simon
Just jumping in there as well.
00:08:11
UKRunChat
Yeah, i go on, Simon, yeah.
00:08:12
Simon
It's probably one of our team members. I actually met him on this year's Dragons back, a guy called Neil Middleton, and he is a military medic. And Neil, obviously, at Dragon's Back had volunteered previously in the medical tent. So he is so across every single foot condition, foot issue, not just from his history of volunteering at Big Ultras, but also you can imagine in the military some of the the things they see as well with feet. And as part of our research last year, we spent quite a lot of time with chiropodists and podiatrists and they were so welcoming because they were
00:08:49
Simon
The biggest issue they have is most people, especially runners, come to them in their 40s and 50s when most of the damage is already done. And it's so difficult to unpick that sort of damage if if you've been compounding it for 20, 30 years. So, you know, we've got a few of those on board as well, helping us spread the word, but we're thinking for us, it's.
00:09:08
Simon
you'd all probably be aware there's a couple of brands in the sort of deepest darkest corner of boots who are the sort of traditional foot care brands I won't name them but, um but they've been around, you know, since the 50s, and They'll have your corn pads and your sort of your your yeah your blister plasters, but that's all they've got really. And they're not very, and all of their marketing sort of has a sort of 70 year old lady in a chair with her foot being looked at. And I think that's just not appealing to to to us and to our community. So I think we really hope to, I guess, bring that sector into into the current day, present day.
00:09:46
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's interesting because, yes, when Sophie mentioned podiatrist, my first thought was that's something for older people, surely, but no, it's not. Why do you think foot health is often overlooked amongst younger runners and athletes then?
00:09:58
UKRunChat
what What's happening there?
00:09:58
Simon
You know, it's been some amazing studies and you know what they make complete sense a big part of it. Well, there's two things. Firstly, you rarely get to see your feet. So it's the one body part you you see the least. And then secondly, it's it's so far away from your yet your face and your eyes and you just don't really you kind of they're wrapped up, and you don't see them. And so if we don't think about them, and so there's lots of studies that back that up. So it kind of makes sense for it, doesn't it? that If something's always covered, you know, it's bad enough on a run. If something hurts in your foot, you kind of you well, I've learned not to but a lot of people just say oh we go and we all know that if there's any, you know, he's bought anything you dress it straight away or as
00:10:41
Simon
I think that, you know, the everyday runner probably ends up with blisters because they just ignore their foot problems.
00:10:49
UKRunChat
Yeah, you've mentioned blisters there. what's What's your advice? And I know you're not kind of feet experts, but what what, I mean, what would you normally do on a long run?
00:10:57
Simon
Sophie, do you want to take this one?
00:10:57
UKRunChat
Would you pop them? and
00:10:59
Sophie
Yeah. Well, I think first of all, what Simon said is the most important thing is if you feel like you're getting blister or a hotspot to address it, like and there's been a lot of chat this week with the spying going on about being bothered.
00:11:05
UKRunChat
yeah
00:11:10
Sophie
And that is the key thing to feet is being bothered, whether that's, you know, looking at them before you start your race, or if you start to feel that hotspot during the race. And I know personally with mine, I know that I've got, if a blister has happen to build up. i am in In my first aid kit, I will always carry. um I mean, for me, like, again, there's a lot of talk around kit lists, but I've had it ingrained from me from doing Dragon's Back, you know, I have a blister pack, I have a full first aid kit with me wherever I'm going, and I have a like a blade in that, and I would just ease that blister off with the blade. I would use the K-Tape, you know, a little bit of gauze, probably, and then K-Tape around it to tape it up, because
00:11:50
Sophie
I think the biggest thing with this is if you leave them, they're never ever going to get better during that run. They're only going to get worse. So I think that's the key thing is being bothered and just addressing it. And, you know, if it's at that point where it just needs, you know, you need to release it and then wrapping it and making sure nothing, no infection gets in there. And then you can obviously deal with it when you get back from your run.
