Running for Life, Not Just Miles With Sharon Miller

Running isn’t just about finishing the next race — it’s about building habits that allow you to stay active for life.

In this final episode of Season 4 of The Runner’s Sole Podcast, Sharon Miller brings everything together. After covering foot basics, shoes, blood sugar, blisters, toenails, warning signs, and prevention strategies — this episode focuses on sustainability.

How do you run safely with diabetes long-term?
 How do you build habits that protect your feet year after year?
 And how do you create a support system that keeps you active, confident, and complication-free?

This episode is about mindset, teamwork, and practical routines that make running a lifelong journey — not just a short-term goal.

You’ll walk away with a clear plan to protect your feet, work with your medical team, and run smarter for decades to come.

🎧 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

✅ Why sustainable running matters more than speed or distance
 ✅ How to gradually increase training load safely
 ✅ Why rest is part of training — not a weakness
 ✅ The importance of daily foot inspections
 ✅ How proper shoes, socks, and gear prevent long-term problems
 ✅ Why rotating shoes protects tissue health
 ✅ How to build a strong medical support team
 ✅ The power of small, consistent habits
 ✅ When to contact your podiatrist early

👣 WHY THIS EPISODE MATTERS

For diabetic runners, long-term success depends on awareness, prevention, and teamwork.

Running safely isn’t about pushing harder — it’s about protecting your foundation. When you combine daily care, gradual training, and medical support, you create a lifestyle that keeps you active, confident, and moving for years to come.

This episode closes Season 4 by giving you a complete foot-care toolbox for lifelong running.

🔗 LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE:

(https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545750)

👥 JOIN OUR RUNNING COMMUNITY:

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17oz7x3jFe/

🏃 ABOUT THE PODCAST

The Runner’s Sole Podcast is where running meets science, stride by stride.

