Going Barefoot

In my illustrious, long, if unremarkable running career, I have been fairly injury free. Aside from a stress fracture last year, I’ve never had an injury that sidelined me from running! What I have worn with pride (only amongst other runners) are two black toenails. I have tried countless different shoes in various sizes, widths, and flavors but have yet to find something that didn’t create large blisters underneath the toenails on my second two on both feet. These blisters then break but not before destroying the nail bed and discoloring my toenail. As this occurs day after day, the texture of the nail changes and becomes a thick, black, “nail” that resembles shale. This is truly both shocking and unjust given the fact that I am not one of those freaks with a longer second toe than their big toe, (you know who you are Ms. my second toe is as long as my pinky finger), in fact I have an ENORMOUS big toe that is totally out of balance with the rest of my toes. Seriously, its like one of those giant, bulbous lollipops! No one can explain why my second toes take such a beating and the podiatrist’s explanation was “that’s what you get for being a healthy runner.”

Of course every time I go for a pedicure, the sweet ladies are repulsed, get out the rubber gloves, and ask me “This fungus? What happen to toe?” Other patrons overhear and look down at my toe with different shades of horror, immediately assuming they are going to contract a deadly fungus from sitting next to me. “No, its just from running,” I stammer as loudly as I can looking pointedly at Judgy Judy sitting across from me (as if she’s never had an embarrassing deformity). I hand over my red/black polish which is the only color I can wear given the natural hue of 1/5 of my “horn like envelopes covering the dorsal aspect of the terminal phalanges of my toes” which to my surprise is the technical definition of toenail. Clearly, something has to change as I gear up to train for the 140.6!

Enter barefoot running. I have now completed 3 barefoot runs, and I’m LOVING it. I’m doing a combo of totally barefoot and the new Vibram Bikila. The first few runs have resulted in extreme soreness in my calves and lower legs that have led to me appearing even clumsier than ever and getting offered a wheelchair at the airport (which I declined after seriously considering it). But I’m working up to it and could almost walk normally today despite running 2 barefoot miles yesterday.

Today’s workout is a 30 minute swim and 60 minute bike (indoors since I’m traveling), plus a super short run to keep strengthening those barefoot muscles!