Be Someone Other Than Me? Heel No! -- How an Injury can Change Your Perspective

Vanity, thy name is Victoria. It has taken a minor injury for me to realize this, but I have come to grips with the fact that from this point forward, I must embrace the fact that I am not tall, and I never will be. If you ask anyone in my family what I wanted to be when I was little, they would tell you, "older, and taller." I always wanted to be 5'7", just like my Aunt Vicki, for whom I was named. Because I don't quite top 5'4" on my best posture days, I've achieved my dream of height for years with a series of ever-skyward-reaching heels -- boots, wedges, stilettos, pumps, peeptoes: You name it, I've worn it. My collection of heels is quite literally staggering, and most of them see me boosted to about 5'9," rivaling Coach B in height. 

These are some of my favorites. None of them is under 4 inches in height. In the foreground is the collection of medication and muscle rubs that now keep my foot from feeling like it's on fire.

On Wednesday, however, I was brought back down to Earth. While walking down the three flights of stairs we have at work, I felt a super sharp pain on the ball of my right foot. It was so noticeable and nagging that I ended up taking off my 4-inch boots for the night and scuffing around in my socks. I propped my foot up on an overturned U.S. Mail tub for the remainder of the shift, and then hobbled down the stairs and headed home, where I promptly put on my older pair of Virratas. I iced my foot down in bed and researched just what in the world I might have done to myself. 

My beautiful Virratas.

Well, the upshot is that the pain I was feeling was likely something I had actually caused myself. After a weekend of dancing in high wedge sandals and pounding the pavement, too, during my daily runs, I've developed a spot of metatarsalgia. This is a fancy name for  pain and inflammation in the ball of your foot.   According to the Mayo Clinic,  pretty much anyone can develop metatarsalgia, though there are some higher risk factors. Lucky me: I fit into several of them. 

You are at higher risk if you:

• Participate in high-impact sports. Metatarsalgia is more likely to occur if you're a runner or you participate in sports that involve running or jumping, such as soccer, tennis, baseball, football or basketball. 
• Wear high heels or shoes that don't fit properly. High heels transfer extra weight onto the front of the foot, and shoes that are too tight can compress the toes.
• Are overweight. Extra pounds put more pressure on the metatarsals.
• Have other foot problems. Certain foot shapes — such as high arches, a long second toe or unusually long metatarsals — can contribute to metatarsalgia. These conditions can cause pain and inflammation that change the way a person walks and the distribution of weight in the feet.

Sorry Meatloaf: Two out of three are actually pretty bad, and three out of four are even worse, in this case. I obviously participate in a sport that involves running, I wear high heels, and I have freakishly long (but aesthetically beautiful) second toes. 

I had to make a decision: What can I control out of these three things? Well, I'm not going to stop running (hello, I'm nearly in the middle of a 39-day streak here!), and I'm not going to have surgery to reduce the length of my second toe (though people actually do that, as well as have surgery to remove their toenails. No joke.). 

(Black toenails lurk beneath. But, I'm not having them surgically removed.)

I hate to do this, but it's been a long time in coming. I can't keep doing this to myself. It's not you, really; it's me. And, this will hurt me way more than it will hurt you. But my decision is final. Good-bye high heels. So long, reaching things on top shelves. Farewell illusion of long, shapely legs and slightly more proportional hips and rear. 

We just can't keep causing each other pain...farewell, my lovelies.

But you know what? It's OK. Really. I'm petite. I'm short. I have a long torso and not-so-long legs. I'm vertically challenged. I'm a shrimp. I'm fun-sized. I'm not going to be asked, "How's the weather up there?" (Someone might ask me to tie their shoes, however.) 

Just me. In a pig hat. With viking braids. 

The older I get, the more comfortable I am with myself, just as myself -- not some idea of who I should be or what someone else's idea of what "pretty" is. If I'm healthy -- I'm  happy. If I'm strong -- I'm pretty. If I have friends and family -- I'm fulfilled. And if I'm comfortable being on the short side (really, I'm probably absolutely average height) AND I can continue to do what I love (run and run and run) injury-free, well, that sounds like the right thing to do.  So if you see me in a  non-running setting and think that I look shorter, I'm not, really. I'm just little ol' me. Just don't ask me to tie your shoes. 

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other. (Be kind to your feet!!!) -- V. 

Picture This -- This Little Piggie Said "OMG."

Hey all, Sole Sister V here again. Ahhh, summerlike temperatures have finally broken out in northwest Ohio. This is one of my favorite times of year. No more bundling up like a hobo to go for a run outside, no more obsessive worrying over whether a blizzard will cancel a long run, and no more need to wear closed-toe shoes every where you go. It's sandal season! Its feeling the grass beneath your feet time! And naked toes at the beach day! And then, you look down and realize that after a whole season of marathon training, your toes ... look ... like ... this: 

Whoa. Those are really MY toes?

