Badwater UltraMarathon Toenails Falling off?

If you wear properly fitting shoes, keep the nails trimmed short, and potentially even use something like aquaphor on them before a long race, you'll be fine.

Yes, a lot of endurance runners lose toenails.  I used to until I started strictly adhering to the advice I just presented.  Haven't lost one in YEARS.  99.9% preventable if you take the time to do so.

I also highly recommend the pre-race pedi.  I really think that helps too.

it's VERY common in 50-100 miles+ to have toenails fall off.

^^^Yeah, I guess I should have caveated my answer a bit with once you get into the true ultra ultras even proper prep won't necessarily help....their feet swell so much when they do races like that.

But for the average joe sticking to under 50 miles...should be 99.9% preventable.

I think they also get them removed as its a good source for infection, right? I thought I read that somewhere.

Personally, if it got to the point that I was contemplating having my toe nails removed for the sake of a sport, I really need to take a step back and think about WTH I am doing!

Here is the article:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/08/12/california.badwater....

I have the highest regard and respect for these folks who attempt this race. Just amazing!

The reason people have them removed it to build a callus that way on race day when running 24+ hours they minimize the potential to lose them then have a new uncallused skin that might get irratated.

Your toes get beat up when you are running trails especially when you run downhill on steep grades.

During my Ultra running this spring I lost 3 and I actually started keeping them in a ziplock bag, I hide it from my finacee. I might make a necklace some day, who knows.

I read the article this morning, the best quote from the articles.......

"Embrace the suck!"

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My shoes fit properly, I keep my toenails short, and every time I get above 20 miles, I lose at least 1 toenail.  Sometimes, there is nothing you can do about it.

Perhaps if you had some sort of necklace that was made of toenails, you could just glue on a replacement?   hmm...........