00:12:11
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's brilliant advice. So it's just being aware of our feet, isn't it? And and knowing and it's knowing what to do as well, isn't it?
00:12:15
Sophie
Yeah.
00:12:18
UKRunChat
and I mean, what other common foot issues do runners face then? And you know what can they do about them?
00:12:24
Simon
I mean, the biggest ones that our our research threw up were last year where Ingrid Toner is a big one. Again, not really addressed. And to be honest, once they get to a certain stage, it's not really something you can do at home yourself.
00:12:38
Simon
I mean, you can have a good go, but you're likely to do more harm.
00:12:41
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:12:43
Simon
I think as well, the foot fungal is a big, big problem. And again, that's something that is a huge thing in in summer and in winter.
00:12:53
Simon
I think your damp, dark trainer is is a breeding ground for bacteria. And, ah you know, some of these extreme, I mean, not just extreme races, you know, you, you do a pipeline and then check your damp trainers in a warm cupboard and don't put them on properly. Well, guess what? There will be bacteria breeding in there and that can very easy transfer onto your feet. So I think, you know, from what we found, um, yeah, foot fungal athletes for and ingrown toners. I mean, Sophie, anything to add on that?
00:13:21
Sophie
Yeah, I think just that like the nail looking after the nails itself, because I think like obviously the fungal, but also then like, you know, if, if they're getting in the end of your trainers and getting battered, just that general, making sure that you have the right pair of trainers, making sure that you have the right socks, and making sure that you change your regularly, because you'd be surprised it might have people that just check out the same pair of socks.
00:13:32
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:13:43
Sophie
And like if you're in race again, just making sure that you're drying your feet, changing your sock, and then obviously just really helping with that those foot problems.
00:13:52
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's interesting. You mentioned socks there. What are your recommendations for kind of types of of socks to wear? Do you have a preference, Sophie?
00:14:00
Sophie
I do have a couple of brands that I wear and I can pretty much stick to them. So I guess I wear the Indian G toe socks, which people either love or hate. And there's a lot of chat around where the case wearing marathons and chair of runners. But I do find that just giving that a bit of extra protection per toe does help me. And obviously I've wrapped my toes within that as well. um Or, you know, if I'm just sort of every day and on the road, I go for a spork or a stance. But again, just I think the most important thing is to whatever sock you wear,
00:14:29
Sophie
you try it with the trainer and you try that combo because I find that a lot of my athletes will do a few training runs and then they'll run that race slightly longer. And if they haven't tried that combination, that's when you can end up with blisters or you know damage because you haven't actually tried that combination and find out if it works for you.
00:14:46
UKRunChat
Yeah, yeah. I mean, how do you encourage your clients, Sophie, to when you're coaching them to look after the feet? what How do you start that conversation?
00:14:53
Sophie
Well, I think there's a lot of chat around how terrible my feet are um and how much pain I'm in. So I was like, please, I don't want to see you go through this pain as well. And yes, so i I do do, there's a lot of foot chat within my group. um And, you know, again, it's just encouraging people to, ah you know, you talked about why people don't go to podiatrists. And I think we spend a lot of money as runners on like races and trainers, the new kit. But again, actually that podiatrist appointment or p I mean, I started having pedicures because I wanted my toes to look nice.
00:15:21
Sophie
Um, and you know, maybe for men that's harder to get themselves to go and have a pedicure because it, maybe it feels less, you know, masculine or whatever, but just go and see the podiatrist and just having your feet looked after. I just think is, is if you're investing in these trainers in your socks, in your kit, that, that money that you'll invest in the podiatrist is, you know, it's never, it's never going to not help you. And again, that your feet.
00:15:43
Sophie
could end your race. So the money again, you've spent on that race, if you haven't looked after your feet, it could end your race. So I'm quite serious about it with my clients and we talk about it. And again, just encourage them for healthy foot habits and obviously they'll all be purchased in Atacama as well to drive their trainers.
