Where to start. The first blog seems rather important, it will surely set the tone for what is to come. However before we really get stuck in, there is something I want to draw your attention that we must ALWAYS do before heading out onto the trails. For that reason we shall begin our Trail running adventure together with a little trail tale about toe nails.
Toe nails and Trail running, lets just get to the point, you will probably lose some, if not all of your toes nails. The manner in which you do so will be entirely dependent on your own actions. This is not a trivial matter, remembering to cut your toe nails before a training run or race WILL make one of the biggest differences to your run.
For a minute please forget the £150 trail shoes, the £120 hydration vest and the £80 windshell jacket. All of the pieces of kit make a trail run that much more ‘manageable’ and ‘comfortable’ will be completely futile if you have forgotten to utilise the 99p nail clippers and cut your toe nails.
In forgetting to do this simple task before a run your toe nails will smash relentlessly into the end of your all singing all dancing trail shoes like a stabbing pain through the top of your toe. Each step will be irritatingly painful until you wish you could just yank the bloody nail off. The only relief will be if you have some ascent in your run, however don’t be fooled because on the descent the toe nail / end of shoe bashing will resume 10 fold.
When you eventually return home from that run, your toe nails will be black and bruised. You will then have about a week of what I have termed ‘Dementor toes’. If you are a Harry Potter fan you will know where I’m coming from. If you aren’t a Harry Potter fan, then lets just say all the life, soul and happiness will have been drained from your toes until eventually your nail pops off and leaves you with a raw, exposed and fleshy stumpy that once resembled a toe.
So cut your toe nails folks. Cut them as short as you possibly can, its not attractive and open toe sandals will be strictly out, although OOFOS are still ok… because well… I’ll cover them another time. Be the master of your own toe nail destiny by cutting them right down as this is a thousands times more preferable than having them ripped from you.
The trails always await you all as do more informative blogs from me, but let's make sure Dementor toes aren't part of that.
E.
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