Wish I had an Ugly Toe Nail

I was having a beer with my crazy running friend and she took a peek at my toes under the table, and commented.  I have teased her about her feet and black toe nails probably more than I should.  She has been running for years, and runs more miles in a day than I do in a week.  She has worked hard for, and earned her ugly toes.

We were having sandwiches and beers to treat ourselves for Mother's Day.  Of course we chatted about our kids, husbands, how sick we'd feel the next day after eating the delicious, greasy, french fries, and our running goals.  We talked about nasty bumps and lumps on our feet.  Which I believe is what prompted her to look under the table at my feet.  I think she was surprised when she commented that I had all my toe nails and none of them were even black.  Back in October, I had asked our crazy shopper running friend how long it would be before I lost a toe nail.  He said that I should be fine as long as I had shoes that were well fit.  So I told crazy running friend that I credited my healthy tootsies to my awesome New Balance 850's.

When I started getting serious about running, Paddy was concerned that my feet would start to look like my friend's.  Now, I must make an admission that will sound somewhat odd.  I'm a little disappointed that I haven't had a toe nail turn black yet.  I kind of feel like losing a toe nail is a rite of passage for a runner.  I'm thinking I need to either ramp up the training, or buy tighter shoes.  In the mean time, I'll have to settle for my calluses and growing bunion.  So to those of you that have run your feet ugly, be proud, you have earned those nasty dogs...and some of us are envious!

Oh Bathing Suit Season, How I Loathe Thee

I decided to try on all of my bathing suits today.  I probably should have had a couple of drinks first.  I have 4 bathing suits; 2 pre pregnancy, 2 post pregnancy...oh and a 5th that is just pregnancy...I will NOT be wearing that one again.

I had a large, and rather bright pink, tankini top with the swim skirt that I bought after my first pregnancy (look, it was on clearance).  I wore it again after the second.  Last summer, after I started running, big pink was getting a little loose.  So I got a great deal on another Target tankini in a smaller size and better color.  I really liked the second bathing suit and figured I'd get to wear it again this year...it was a little tight last year.  I tried on big pink first, knowing it would be a little too big and it's actually ridiculous.  [Can you donate bathing suits or should I just save it for when I get fat again?]  I was pretty happy about that.  I tried on the black tankini.  Well, it was also too big, not ridiculous, but not anything that would hold up against a medium sized wave.  At this point, I was feeling pretty darn good and brought out the pre pregnancy suits.  Yeah, I should have stopped while I was ahead.

I went straight for the string bikini.  [This would be where you hear my sad and hysterical laughter]  First off, it's important to know that string bikini bottoms do not hide stretch marks...at least not stretch marks that go up to your chin.  Also important, string bikini tops do not offer the support a woman that nursed 2 babies needs.  Wish these facts had been clear to me prior to trying to cover and hold myself in place.  *sigh*  Oh well, at somewhere over age 35, I shouldn't really be wearing string bikinis anyway.  Bathing suit #2 was also not appropriate.  Though the bottoms are shorts, the top is the dreaded and unsupportive triangle top. 

So unless I go shopping, I am left with 4 ill fitting bathing suits.  I can wear the triangle tops and have side boob and stretch marks.  Or I can wear the too big suits, and probably end up with a lot more than side boob after the first wave.  But, I guess since I vacation at the Jersey shore, either would be appropriate.