00:16:01
UKRunChat
Yeah, thank you. and Simon, I'm interested, you were talking about and Marathon de Sable earlier. how How do you go about looking after your feet during a race like that where there's lots of sound?
00:16:10
Simon
Yeah, I mean, that again was a ah huge subject before he went. And as I said, that's probably where this sort of, yeah, this passion, this newfound passion was cemented because the amount of research I did, I think that was um very much about taping feet correctly every day. Temperature was getting up to 50 degrees on some day. So you've then got a really big problem with sweating inside your trainer. Everyone was advised to go at least one size up due to the swelling of your feet when you're out there. So that in itself causes problems because you can't really train the UK one size up unless you put three pairs of socks on, which then in itself creates all sorts of issues. So yeah, daily foot care, obviously wearing gaiters to sort any sand or sand dust getting in your shoe.
00:16:56
Simon
Yeah, out in the desert, um it was, it was probably the key, to be honest. And as I said, they had this brilliant team of rowing doctors with us called Doctrotters, who were all qualified doctors, French doctors who were foot specialists who, you know, there's probably a hundred person at least Q outside the medical tent every evening with people getting their feet seen to. um And that pretty much was the biggest um not cause of dropout, but definitely injury. I mean, by the time I got home, my, my feet weren't recognizable. And and that was, I was one of the lucky people. Some of the, some of the feet injuries out there are crazy, but yeah, it's, it's, ah it's an extreme environment desert. And I think, yeah, the heat combined with, you get anything in your sock in any race, stop and get it out. Whereas obviously in the desert, you weren't really aware when bits of dust or sand are going in until it's a bit late. So.
00:17:50
Simon
Yeah, it's just it it was definitely a great experience from that point of view.
00:17:55
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's really interesting. I'm very different, I would imagine, to when you're you've got constantly wet feet, if you're you know um on moorland or through bugs.
00:18:01
Simon
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it was the place where I did think about, and I down now do implement double socks. So this evening's race, um because, sorry, if you're listening, so I'm doing a backyard ultra this evening, so whenever it refers to this evening's race, but I am, I will wear, I'm going half a shoe size up with a pair of Injinsis and a pair of socks on top.
00:18:25
Simon
um And I found that to work to work really well for me. So yeah.
00:18:32
UKRunChat
And will you be changing your socks as well as you go on?
00:18:34
Simon
Yeah, well, that's a good thing.
00:18:34
UKRunChat
How long are you visiting this going on as well?
00:18:35
Simon
Again, I don't know the first time I've done it, but the thing I keep having to remind myself is that actually, um I'm sort of pacing myself to have an eight minute rest, rest the right word break, um eight minutes every hour to to to sort myself out.
00:18:51
Simon
So actually, I am taking lots of change. I'm taking three pairs of trainers, it's five pairs of socks. So I'm taking changes closing. But thankfully, the race is actually really close to home and the weather's looking okay.
00:19:03
Simon
So Yeah, thankfully, I don't think um we'll be having rain tonight, which is a huge plus.
00:19:10
UKRunChat
Yeah, definitely. And how do you both look after your feet after a race then? What what do you both do?
00:19:17
Simon
Sophie?
00:19:17
Sophie
but my most recent race is I haven't been able to touch my feet for a while after because of the pain but yeah I think as soon as you know I get again after tour they were pretty they're in a pretty bad state so it was just kind of you know making sure the infection didn't spread waiting for the toenails to drop off and just giving them lots of love um not wearing trainers for a while But yeah, I think it's just getting back into that and routine of having, you know, making sure that you've taken the skin off, making sure that you've cut your nails or you go and get something to do. it Either way, just taking the time to to look after them. I think a really interesting point Simon just said about how he's
00:19:56
Sophie
wearing two pairs of socks, I think the biggest takeaway for people is that everybody is so different with their feet.
