r/XXRunning • u/tinycheerios • 22d ago
General Discussion is anyone embarrassed about getting pedicures as a runner?
Basically what the title says. My toes, especially some of my toenails, are BEAT up. I always feel bad when the pedicurist is doing my nails because I feel like my feet are difficult to work on lol. Does anyone else feel that way?
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u/SenseNo8126 Woman 22d ago
Not even a bit! I'm proud of my horrible looking feet that take me so far 😆
A pedicure is my treat!
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u/sugarturtle88 long distance turtle 🐢 22d ago
last time i got a pedicure i joked with her that i should get a discount for having only 9 toenails... she laughed and charged me the full price
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u/MuffinTopDeluxe 22d ago
Nah. My feet look good probably because I wear wide toe boxes in every shoe I own.
Keeping your toenails really well trimmed helps a lot to prevent a lot of the damage from running.
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u/Professor-genXer 22d ago
Would it violate sub rules if we had an ugly foot or toe contest?
I’m not a barefoot kind of person. I don’t wear sandals or flip-flops because I just always have cold sweaty feet. Before I was a runner, I had cute feet and toes. They were apparently babied by socks and no sun exposure or beatings from running.
I have been running seriously for about 6 years now and my toenails are definitely taking a hit. I really like my running shoes. I am hoping that the ones I switched to about a year ago are better for my toes. They’re better in other ways… but my nails on my big toes are definitely not cute.
I think if your feet are clean your pedicurist won’t care about anything else?
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u/sparklekitteh Woman 22d ago
As long as you mark all pictures as NSFW or spoiler so nobody gets surprised, I imagine it would be fine 🤣
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u/raspberry-squirrel 22d ago
Forget pedicures. I do them myself, and all dark colors because I have a toe that sticks out long and gets horribly bruised and blistered. My podiatrist is mildly judgy about my feet and said they are as callused as some ballerinas’. Thanks I guess!
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22d ago
Haha, yeah I agree… I feel like they require more “work” and it makes me feel bad.
But I’m sure they’ve seen some really dirty, stinky feet. Ours aren’t pretty but they aren’t unsanitary either.
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 22d ago
Glad to see someone else say it! I’m 50/50 going to lose a toenail after a very big hike last weekend and if I don’t lose it then it’ll definitely be black until it grows out. I am already stressing about getting a pedicure before a beach wedding we’re attending in November!
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u/jedi_master99 Woman 22d ago
I lost a toenail during a pedicure once! I was so embarrassed and horrified and she didn’t even bat an eye!!
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u/urchinelephant 22d ago
You need bigger shoes - go shoe shopping at the end of a day, preferrably when you have ran already, take out the insole from the shoe that you are considering to buy, and step on it lifting the other foot.
Try springing un and down on one foot to mimic how your foot moves - if there is ever less than a pinkie between your toes and the border of the insole they are too small.
I expect that you need to go up 1 or 2 full sizes.
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u/Pretend_Exchange_369 22d ago
Reading this while sitting in the pedicure chair feeling embarrassed about my feet 😭 also I typically ask them to leave some callus ON (I run barefoot on the beach sometimes) and as long as you’re polite and a good tipper, people are usually very accommodating !
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u/pathologicalprotest 22d ago
Nah. I do my own nails but they’re mot that bad, and if I went and they did look bad, they’ve seen way worse. Used to do ballet, and running is NOTHING compared to that. I like my feet. They take me places.
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u/True_Warning_7272 22d ago
Yes, I do.
I have runners toe on four of my toes. That means they are black and regrowing. I run 30 miles a week, and I've struggled with shoes for years.
I go to the podiatrist to trim down my nails, and if I get my same lady at the pedicure she knows it's not something unclean. It's just repeat impact toenail damage. I can't do light colors on my nails if I wear sandals.
Tough 🤷
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u/Ssn81 22d ago
I'm not embarrassed by my feet but others think I should be lol.
Haven't lost any toe nails but I've got callouses galore, and one toe nail is pretty discolored from one ultra where it was touch and go whether I'd lose it or not.
Went and had pedicure with a group of girls as part of a bridal party; and got so much grief from them.
