Goodbye pretty feet.
Hello...ugly feet. I'm not really sure what else to call them other than that. They are pretty gruesome looking these days.
and guess what?!
I would not change 'em for the world.
I used to have really pretty feet and cute little toes. I would get pedicures and wear funky colors like green and blue. I would have rhinestone daisies applied to my big toes. I loved wearing strappy little shoes or flip flops.
Since I started running more and more my feet are taking a beating. Literally.
It all started early this summer after a rather hilly 15-miler. My right foot developed a big old bruised toenail. I was pretty proud of my first "black toe" though. I thought of it kind of like a badge of honor. A visual reminder to me that I was putting in the miles!
Then after a rather hot and humid 18-miler I noticed another black toenail. This one hurt for several days after that run!
The day before the Run for the Fallen, my very first black toenail fell off. I actually considered keeping it and putting it in my running scrapbook. Gross huh?? yeah, this thought actually crossed my mind. (I did throw it away!)
Then the 20+ miles I ran at the Run for the Fallen at the end of August added even more color, as well as two giant blisters on my right foot.
I found that by keeping my toenails painted HOT PINK all summer, it kind of disguised their purple/blackness.
My most recent pedicure has faded and I got a really good look at my toes this weekend. Oh my...it looks like I stepped on a grenade!!
My father and I had a rather touching discussion about my ugly feet over the weekend~must be genetic because he shared stories of HIS ugly feet (blisters and all) from his running days. Nothing like blisters and black toenails to bond a Daddy and his little girl huh?
So yup-My once pretty feet are JACKED. Ugly. Black. Blistered. Purple. Missing toenails.
But you know what? Who cares?? I kind of like my ugly feet now. I earned them. I worked hard for them and oddly enough...I am proud of them!
THE FOLLOWING GRAPHIC IMAGE MAY BE DISTURBING!!
what a great battle wound. you worked hard for those puppies! I will never forget someone telling me "you don't look like a runner, your feet look normal" - kinda pissed me off. Glad you have them to display!
ReplyDeleteYAY for running feet.
ReplyDeleteI love mine. I may be the only one but --- OWN it girl!!
{also I find, OPI "Linkin' park after dark" -dark purple to work wonders for an event or special night out. ;)
welcome to the JUF(jacked up feet) club!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHa ha...my toes are horrible too!
ReplyDeleteFunny, my feet don't look like that but then I don't exactly run either.... Then again, all the walking and stuff I do is bound to do something nasty to me!
ReplyDeleteI did get a monster blister on the inside of my heel from my 10k the other day.... can we say ewwww? Guess those shoes will go for aerobics and in the gym workouts and stick to the New Balance ones for jogging and stuff.... oh well.
Great battle scars girl!
I love, love, love this POST! I have feet pix on my post from yesterday, and my feet happen to be truly UGLY and uncoiffed! However, I LOVE my feet and am grateful for them each and every day. They are so useful and strong. By the way, those tiny feet are the cutest!
ReplyDeleteIts the bottoms of my feet that look terrible....blisters, yep!
ReplyDeleteA pair of flippers makes a HUGE difference with dolphin kicking. I am having a great experience with the Finis Zoomers.
Love this post. I too have 2 black toe nails and a parcial nail missing from my big toe. It is amazing what polish can do! I too love my badges of honor. And you know me.....not a runner but I guess all the other workouts must do this to my feet. Thanks for sharing! Lisa
ReplyDelete