A picture of Melody Fairchild's feet

BA wrote:

i've never understood the whole black toenail thing. don't think i've ever gotten one but i know tons of runners that do.

How long are your long runs? And how often do your run them? For me black toe nails aren't about weekly mileage. They tend to crop up when I add in 20+ mile runs several times a month. After running a marathon at a good effort, it's not uncommon to have a nail or two go black, too.

This girl's problems go well beyond black toes. Looks like she might not wear socks, too, which she should probably reconsider.

I have had lots of trouble with black toenails. For me, the problem is that I have a skinny heel. The only shoes that I can wear are very narrow. But, my foot is not that narrow (width is measured at the front of the foot along the metatarsals). So, I end up with shoes that do not have a lot of room in the toe box because those are the only shoes I can wear that do not let my heel pop out. If I lace up just a smidge too tight before a big long run or a race, I will end up losing a toenail. I suspect that people who never have this problem have normal sized feet and get a proper shoe fit every time.

There is a huge variation in foot size, proportions, and shape and some people have a lot more trouble than others. Some people also have a lot more trouble finding shoes that fit right.

Women also are more likely to have trouble than men, just because their foot structure is usually weaker.

Yikes. My feet are hideous, but not quite this bad and that's on 45 years of running.

A coupla points wrote:

There is a huge variation in foot size, proportions, and shape and some people have a lot more trouble than others. Some people also have a lot more trouble finding shoes that fit right.

Women also are more likely to have trouble than men, just because their foot structure is usually weaker.

This makes a lot of sense.

bike shed wrote:

http://melodyfairchild.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_1649.jpg

You found that picture on Michelle & Rex Ryans site didn't you.

agip wrote:

well there are two issues - the blisters/toe nails and the bone structure. The blisters/toenails are badges of honor. The bone structure - well, you haven't seen many feet of women over 40 in america, have you? most are like that from wearing ridiculous shoes most of their lives.

Right on. Women in heels look sexy. When they get out of their shoes, you want to barf.

Regarding black toenails: had them all the time when I played soccer, never had them again after I stopped playing and have logged well over 30k miles.

This thread is useless without pics

I can hear the fap-fap-fap out there, and I'm disgusted by it. Stop it now.

Also, for the noobs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKVNIvWiuGc

That was f-ing beautiful!

I actually remember hearing about this back then, at Syracuse, but I had long ago forgotten, and I had never seen that run.

rtsy5 wrote:

Also, for the noobs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKVNIvWiuGc

That was a great race. Beautiful smooth form. I can\'t believe she was 17. She looked like she was 12.

Rex Ryan upon seeing that picture: "My foot fetish is soooo over"

It looks to me like she has an extra toe on her left foot???

Pick It Up wrote:

It looks to me like she has an extra toe on her left foot???

rtsy5 wrote:

Also, for the noobs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKVNIvWiuGc

She seems very sweet, very humble, that is nice to see.

Seriously, this just shows she is an idiot. Does she have a show sponsor? Because that would be pretty embarrassing to them.

I have ~70mpw and raced marathons for a decade, with one black toenail in my first marathon before I figured out what shoes work for me. The only blisters I've ever had were from stupidly running barefoot on a beach for >10 miles.

foolish feet wrote:

Seriously, this just shows she is an idiot. Does she have a show sponsor? Because that would be pretty embarrassing to them.

Why would they be embarrassed?

If Melody was a race horse there would animal rights groups defending the horse...I guess it's okay if you voluntarily harm yourself.

foolish feet wrote:

Does she have a shoe sponsor? Because that would be pretty embarrassing to them.

WhitePony wrote:

Why would they be embarrassed?

Are you serious?