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Saturday, September 17, 2016

Ten toenails

I would like to report that, three-quarters through marathon training, I have yet to lose a toenail. This is quite unusual for me: Because of my wide, hard-to-fit feet, I usually lose several toenails during training. But as of today, I have all ten, and I don't even think I have any threatening to jump ship (I think. I would need to see under the horrendous pink staining that transpired beneath my purple nail polish - and now refuses to budge -  to know for sure, but nothing feels loose).
Ignore the blotchy pink and just recognize that all nails are present.

I think I can credit my nail success to three things:
1. Shorter long runs. I'm just not pounding my toes for as long at once.
2. More easy running. The harder and faster you go, the more impact you feel. All this slow, easy running is protecting my nails.
3. Wider shoes. The New Balance Fresh Foam Zante is available in a wide, which fits my foot much better and is sparing my toes. I'm wearing the Zante a little less than the Saucony Kinvara, and I'm using my Mizuno Mushas (RIP) on the track. So maybe 35-40% of the time I'm in a better-fitting shoe.

3 comments:

  1. Is your right foot like 6 sizes larger than the left?

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  2. Hooray for keeping all your toenails! My right big toenail died last August and was black/gross until early in 2016, and then on marathon day, the left toenail began the dying process and it's still not back to normal, but it's getting close. I never lost either toenail, they just died and then have taken forever to grow out!

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