Hosted by podiatrist and runner Sharon Miller, the show helps runners understand foot health, prevent injuries, and build sustainable running habits — especially for those managing diabetes while staying active.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Welcome back to the Runner Soul, the place where running meets science stride by stride. And as ever, I'm Sharon, your resident psychiatrist, the runner, and unapologetic footnote. So welcome! We have now got to episode six, which is the last episode of our season four. But good news, we will have lots of other podcasts coming your way. So we've covered a lot in this session. Covered foot basics, shoes, blood sugar, blisters, toenails, calluses, sweaty feet, warning signs. So what are we going to cover today? Well, in our final episode of season four, we're bringing an all together. Yes, it's about running for life, not just for the next mile or race. So today we'll focus on building sustainable habits. Working with your medical team, which we encourage you, make sure you attend all your appointments, do what the doctor says, because prevention is the key when you've been diagnosed as diabetic. And we are here to help you create routines that will protect your feet and your long-term health. So by the end of this episode, you'll have the tools and hopefully the mindset to make running a safe, lifelong part of your life without letting diabetes or foot issues hold you back. Because we want you to be active and healthy, and we want you to feel like you're normal, you can do normal things, and we'll show you how to minimize allowing the diabetes to hold you back. So, how can you build a sustainable, active life, especially when you have diabetes, and you're told, oh, be careful of this, be careful of that, be careful of your skin, be careful of blusters, be careful, be careful, be careful. So, running isn't just about the speed or the distance, it's also about longevity, and we want to make it sustainable for our diabetic runners to be able to stay fit and healthy and active for you know for the rest of the life, basically. So we'll be going through things like training loads. The best thing for the training load is to really gradually, very gradually, increase your distance or your intensity. Now, if you're diabetic, it's probably best to not rush yourself. Um the main thing is that you can keep fit and be active and run if that's your choice of activity without having any complications or without putting stress in your tissues. So don't push through pain or swelling. Then the next topic, which is important, is remember rest is part of training. Don't feel guilty if you're resting and you're not doing something, because of course, when you're running and you're out there and the endorphins are jumping all around your body, you're feeling good, and of course, you want to have that feeling every single day, but we don't want to put pressure on your body unnecessarily or your tissues. So remember, rest is part of training. So you could do things like exercises just sitting in your chair. You could put on YouTube and maybe do chair yoga or palates, you could go for a swim. So, you know, rest doesn't mean doing nothing. Because recovery lets the tissues heal and adapt, which will prevent chronic injuries later on. And then, of course, we can't forget our foot check habits, how important they are. And it really is important to keep daily inspections because you want to know what is normal, what's normal for you, and what isn't normal. So the only way you'll know that is to keep daily inspections, and then you'll see very mild changes if they do happen, and then we can do something about them quickly. Because having daily inspections are the best insurance for avoiding any setbacks or infections. And then we'll now talk about what to wear. Gear maintenance. So, of course, you can't go running in your birthday suit, not definitely not in Scotland. So you'll need good shoes, some nice warm gear, and some comfortable socks that allows your your skin to breathe, and also make sure your insoles are in good condition. And make sure that you have all the things that you need. So if you think it could be cold, you know, make sure that you take an extra jumper or sweatshirt and you know, leave it in the car because better to have your layers and then you can take them off. So, my practical tip is to create a weekly foot care schedule. Now, even three to five to ten minutes is enough to prevent injuries and to keep you consistent with training. Because the last thing you want to feel is uh my feet are killing me, and of course, if you're diabetic, that is that can actually be the reality. So, no, no, no. We don't want your feet to kill you, we want your feet to support you, and we want your feet to be happy, and we want your feet to be healthy. As you've heard people say, no man is an island, and that is so true because all the people who get anywhere in life, it may seem that they've done it themselves, but bet you anything, they have a lot of people behind them that have inspired them, encouraged them, and helped them, and it's especially important when you're diabetic because you cannot be an island. There are so many team members in your medical team there to play their little the little role that they play, and we all work together to ensure that you receive the best care possible and to make sure that you are active, and that's why I'm here. So you don't run alone, even if it feels that way, because your support team really does matter. So, who's in your support team? Well, the podiatrist is there, top of the list, of course. So, your regular checkups, taking care of your nails and skincare. We'll look into seeing if you need any orthotics for extra offloading, or if you need more shock absorption, or you've got any some um gait anomalies, we can look at that, and it's all geared to prevent injury for you and to keep your feet healthy and to keep you in the low-risk category. And then, of course, you have your GP, he or she is very, very important because they will monitor your medications and they are there to monitor your blood glucose levels and answer any questions you have, and it's really really important that you don't cancel any of your appointments unless it's absolutely necessary because your GP cares about you and wants the best for you and wants to monitor how you're doing, so it's really important to go and see them on a regular basis because then if there's any like little red flags, then there's things that we can do rather than wait months and months and months and think, uh, should have gone to the GP about that, and now I've got I'm in hospital because I've got cellulitis. So all the team is there to help. And of course, you've got your endocrinologist who will be helping you with your blood sugar management and your medication review and give you guidance for exercise, etc. etc., and inform you how good your sugar levels are and your insulin production, or in some cases, you may have to get some insulin by injection or other types of medication. Then you have your physio, your physio is there and can help you with your balance, any kind of neuropathic symptoms you're having, and just help you there to assess your muscle tone and any kind of pain or any kind of concerns that you might have that they're not like working as well as they should be. And then you have your coach or your trainer, so they will do tailored training plans that will balance your progress and foot safely, and they may even work close together with your physiotherapist so they can come up with a good training plan. And maybe you're not somebody who has been doing activities up till now and you want to start. Well, that's also a good place. We need to start just slowly, slowly, and build up your strength and resistance. So please schedule your check-ins with your medical team at least twice a year, or sooner if you can, or you notice changes, or if they suggest that they'll see you every three months, then do it every three months. Because by noticing small little things, then they don't become big things, and that's what we are aiming for is to keep you healthy, keep you active, keep you moving, and keep you living your best life ever. So please do schedule those check-ins. And remember, teamwork ensures that your running is safe, sustainable, and keep you active and running, and keep you on those feet for the rest of your life, but safely. I want to close the season with one last success story that illustrates everything we have covered in this episode. So let's talk about Lisa, who's a type 2 diabetic. Now, she was frustrated after years of stopping and starting running due to blisters, calluses, and minor infections. Now, Lisa really needed to lose weight. Her blood sugar levels were