Riding Scenic Drive

Yay! my first ride on scenic drive done and dusted :) I must be getting used to them hills because Thursdays ride was enjoyable and the hills did not seem overwhelming!.  Thanks a million camp mother for escorting me.

Im not sure Im loving the numb feet thou, and Im thinking it wouldn't be so good to have numb feet for an up and coming 180k ride then expect to run for 42k.  With the wonders of google I have found that although common occurance for cyclists it is not something you should have to put up with.  Fortunately (I read) there are a number of steps a cyclist should take to remedy these numbness issues, including:

Shoe fit
A cycling shoe that is too tight increases the risk for numbness. This is particularly true of the shoe is tight around the ball of the foot. The tight shoe squeezes the ball of the foot to the point where inflammation occurs between your metatarsal heads (the joints that connect your toes to the rest of your foot, which are often referred to as the ball of your foot) and ultimately this inflammation causes poor blood circulation and eventual numbness. Cyclists experiencing numbness in their feet are encouraged to try a cycling shoe that provides more space in this area of the foot.  I got 2 pairs of shoes different sizes but get numb feet for both, so picking its not the shoe
 
Cleat placement
Cleats that are placed too far forward on your foot will increase the risk for numbness. The forward cleat placement causes more pressure directly on or in front of the ball of your foot, and this can cause inflammation and numbness in that area. If the fit of the shoe is not an issue, I recommend cyclists try to move the cleats rearward on their shoes. The more rearward placement distributes pressure further back on the foot and less pressure behind the toes. This can help restore circulation and feeling in the toes.  mmm maybe one to look into ?

Custom footbeds
A custom footbed or even off-the-shelf arch supports can distribute more pressure underneath the arch of your foot which takes pressure off the ball of your foot and toes. In addition to relieving ball of foot and toe numbness issues, a custom footbed also gives the best possible power transfer to the pedal and promotes best vertical alignment of the knee during the pedal stroke.  Again maybe something else to investigate ?

Cycling technique
Outside of shoe fit, cleat placement, or the need for custom footbeds/orthotics, cycling technique can play a role in causing or preventing foot numbness. Lower cycling cadences and excessive riding in hills are both culprits that tend to increase the likelihood of foot numbness problem to creep up. Yeah right!!! obviously this guy doesn't live in Auckland, seen a flat bit of road anyone ??

Details from my garmin