00:20:02
Sophie
And actually, you have to find a system that works for you. And whether that is, you know, seeing a podiatrist, whether it's doing it yourself, whether it's wearing one sock, two socks or taping them or not taping them.
00:20:02
Simon
Yeah.
00:20:13
Sophie
But I think the biggest takeaway is that you need to try this in training, because actually, you you might not suit having your feet taped. You might not. I actually use a product called Gurnee Goo.
00:20:24
Sophie
And I use that all over my feet. I think it's from, actually originally comes from New Zealand. It's like an antiseptic. And someone I ran with said to me to use it and I've never stopped using that. And that's what I put on my feet and it works really well for me. But I think that's the key is just finding, like doing a little bit of research, taking the time, be bothered, find out what works for you. Because like, as I keep saying, your feet will make you have a great race or end your race. So actually it's the time and yeah, making sure you do something about it.
00:20:53
UKRunChat
Yeah. And it's important to talk about these things as well, isn't it? And have these conversations.
00:20:56
Sophie
Yeah.
00:20:57
UKRunChat
So it's great. Hopefully this conversation here is in will inspire people to actually think about feats.
00:21:02
Sophie
Yeah. Yeah. And not just think gross fee. It's like, actually they are, you're probably the most important, important part of your race.
00:21:06
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:21:10
UKRunChat
Yeah, we totally rely on them, don't we?
00:21:12
Sophie
Yeah.
00:21:13
UKRunChat
Um, so it's, it's evident that during long races, you know, and in damp conditions, we need to look after our feet. What would you say to people out there who perhaps never do trail running? They're just running, running on roads. They're not doing great distances. How can you encourage those people to look after their feet better?
00:21:30
Simon
I think from what I've learned just personally as well because but I've only lived in the countryside four years before that I was very much a a London roadrunner and again I think it is trainers are really important I think it's something that people get sucked into a lot of marketing and you can easily spend a lot of money and it's very difficult sometimes not to be affected by trends and what everyone else is wearing but you just have to find a trainer that suits you and I learned this the hard way you know I i i i'd find I found a brand that fit me really well. They did a really good size, which is an 8.5 Nike. Now, as a running shoe, that's amazing. But I go to some races on trails in mountains and no one's wearing nikes at that time. Just have a total meltdown of like insecurities that no one else has got nikes on. And so for the first few years, I went out, bought all the other brands. None of them were.
00:22:21
Simon
And now I proudly wear Nike's back on the trails. I was the only one on Dragons back in Nike's. I was the only one that does it in Nike's, but they work for me. And I think it's that same point. Again, it's run your own race and that applies to picking your own kit out as well.
00:22:38
UKRunChat
Yeah, absolutely. um Is there a common myth about foot health that you'd like to debunk while you're here?
00:22:46
Simon
Oh, I don't know. i Yeah, I was talking about that. I wasn't really sure. Did you have anything safe on that?
00:22:53
Sophie
No, I think the biggest problem is that feet probably just don't really get talked about. That's probably like, rather than actually being a myth, I think it's more, you know, ah or they do get talked about, but they get talked about after when people are suffering, not before.
00:23:05
Simon
Yeah.
00:23:07
Sophie
So everything, your feet are fine until they're not fine. And I think that's probably the thing that we need to like bring the conversation around and actually not having all these pictures of horrendous feet.
00:23:14
Simon
Yeah.
00:23:17
Simon
Yeah.
00:23:18
Sophie
Let's see the nice feet that have been looked after and they're going into the races ready to keep you going.
00:23:23
Simon
yeah
00:23:23
UKRunChat
Yes.
00:23:23
Sophie
um That's probably the the thing is actually, you know, don't wait till your feet are in that state. Look after them before they get to that state.
00:23:30
Simon
And just don't see just just on that point as well, obviously, you know, we're a brand that talks about foot care and will be helping people get advice and giving them content.
00:23:30
UKRunChat
Yeah, I am with you there. I do not want to see any more toenails falling off on social media.
