shoe question for the marathon

[Brice]

I am running the Pittsburgh marathon this Sunday with my only expectation to help my friend finish around the 4 hour mark.  Personally however, my training to this point would have me run about that pace anyway.  My question is this, after a 16 mile run a week or so ago I developed blisters under my big toes.  I am wearing the same brand of shoe (Brooks Glycerin) I wore during my last marathon in which I developed blisters in the same place.  That marathon was in 3:20.  I started thinking this past weekend that running for a longer time and having developed blisters on my 16 mile run that maybe I need to do something so that my feet don't kill me during the marathon.  I thinking it is a little late to get new shoes and break them in so here are my thoughts. 

1. tape up / spray tough skin on my feet prior to the marathon.
2. Wear a pair of lighter shoes (Nike Luna Lite's) that I have.  The questions I have with this option are should I run in them since I have not gone farther than 6 or 7 miles in these shoes.  Also I know they say they are designed for the marathon distance but does anyone have experience running in these shoes. 
3. Suck it up and hope for the best

Thanks everyone, love this site and all the expertise on here.

[Chris M]

How many years have you been running? I used to get blisters in the first couple of years, then I started putting a little vaseline/petroleum jelly over my feet which removed the problem, you could also try wearing a very thin pair of socks over your normal ones so that any friction is between the two pairs of socksa ratehr than your foot and the show. Eventually the feet will adapt and you wont get blisters but it takes  a while

[Jon Allen]

I use New-Skin on my feet in blister-prone areas.  I would not suggest wearing your Luna's if you have not worn them on longer runs.  2 thin socks might work as well.  But if you can find a pair and have the $, my top suggestion would be to buy a pair of Drymax Maximum Protection socks- I used to get blisters in every marathon, but have run several 50's and a 100-mile race in one pair of Drymax with no blisters.  Whatever you do, try it out before race day- don't do something new on race day.

[Sasha Pachev]

I have shoe story. In 2003 I left in the early morning to the start of the Deseret News Marathon and half-way through realized that I had forgotten my shoes. There was no way for me to get the shoes. I only had a pair of sneakers that have be relegated to walking shoes. I would definitely not have run anything in them by choice. I was in a state of small panic, and had no recourse except to offer a prayer. A still small voice whispered: "Run in the shoes you have. It is not the shoe that makes the runner." I ran it in those shoes and ended up with 2:34:47 which beat my course PR of 2:37:25 (Desnews had a very slow course back then with a whole lot more uphill than now).

[Brice]

Thanks everyone, I think I will just stick to the old shoes and some tough skin in my blister prone areas.  I think I am just stressing a little since this is only my second marathon ever and I am significantly not as well prepared as I was for the last one. 

[Brice]

3:48:08 and some blisters.  Very happy with the time and the blisters aren't so bad   Had a great, fun, and enjoyable race, thanks for the support

[Jon Allen]

Good job, Brice.