General Cycling Discussion - ye gods, what just happened to my feet?!

This has never occurred before and I'm wondering WTH?? About a week a go I took off on a normal trip, nothing unusual except the heat index,which was hovering at about 103 F and I'm as used to that as one can expect to be. Right off the start, at about 2 miles from home I noticed a light pricking sensation on the top of my right foot, but it wasn't any hassle. It felt like a weed seed or something in my sock, so I ignored it and continued. Slowly it grew into a strong stinging sensation and I then wondered if a bee hadn't smacked into my foot and worked its way into the sock. Before long this stinging turned into a feeling of actual HEAT, I mean heat as though someone were holding the cherry end of a cig to my foot. At this point I realized the same sensation was now beginning in the top of the other foot. I reached down and undid my laces but it didn't help. I made it about a mile further, couldn't stand it anymore and finally sat right down and ripped my shoes and socks off. The tops of both feet were a scary bright red with little white spots all over, but they were both cool to the touch. I never had a rash or anything anywhere else, and I really didn't feel overheated--I'd only been on the road about 10 minutes anyway! I thought about heading back barefooted but I finally put the shoes back on and made it home where I headed for a tub of water. My feet felt like they were actually smoldering.
Anybody know what this was or had something similar happen?
I'm guessing it was a heat thing but I would think I should be used to that by now...anyway, never had it happen before now!:confused:

Hmmmmm..... heat rash in the feet?

I was staying at a guest house in Bankok. It was hot as hell there. One morning, I woke up and my legs were red and felt like they were flaming, and there was some kind of rash running up and down my legs. They felt cool to the touch, but I really wanted to scratch them. I had to switch rooms, and they took my mattress outside and aired it out and oh, it was a mess!

It was a one time deal. I've been in hotter climates and it never returned. I'd take it up with a doctor, but if you really think you just had a heat rash, just don't scratch, apply some kind of cream or ointment for relief and keep the area clean. Have you considered those cycling shoes that look like sandals?


Koffee

Sounds like red or fire ant bites.

As strange as it seems ocean rider could be right. I was sitting in my lawn taking apart swingset thing the other day and i was covered with red ants and the sensation and the color is like what you described. First it starts off as a mild discomfort, sort of like what you described with one of those sticky weed seeds and then it starts burning badly. When i was bit it itched like crazy, you didnt describe any itching but it may still have been the same thing. After some scratching my back turned all red and i was covered in little white blotches. Still would be strange how you would get ants in your socks....

Although I am sure there weren't any ants in my socks (nor a colony of weaver ants under my helmet) I have had the wonderful experience of stepping squarely into a nest of fire ants while visiting family in the South :cry: :dance: and this was JUST like that. I was thinking maybe it was a case of shingles, but it went away within an hour or so and I don't think shingles works that way.
Anyway, I was ready to stop, drop, and roll!

Not using a different laundry soap or fabric softener, are you? Or maybe the socks didn't get rinsed well. I found out a few years back that I'm allergic to one particular fabric softener. (Snuggle I think) Just a thought.