Um, wow. Where do I begin? I've got some black, white, reddish, yellowish -- let's face it: I have the United Colors of Benetton of toes going on right now. I knew the second toe on my right foot was turning black, so I treated it as best I could. And by "treating" it, I mean I kept a steady supply of dark burgundy nail polish on ALL of my toes at ALL times. They didn't hurt (not since I had switched to a Saucony Virrata from a pair of Brooks months and months ago), and I didn't want to watch the transformation of pretty toes to icky toes, so I thought I'd just keep them under wraps. So, it was to my great surprise this week when I finally took the polish off and found not just one black toenail, but about five little monstrosities. Some little piggies go to market; my little piggies just went through hell.

YOU! YOU did this to me!!

So, it's time for some toe rehab. I'm not a huge fashionista, but I do love my shoes, and a fair number of my shoes are open-toed sandals. These toes simply won't do. A few facts about what causes black toenails.

• Black toenails are caused by the frequent rubbing of the toe against the front of the shoe. 
• The friction causes blood vessels to break, resulting in a blood blister. The blood blister can't really "breathe" under your nail, so it takes quite a long time to heal.
•  Distance runners and runners who do a lot of downhills are prime candidates to develop black toenails. I don't recall getting them to this severity when I was doing mostly 5Ks. 
• Too-tight shoes can contribute to developing black toenails. Select a shoe that has plenty of room in the toe box if you are prone to this condition. A good (local!!) running store has plenty of experienced personnel who can get you in the right size shoe and make sure the fit is appropriate. 
• If your second toe (or even your third, sometimes) is longer than your big toe, you may be more prone to developing black toenails. This is called "Morton's Toe," and your (freakishly) long toe will take the brunt of the pressure when you run, rather than the big toe shouldering the burden, as it should. (And, I'm just kidding; your long toe isn't freakish ... it's just abnormal. I count myself among you, Morton's Kids. And take comfort: In sculpture, this is known as "Greek toe" and is a form of beauty. The Statue of Liberty is also a Morton's Toe "sufferer.")

"Keep ugly toes, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled distance runners yearning to breathe free and find the finish line ..."  (Apologies to Ms. Emma Lazarus)

So, what do you do when this happens? 

• Most of the time, the answer is "nothing." A black toe nail will eventually slough off on its own once a new, healthy nail grows in underneath it. You should watch for signs of infection, however, like redness and soreness, and see a doctor if those symptoms persist. (Necessary disclaimer: I, of course, am a rank amateur blogger. If you are relying on me for serious medical advice, I suggest you get your head checked I suggest you see your regular doctor if there is any question about your physical well-being.) 
• If the fluid buildup under your nail is excessive and painful, you can have it drained. I'm sure you can find descriptions online as to how to do that. You won't find that information here! I can't imagine doing that myself, but I am a pain baby when it comes to needles, so I will leave that to a professional, thankyouverymuch.
• If your toe is sore, you can ice it, as you would a bruise. Mine got so sore, that at night I couldn't sleep with a sheet on top of them, they were that sensitive.
• Also, know that running in warm weather could increase the chances of getting black toenails, because your feet swell some when it's warm, which can push your toe closer to the front of your shoe than usual. Run early, run later, but run when it's cooler. And wear thinner socks as well when it's warmer.
• As I said earlier, your running shoes need to be about a half-size larger than your regular shoes. Go get fitted; it will serve you in the long term to have the right shoes.
• Toe socks have helped me a LOT in reducing the amount of soreness and bruising I end up with. My favorite are Injinji. They make me look like I have Muppet feet. 

"It's time to put on sneakers / It's time to hit the trails"

 Other things that I've read, but haven't tried, are to use foot powder to keep your feet dry and reduce friction, use lubricant on your toes (not necessary if wearing toe socks), lace your shoes tighter in the front if you are doing a lot of downhills (to prevent slipping), and to plan walk breaks into your runs (no thanks). Regular pedicures may also help prevent or relieve black toenails. I'd rather spend my money on running gear, though, truth be told.

So right now, I'm soaking my feet in warm water and Epsom salts. I'll give my feet a light pumice rub, then cut my toenails straight across, using clippers that I dipped in alcohol first. And then, my toes are going to get a nice coat of dark-colored nail polish. TIP: If you want to wear a lighter color polish over a black toe, ladies (or gents, if you're so inclined), use an opaque, bright-white polish first as your base layer, let that dry, and then put your lighter color on top. You'll in effect "mask" the black toe so the top color won't be affected as much. OK, I'm off to pamper my piggies so I can wear my sandals without grossing out the general population.

Be kind. -- V. 

HEINOUS!

HUMAN!!

HAPPY!!!

Tuesday's stats:                                     Wednesday's stats: 
2.01 mi                                                     5.09 mi
7:45 pace                                                  8:09 pace
15:37                                                          41:27
188 cal                                                       473 cal