This little piggy went running
'Fake Toe Nails' - that's not something I ever thought I would be Googling. Alas, I've discovered that bruised and battered toenails are very much a fact of life for runners, especially as you start to increase your distance. I've had an unstable nail for weeks but the other day it came off. It looked weird but didn't hurt. I looked at it with a mixture of revulsion and pride. I tried to see it as a battle scar, a badge of courage, although I can't pretend I wouldn't have preferred a glamorous, girly T-shirt with 'Half Marathon Queen' written across in glittery lettering.
I had a summer wedding invite approaching, so, off to Google I went, hoping to find some miracle product designed to conceal missing nails for a special occasion. I wasn't really expecting to find a solution, so I was quite surprised when so many options flashed up, offering me the perfect French pedicure in minutes and the promise of flip-flop happy feet. This problem must be more common than I thought. I guess it goes to show how many women are taking up running these days.
Some would say this is vanity at its most ridiculous, but all my life I have taken great care of my feet. I have never understood people who will happily spend on expensive facial moisturisers and treatments yet it never occurs to them that they should attend to their feet on a regular basis. Sometimes during the summer months, on the train or when out and about, I would notice people in the vicinity, wearing open sandals and some would have the most appalling feet. It would make me shudder. It also made me determined to keep looking after my own, especially after I started running. Runners' feet of course take a heck of a hammering. Trainers, no matter how well-fitting, will squash your toes as you run for long periods. But with a bit of TLC you can repair some of the damage.
However, as I browsed Amazon, perusing the different products on offer (all essentially the same thing - an adhesive falsie that you can cut to size) I realised that they were stupidly over-priced for what was basically a glorified plaster. Besides, there was something a bit yucky about gluing a false nail to your 'stump'. It seemed a lot of faffing about for something that, let's face it, was never going to be sexy - not even when it's given a product name like 'Flirt Toez' or 'Kiss Gel Fantasy.' Then there was the practicality of it. The reviews were not exactly positive. Chances of the nail falling off after attachment were disappointingly high.
So, I've decided to just live with it until a new nail grows. I've also realised that you can actually just paint a bit of nail varnish directly onto the nail bed and nobody will be any the wiser. I've heard it said that you know you're a 'real' runner when you lose your first toenail, so I suppose, it's about time I did.
I had a summer wedding invite approaching, so, off to Google I went, hoping to find some miracle product designed to conceal missing nails for a special occasion. I wasn't really expecting to find a solution, so I was quite surprised when so many options flashed up, offering me the perfect French pedicure in minutes and the promise of flip-flop happy feet. This problem must be more common than I thought. I guess it goes to show how many women are taking up running these days.
Some would say this is vanity at its most ridiculous, but all my life I have taken great care of my feet. I have never understood people who will happily spend on expensive facial moisturisers and treatments yet it never occurs to them that they should attend to their feet on a regular basis. Sometimes during the summer months, on the train or when out and about, I would notice people in the vicinity, wearing open sandals and some would have the most appalling feet. It would make me shudder. It also made me determined to keep looking after my own, especially after I started running. Runners' feet of course take a heck of a hammering. Trainers, no matter how well-fitting, will squash your toes as you run for long periods. But with a bit of TLC you can repair some of the damage.
However, as I browsed Amazon, perusing the different products on offer (all essentially the same thing - an adhesive falsie that you can cut to size) I realised that they were stupidly over-priced for what was basically a glorified plaster. Besides, there was something a bit yucky about gluing a false nail to your 'stump'. It seemed a lot of faffing about for something that, let's face it, was never going to be sexy - not even when it's given a product name like 'Flirt Toez' or 'Kiss Gel Fantasy.' Then there was the practicality of it. The reviews were not exactly positive. Chances of the nail falling off after attachment were disappointingly high.
So, I've decided to just live with it until a new nail grows. I've also realised that you can actually just paint a bit of nail varnish directly onto the nail bed and nobody will be any the wiser. I've heard it said that you know you're a 'real' runner when you lose your first toenail, so I suppose, it's about time I did.
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