“Feet, feet, feet. How many different feet you meet!” Was not exaggerated by Dr. Suess. I’m sorry for your introduction to mine.

My feet have never been cause for envy or mal ojo, but I’m pretty partial to the tootsies. Most conceivably due to the Eastern Kentucky Melungeon ancestry, I have to take extra care of my hillbilly hoofs. The pro being I can run on gravel (or coal) barefoot. The con being these beastly paws require extra exfoliating and urea cream to even be presentable.

I should be too embarrassed to admit (though shamefully I am not), that I’ve even seen a pedicure technician gag at my excess sloughing of skin after a good warm soak. All of this I expect. I’ll manage with as much grace as I can muster. A girl should be able to sleep occasionally without socks and not inadvertently pick the sheets.

What I find unbearable is the runner’s toe. Apparently my latest running shoes are probably a little too tight. After the 10k in December, both my big toenails were bruised. Thankfully no pain.  I was surprised when I removed polish to find the blackness that was beneath.

This week, my right big toenail was completely detached from the nail bed on just the left side. Snagging the precious parcel was cause of much apprehension of movement for fear of pain with nail freedom from the rest of the nail bed.  I probably should have seen a professional, but I carefully cut and extracted the flopping portion.

It has been three months since the initial bruise. There is at least another three months before the toe nail has grown back into place.  It appears to be uneven in texture so I expect additional time required for it to grow out enough to be flat again.  Now I await the rest of the right toenail to fall off as well as the left side.  There’s no hope for perfectly pedicure feet for 2018.  I’ll just have to sport these beauties as a badge of honor for working on my fitness.

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