I didn't really need those body parts anyway...

Have you ever looked at a marathoner's feet? It ain't pretty. Sure, there are the blisters and bruises that one might find with other athletes, but as far as I know there is one malady that seems to be uniquely marathonish: toenail lossage. Yep - that's right, I made up a word because "loss" just doesn't seem appropriate enough of a term for this reality.

It has happened to me before. And as it stands now, I will surely lose at least one, but more likely two, nails this time around. It isn't painful and they grow back - realllllyyyy slowly - but they do grow back. After the race, I'm considering treating myself to a pedicure and I'll just tell 'em to paint the skin where the nail used to be. Nobody will know. Except of course, those of you reading this blog, but you won't tell, will you?

This is a fairly common occurrence for those of us that log approximately 500 miles on our feet over 4 months. I've grown accustomed to this inevitability, but what I find amusing is that, yes, you can buy a product to help guard against this tragic fate. And with that thought, I leave you with the following picture...