Runners often 'run into' problems with their toes. Read this article to learn how important the right running shoe is, and what can happen if you train too much!

1. Saving Your Running Toes!
Now, if you’re a serious runner, or just starting to become one, then you’ve probably had
achy running toes before. If you like to run short distances then this is probably not a
problem you deal with; and if it is then you need to get some new sneakers! But long
distance runners, especially those who run outside, are prone to putting their toes through
a lot of hardship. In fact, some people even lose their toes after long runs outside! So is
there a way around this, or is this always going to be a part of being a cross-country
runner?
I remember looking through a Runner’s World magazine when I first got into running. I
was reading an article by a female runner who trains in a forest near her home, and
mentioned that her toe nails tend to fall off after longer runs. I couldn’t believe it! It
seemed like this was an exaggeration, something that would never happen to me- in fact,
something that doesn’t happen to most people…right? Wrong! A year or two later, I was
running 10km a day, but usually on a tread-mill. No problems with my toes. A friend of
mine decided to run the marathon to raise money for an organization, and I thought to
myself, “Why not? He’s running the same amount I am a day!”. So I began running
outside (obviously this is the smart thing to do since the marathon isn’t going to be run on
a treadmill) and working it hard. I began noticing my feet were hurting a lot more than
before. I wasn’t surprised, however, because I’ve always been aware of the fact that
running on pavement is much tougher on your body than on a treadmill. Shortly after
starting my training, two nails turned blue and fell off!

2. Now, I’m sure this is grossing some of you out, but this is what tends to happen when
you train that hard. To tell you the truth, when it finally happened to me, and I felt proud
of my running toes! I actually felt as if they were battle wounds I should be showing off
to friends and family (although they did not appreciate this gesture very much). So if this
happens to you, don’t freak out and hide them, but wear them with pride, you’re a hard-
core runner now! However, I do have a tip for those of you who just do not want other
people noticing this- just paint over your skin with nail polish (obviously with a darker
color)…it works!
I don’t think there’s really any way to protect your running toes from doing this if you’re
training as hard as I did, but it is very important to try to relieve your feet from as much
hardship as possible. This can be done by purchasing the right running sneakers. I
personally prefer Asics running shoes, as they focus on the running niche only, unlike
Nike that makes shoes for every sport on the planet.
For more great advice on staying fit and healthy, visit my website Saving Your Running
Toes and get in better shape today.