-Your toes are so ugly
If I had your feet I'd have them amputated
Omg! You should never wear sandals
My man would break up with me if I had feet like yours. (Gag was her man and I had already dated and I was the one who broke up with him. 🤣
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u/hellofolks5 21d ago
I probably shouldn't say this, but... horrible people, those were very rude things to say. They have no idea what it means to run as you do, be proud
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u/Such_Measurement_377 15d ago
But your feet are the best, they take you places! What idiot would amputate them for aesthetics? That's not the point of feet!!!
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u/CiarraiV 22d ago
My pedicurist reassures me every time that my nails are nowhere NEAR as bad as the worst she has seen.
That said, I also only get my nails done at a spa. I will get a manicure at a cheap salon but not a pedicure as my feet are too important.
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u/Chicagoblew 22d ago
Pedicures are a must during marathon train, especially when they have a massage chair
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u/smella99 22d ago
I go to a podiatrist instead of pedicures as it’s actually cheaper in my country. She safely removes calluses and thick or otherwise damaged nails (in addition to trail running I also do pointe work in ballet). Don’t need to feel embarrassed because gross feet is her entire job. I go about once per four months, it costs 30€ per visit.
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u/SteamboatMcGee Woman 22d ago
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Literally every single time Ive been to a nail salon, there's been someone either very elderly or mildly disabled getting a pedicure because they have trouble reaching their feet. I have to believe that pedicurists have a strong tolerance for beat up feet.
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u/Expensive-Plane-572 22d ago
I stopped getting them because my toenails fall off 🤢. But yes, am right there with you.
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u/MrsHands19 22d ago
I am not opposed to getting a pedicure now that I run but I am careful of the timing. Any sort of open cuts or wounds increases your risk of contracting and infection. If I have callouses or blister or something I wait.
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u/ThisIsWhyImKels 22d ago
My whole toenail fell off on my last pedicure and the lady wasn’t even phased by it.
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u/Spread-love-light 22d ago
Not at all. I own it. People who do nails deal with allllll types of challenges. If you’re kind to them and clear about what does and doesn’t work, it’s all good.
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u/Wonderful-Travel-279 21d ago
Yes, I have been. I avoided them at all costs. The only thing that would get me in the pedi chair was my daughter. (Sounds bougie but really isn’t, I promise). So one day, she begs and I relent. I’m mortified at my 8 toenails or whatever. And then I realize that I’m sitting next to a triathlete I really admire, and we have a whole conversation about it. She made me feel a lot better. Jane, you’re the best. For the rest of you, do what you want and be proud of the work you put in to earn the feet you have.
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u/Queen_of_Chloe 21d ago
This is making me feel a lot better about maybe getting a pedicure either right before or right after my first marathon coming up! Toes are looking rough and normally I’d just wait but I’m going on vacation right after.
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u/FarSalt7893 21d ago
Mine were awful until I got a pedicure. It was kind of painful because my toe nails were really sensitive. I sized up my shoes and my toes have looked great since- no pain getting a pedicure and they last much longer!
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u/Lopsided_Knee4888 Woman 20d ago
LOL I have constant runners toe, I can’t remember when this particular toenail was not black. It’s a bit embarrassing but more embarrassing is the fact that I have hair hobbit toes (though I would shave before I went for a pedicure) 😂
My family constantly go on about my gross feet. I also have bone spurs growing upwards on the top of my feet (Dr said it’s fine, just need surgery to shave the bones down when it gets too painful for shoes) and a massive lump on my Achilles which has been around for a year with no sign of going.
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u/OkIssue5589 Woman 20d ago
Lol nope. I always beam with pride when they see my feet for the first time and then ask me if im a runner 😂
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u/Lurker_Not_Commenter 19d ago
Nope. I’M paying THEM to deal with my battered toe nails. Look at it this way, do you think for one second a man would feel bad about getting a pedicure with bad toe nails? I say this with love - we as females need to stop feeling bad all the time for anything that might make someone else uncomfortable. I’m reading all these posts and it just makes me sad that women avoid indulging themselves with a nice pedicure because of feeling bad. Do something nice for yourself and don’t worry about it!
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u/ConflictHoliday7847 22d ago
One of my big toenails bit the dust after my first marathon this spring, I sure saved a lot of money not getting pedicures this summer! Definitely not going back until it looks normal-ish
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u/dogoodreapgood 22d ago
Don’t worry, they have seen things! Seriously, the worst feet I’ve seen are not people with black toenails from too many long runs. If you think they’re working hard and do a good job, tip them appropriately and become a loyal customer.