Black Toenail Hall of Fame

Delightful pics of black and bloody toenails submitted by readers.

We’re always looking for new toenail pics! If you’ve got one to share, please email [email protected]. Thanks!

19 Responses to "Black Toenail Hall of Fame"

URP Eric says:

December 29, 2011 at 4:24 pm

I’m proud to say that the pic titled “Merry Christmas” (with the Ohio State bulb hanging from the needle) is my dads toe. He fried the nerve while running.

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my first male pedicure, a runners necessity — life of ryan says:

May 17, 2012 at 1:25 pm

[…] shots of their first black toenail as a badge of honor. UltraRunnerPodcast has a special section, the black toe bail hall of fame. Toenails were such a pain in the ass to one Marshall Ulrich, so much so that he opted to have all […]

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Bob Overbury says:

August 14, 2012 at 8:58 am

Hi All,

Does anybody know what to do after your nail just came off? Any tips to keep it clean. My wife says it hurts but she wants to keep running.

Thanks, Bob

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1. Mark says:
  
  March 22, 2013 at 12:55 pm
  
  I have never had a nail come off before the nailbed was hardened over. If the nailbed is hardened over, I don’t think there is anything else to do — nothing different than the way you keep your toes clean, anyway.
  
  Reply
Filip says:

October 9, 2012 at 8:48 pm

Ive got one, I must be doing something right! 🙂

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Suzi says:

November 20, 2012 at 8:20 am

Oh good lord – this page makes me want to puke! I love it!!

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crystal hopson says:

March 6, 2013 at 8:14 am

all these pictures make me scared to do my first Ultra this weekend. eek.

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Mark says:

March 22, 2013 at 12:54 pm

OMG. I thought mine looked bad sometimes. I have found another Hall of Fame of which I am not worthy.

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Brad D says:

April 4, 2013 at 7:05 am

MINE MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

We are a sick group, aren’t we??? 🙂

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1. eric says:
  
  April 4, 2013 at 12:42 pm
  
  Congratulations, I guess?
  
  Reply
  1. Brad D says:
    
    April 5, 2013 at 7:38 pm
    
    HA HA HA HA!!!!! Love the podcasts. Keep up the great work!!!!
    
    Reply
Dave Moo says:

July 24, 2013 at 12:36 pm

else drill out the nail where the blood is underneath to relieve pressure? I’ve found that I lose less nails that way

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Gemma says:

January 5, 2014 at 12:39 am

At any time if I have more than half my toe nails attached I am pretty happy. I lost my big toe nail again last year, just after it had finally grown back. I didn’t want to cut it back because I was just so happy to have it again. Anyway I got a scab underneath the toe nail and because the nail was still there the scab couldn’t fall off. Now that toe nail is raised above the permanent scab and so grows a bit funny. So my advice is to cut the toe nail back as it loosens (normally a couple weeks after the injury) and let it regrow out keeping the bed underneath it clean and soft (that papaya cream is recommended by my podiatrist) so that it can regrow correctly in time! I also do the down hill test when I buy shoes, as long as I am not sliding around in the shoe I try and get a size above to when running downhill my toenails aren’t shoved up against the front.

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Bill H. says:

April 27, 2014 at 7:19 pm

I have a scrapbook of my 100s, and each has a baggie of the toenails I lost during or caused me to lose at that event. Guys of all ages love it, women…not so much.

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Ken says:

May 6, 2014 at 11:15 pm

Bill H.: *mike drop*

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David M. says:

June 20, 2014 at 7:05 am

For god’s sake guys!!! What is wrong with your shoes, running style or toes ??? I have run a 55k, and the GoreTex transalpine without any black toenail … in 10 years of running I never had one … what the hell is wrong with you guys … or with me ???

Btw, these pictures are awesome !!! 🙂

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Dallan says:

March 11, 2015 at 12:13 pm

Those are some nasty pics of toe nails.

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ANNE says:

June 21, 2017 at 11:07 am

I used to have toes that looked really awful like the ones on this website after running for 24 hours. Since switching to Altras, I usually have one to two blisters but my toenails are fine. It has made a world of difference.

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Samarjit Banik says:

February 7, 2019 at 1:32 am

Hi , I did my 1st Ultra of 50km at Goa (India) beach run andthere on my toe nails turned black n now the nails have fallen and new nails grew but alas!! Again on running ultra they became permanent black n thick n twisted n beautifully ugly. Can anyone suggest me how can I have back my toe nails back to beauty ….or theses are the moments of feeling proud.
I am an ultra runner and presently doing a record of running 365 days started from 1st April 2018 and will run till 31st March 2019. Almost Last 2months to go.
SAMARJIT BANIK
Guwahati, INDIA

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