00:23:43
Simon
But I think something of relevance is also shoe care. Now that is obviously, absolutely not a priority. But with the shoe dryer we've launched, that shoe dryer will make your trainers last longer.
00:23:50
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:23:56
Simon
Now, I don't think it's any coincidence that you don't see any of the top sports brands, running shoe brands, offering advice on making your trainers last longer because it's obviously not in their interests.
00:24:07
Simon
And I think it's ah there is this massive myth at the moment around, I mean, trainer brands are even giving advice as to how many miles that trainer should fill up you know you should use it for, which it's just unbelievable.
00:24:08
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:24:20
Simon
like And I think there's there's those's runners like Kitty and Jornet and I've seen a couple of other guys who are quite rightly advocating that if you look after your trainers properly, which is includes washing them once a week and drying them properly once a week, there's no reason why a pair of trainers shouldn't last you a couple of years. So I think that's a bit of a myth. I think we'll be inadvertently debunking around um you know the the cycle of a trainer being sort of 200 miles and you have to buy a new pair, which is absolutely nonsense.
00:24:49
Sophie
Yeah.
00:24:52
UKRunChat
Yeah, what what kind of mileage do you get out of your trainers and average them?
00:24:56
Simon
Well, quite a lot, to be honest. But I think I do actually, I do like taking care of my trainers. I probably buy a pair of trail shoes, and bear in mind, I've been using a dryer now for a year at various post sites. And I will, as a rule, wash my trainers every Sunday and dry them. And yeah, I probably get eight months out of it that I'm probably doing on average throughout the year, 50 miles a week.
00:25:25
Simon
So that's quite a lot of miles.
00:25:29
UKRunChat
Yeah, okay. And how would you both recommend cleaning trainers? What's the best way to do it to help sustain the life of them?
00:25:35
Simon
I've got a few tips. Sophie, do you have a method?
00:25:39
Sophie
I mean, I'm really funny about my trainers. I'm exactly the same as you. We've actually never discussed this, but I wash my trainers every time they've been muddy.
00:25:47
Simon
Yeah.
00:25:47
Sophie
so i But I do them in the sink, so so I would never put them in the washing machine.
00:25:49
Simon
Yeah.
00:25:52
Simon
No.
00:25:52
Sophie
um I always hand wash them, don't tell my family that.
00:25:54
UKRunChat
yeah
00:25:55
Simon
yeah
00:25:55
Sophie
and then i but But this is the one thing then, I would stick them outside or in the garage with newspaper stuff in them and they would take ages or you know put them on the radiator.
00:26:00
Simon
yet you know
00:26:03
Sophie
So I think the washing bit by hand, I'm looking after them as well as I can, but it's that drying then and getting them back.
00:26:07
UKRunChat
yeah
00:26:08
Sophie
and if you Especially if you need them the next day or ah soon after. um you know And I'm hoping that that elongates them more than sticking them in the washing machine.
00:26:17
Simon
Well, absolutely, but also as well, we've we've tested quite a lot of trainers and a number of those good trainer brands, unfortunately, if you do put them down on the radio, should a lot of the material gets damaged, especially the glue.
00:26:28
Simon
So yeah, that that's never been a priority in the the reason we're launching the the shoe dryer, but actually that's been a huge benefit we've noticed.
00:26:31
UKRunChat
Mm hmm.
00:26:36
Simon
so
00:26:39
UKRunChat
Yeah, absolutely. Simon, just taking you back to that point about sustainability that you and when I was looking about save our ourselves that you're working to go plastic neutral.
00:26:43
Simon
Yeah, that's right.
00:26:48
UKRunChat
Is that right? How do you want to tell us a little bit about that?
00:26:50
Simon
here we see Yeah, one of the I guess the frustrations of the process last year was that we were very keen to to build a product out of recycled plastic. um But we very quickly learned that actually, it's extremely it's extremely challenging, if not impossible to build a device gives that gives out heat from electricity source with recycled plastic.
