About Minel
Don’t worry, those are socks!
My first toenail came off after the Los Angeles Marathon in 2004. I didn’t realize (at that time) that my right big toenail was about to fall off. A few days later, the nail was hanging for dear life… so I pulled it out. My right big toe was actually relieved that the dead toenail was gone, and a new one can grow again. Then I had this idea to memorialize my running adventures, and started this running blog, named it, www.missingtoenails.com.
How I Got Into Running (and triathlons)
I’m a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) by trade, and in the earlier years of my career working at a CPA firm, my de-stressor was running. Running for me started with a boy (or ex-boy, now). I wasn’t much of an athlete growing up. I never ran, nor participated in any sports in grade school, high school or even college. In my late twenties, after I broke up with my then-boyfriend, I took up running. I worked many hours as an accountant at the firm, so I carved out a few hours of the day or night, for a few short runs. My friends and family supported me with running races, at least when I was doing 5k and 10k runs. When I started running marathons (lots of them), they thought I was crazy*… until I got them involved in it! Now, we all run the same races (most of them anyway), together. In 2012, I got into ultra-running, and learned that it’s okay to fail sometimes, then bounce back and be successful the next time. I strive to be a resilient runner. I also learned that ultra-running is different from road racing, in a much better way. I have met many wonderful people who are super humble and the nicest people ever. The ultra-running community is a different kind of culture, it’s a lifestyle. Finally, I joined a triathlon club (Silicon Valley Triathlon Club in the Bay Area, CA) for the ‘run’ portion and to do cross-training. But then I got into triathlons as well, doing various sprints/ Olympic triathlons, and 3 half-Ironman (70.3) distances; that’s the farthest I will go for a triathlon, I don’t quite like the biking part.
Now in Texas after two decades of running and triathlons, I’m still doing what I love and pushing my limits. I’ve met amazing friends through Team RADIOactive, Trail Sisters, and A Girl and a Gun. I trained for and attempted a full Ironman (IMAZ 2022), started rucking for strength (2024), and who knows what’s next, maybe a Run and Gun, once I sharpen my shooting skills!
If you have completed a marathon (or ultra-marathon) you might have sacrificed a toenail or two – if not, you’re one lucky person! Sure, it’s a bit gross, but don’t worry; they grow back. And when they do, it’s like a never-ending cycle. I take pleasure in flashing my toenail-less toes at my sisters, much to their dismay. It’s incredible how our bodies bounce back, and I wanted to share that marvel with them. Just as dead toenails fall off, and new ones sprout, I recover, grow, and gain wisdom from unfinished races, rough training runs, or even the ones that went very well (there’s always room for improvement). In this blog, I hope to keep these experiences alive, and if I can nudge someone toward embracing an active lifestyle, even better. That’s when I know I’ve made an impact in their lives.
Take care and keep on running, Happy trails!
– Minel
*If this story seemed familiar, you have probably read about me on Women’s Running magazine (“Women Who Move” feature), January/February 2009 issue #30. See the hardcopy scanned below!
p.s.
Here’s the scan of my “interview” on Women Who Move. Click the image for a larger version!
Professionally Speaking:
When I am not running, swimming or biking, I currently work for a software company helping the organization achieve operational excellence and maintain a good financial, operational, and compliance health.