off the scale sometimes. They were just going up and down, up and down, up and down. And her doctor was not very happy with her. And when Lisa went to see the doctor, she she kind of avoided her appointments because she kind of felt she was being judged or something. But of course, nobody is judging. We are here to help. So it was very important that Lisa did lose the weight for health reasons. And her method of losing the weight, she wanted, she really wanted to be able to run and to be able to get out there and move and be outdoors and you know be able to take the dog with her. So um she started implementing some very small, consistent habits. So she started to check her foot every day, and I recommended some good shoes and some comfortable socks that were diabetic friendly with no seams, or you know, anything that was like jaggy or you know, going to irritate our skin in any way. We also talked about mindful training, uh about counting the wins, even the small ones, and even things like well, I've ran today for three minutes and my feet are not hurting, and I've come back and I've checked my feet, and no sign of any irritation or pressure whatsoever. So we started to implement those small little consistent habits, and we worked closely with her podiatrist, and lo and behold, three, four months later, she ran our first 5k. Pain-free, problem-free. Her feet were stronger, they were healthier, and less prone to injury. She felt confident, she felt good about herself, and because she was feeling so good about herself and she was so active, she wasn't as hungry. And she was drinking a lot more water because she had to stay hydrated, and that in itself meant that she wasn't hungry and she wasn't snacking all the time like she usually does. So she felt confident and motivated to be able to call herself a runner, which was a big thing for Lisa because the weight just held her back. She had no confidence, she was worrying about our health, the you know, medical professions were worried about our health, our family were worried about our health, but she focused and she won. So the lesson is very simple. We just need very small, consistent steps, and they matter far, far more than the big steps. Because sustainable running comes from awareness, care, teamwork, motivation, and just the ability to know yes, you can do it. And so we wrap up season four by giving you more things to put in your foot care toolbox. So there's certain things that are very important, and I've listed about seven or eight things. So the most important thing, of course, is your daily foot inspection because you need to know what's happening down there. It's a long way down, and it's a place we don't even look until we feel something. And of course, if you're diabetic, we cannot trust your feeling because your nerves might not be working properly, and so we can't trust the fact that oh, I don't feel anything, so I must be okay. So those daily foot inspections are very, very important. Use a little mirror, use a little handheld mirror, and just have a little inspect, especially your heels, because again, that's not a place that you're you're looking at all the time, but it is the place that gets a lot of pressure, and when your skin gets dry, you get all these little cracks, and then the cracks open, and then your skin is a portal of entry for all sorts of things. And of course, we need proper shoes, they need to be supportive, they need to be wide, they need to have good shock absorption, and they can be your favorite color, they can be sparkly, they can have love hearts on it, whatever your preference, it's just you have to make sure that they are supportive. And then we need some good socks, um, bamboo socks or cotton socks. And if you don't wear like diabetic socks, just be careful that there are no seams in your socks. So, a little tip what to do when you're diabetic is just get your normal socks that you normally wear if you can't get a hold of any diabetic socks. And what to do is wear them inside out. Yes, you heard me right. Inside out, and then that means that the seam is on the outside and it's not next to your skin. So that's a little tip for you. And of course, orthotics have their place as well. Moisturizing and gentle callus management is very important because, as we talked about, the body does build up callus to protect itself, but when that callus continuously builds up and builds up and builds up, then that pressure can cause ulcers underneath the callus, horns underneath the callus, and the callus will just get thicker and thicker and become uncomfortable. And not to forget our safe no toenail trimming. Do make sure that you cut straight across and not too short. And please, please don't pick your toenails. Please do use the clippers to properly trim them. And then, of course, number five is tracking your blood sugar and running timing. Now, I think it's very important to track your blood glucose levels, and it's a good idea to maybe do them, you know, if you can do them daily, it's great because then you you have um, you know, you have a platform of knowing what's normal, and then if it goes up or it drops too far down, you'll be able to take action and go and see your GP. Then number six, I would say rotating shoes is very important. So try not to wear the same shoes day after day after day after day after day because A, you wear them out, and B, they will become moist and sweaty. So if it's a nice day out there and the sun is shining, lovely, just get those shoes, put them on the step, and just let them air in the sunshine. Or you can get some and or you can get some bicarbonate soda and shake them in your shoes, and then obviously remove it before you put them on. And make sure the gear that you wear is comfortable, soft material, and you're wearing gear that suits the temperature and the weather. And then number seven listening to warning signs is very important, and calling your podiatrist early. Your podiatrist is not gonna laugh at you if you show up with something that doesn't turn out to be anything, a problem at all. As a podiatrist myself, I always say to my Patience. I'd much rather you call me, send me a photo, or come in and make an appointment and for me to look at something and say, absolutely fine, it's not a problem, don't worry. Rather than you not coming to see me, which has happened in the past, I've had marathon runners who didn't come to me straight after the marathon, and lo and behold, they've got these huge blood blisters that become infected, full of pus. And oh my god, then I have trouble trying to heal those. So please do listen to the warning signs. And we're all here to help you, whether it's your podiatrist, your GP, your endocrinologist, your diabetic nurse, your physio. We are all here to help and to help you live the best life possible. So please do combine these habits because if you do, you'll protect your feet and you won't have any problems. You'll prevent injuries and you will make running and activities a sustainable part of your life forever. Thank you for striding through season four with me. I hope that you have enjoyed it every bit as much as I have. You started the season with curiosity and questions, and now you're leaving with knowledge, practical routines, the confidence to run smarter, safer, and hopefully longer. So please do join our Facebook community to share your stories, connect with other runners, and continue on the learning. The link is in the show notes. And if you would like an online consultation of foot care, running safety with diabetes, or any questions about your feet. Or even just a question to know, oh, is this something that I need to be worried about? In which case we can then tell you that you need to go see a GP or you need to go and see your podiatrist. Or if it's something that we can, you know, manage um yourself by giving you advice. So we would dearly, truly, honestly love to hear your suggestions for any following topics. So please do feel free to share in the comments or any platform where you've heard this podcast. Because your input helps us create content, and that is the most useful thing for you. So please, you can download us on YouTube. We're on all the main platforms, we're on Spotify, Apple, um, yeah, you name it, where we're we're out there. So remember, your feet carry you through every mile, through every mile, through every day, through every month, through every year of your life. So please protect them, respect them, and run smarter, not just harder. Because every step builds resilience, confidence, health, good circulation, and you get to experience the joy of running and being part of a community. So keep striding, stay aware, and enjoy every step you take because healthy feet are the foundation of a happy runner and a very happy love, healthy life.