00:27:11
Simon
So the product is 80% made from recycled.
00:27:12
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:27:14
Simon
Well, that's the most it could possibly be. So We sort of came back to base scratching our heads. And so the two things we committed after that was firstly, we wanted a a product that was robust. So you'd only ever buy one and it would last your life. So we're confident we've done that. But then secondly, we we did feel the obligation to to do something and put something back. So um yeah, for every Atacama sold, we're donating a pound as ah as a business to a brilliant organization called 4ocean.
00:27:44
Simon
And they're a big American organization that removes plastics from the world's oceans. So um we're donating a pound from every Atacama sold, and then at checkout, we're offering customers to to make a donation as well. But yeah, so that is a partnership that that's just kicked off. And as that goes throughout the year, the plan is that um we hope for the total weight in pounds of Atacama sold each year, we will then fund that same weight to be removed from the ocean. so You know, we feel that's um that's a good commitment basically.
00:28:18
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's great. Thank you. and Well, thank you. It's been a really interesting chat. I thought we'd we'd leave our listeners with perhaps your top tips. So what are your top three easy steps that runners can take to better care for their feet today, whether trail or road?
00:28:36
Simon
Okay, you go first.
00:28:37
Sophie
I think my fit ah my first tip would be and definitely um just taking care of your feet so get yourself some nice nail clippers if you don't want to go to a podiatrist make sure you like look after your toenails you know if you need to youtube it to see how to do it properly just take those five minutes to have a look get your toenails clipped nicely get your heels and your balls of your feet make sure that you've sort of use there a foot file on them and then just moisturise them every day. Just look after them, give them some love, moisturise them every day um and and you will definitely see a difference in in your feet.
00:29:14
Simon
Mine is, unsurprisingly, mine is around drying your shoes appropriately.
00:29:14
UKRunChat
that's great advice anything to add then
00:29:20
Simon
And whether that is from a wet morning run in the winter or ah the dew in the summer's morning run, as soon as you get back to base, dry your trains properly because they'll be good to go tomorrow.
00:29:30
Simon
And then likewise, summer or winter, when you wash them in the sink or in the washing machine, and when they come out, dry them appropriately. Because if you don't, that becomes a breeding ground for all sorts of issues.
00:29:44
UKRunChat
Yeah, so, so important. Thank you. Well, Simon, good luck with your race this evening.
00:29:50
Simon
Thank you.
00:29:50
UKRunChat
um Yeah, all the best.
00:29:51
Simon
Don't feel lost longer this evening.
00:29:52
UKRunChat
Hope your feet behave.
00:29:52
Simon
um Yeah. I'll look after fear for me.
00:29:57
UKRunChat
yeah And what have you got coming up next, Sophie? What's your next event?
00:30:01
Sophie
i'm I'm actually doing them the Toulouse backyard ultra next weekend. So um it was a bit of a late addition to my race calendar, but yeah, so I start six o'clock and at o'clock next Friday lunchtime.
00:30:13
UKRunChat
Yeah, are fantastic. Well, all the very best with that.
00:30:14
Sophie
So thank you.
00:30:16
UKRunChat
and would Would you please tell our listeners where they can find you on socials if they'd like to follow?
00:30:21
Simon
Yeah, so we're on all the usual places, that Save Our Souls HQ and SaveOurSouls.com is where you'll find a website.
00:30:30
UKRunChat
Fantastic. And what about you, Sophie?
00:30:33
Sophie
um Yeah, I'm sort of linked into that one. And then I'm SJ Bennett um on socials, on Insta, sorry.
00:30:41
UKRunChat
Oh, fantastic. Yeah, well, thank you so much for sharing your stories and valuable insights on foot health. I hope that it's been and but interesting to people listening and it's certainly been an eye-opening discussion and hopefully we can get that conversation about foot health out there. and If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and please follow us on social media and share your thoughts or questions. We'd love to hear from you. Until next time, don't forget to look after those feet.