Running and Chafing: Ouch!!!!

It all started last year when I missed being listed in the New York Times' NYC marathon page by only a few minutes because of a bathroom break. I knew I needed help and decided to seek out some of the best runners for advice. I had lots of questions, much more than just potty breaks, in particular, what to do about some serious chafing.

I thought I had good running shirts/shorts and have been using body glide but jeez – sometimes there's just no relief, especially on runs longer than 3 miles. The nipples and other tender regions were, well, quite sore. There's no need to really get into much more. The comments speak for themselves; a great bunch of people with great advice.

An experienced runner with 25 marathons under his belt, Dan, from Los Angeles, agrees that chafing is one of the most dreaded aspects of distance running. "The nip issue is simple he says. "If you have a non-hairy chest, simply affix a bandaid or two to each nip before each long run and marathon." Although the bandaids work for him, he also mentions checking into Nipguards at http://www.nipguards.com. "They've sold a million of these since 1999 and apparently work. And are feasible for those with hairier chests for which bandaids aren't as feasible," he added.

Matt from Minnesota says he "started using some industrial bandages over the nips. The cheaper band aids seem to fall off as soon as the sweating starts."

Paul from Columbus has run 110 marathons and ultras and the only thing that works for him he says Aquaphor. "Aquaphor beats chaffing. I use it liberally. It stays on for the entire event and then washes off nicely. No staining of clothing either."

Chris, also from Columbus, has run 100 marathons and ultras (weird, I wonder if they know each other) and he also swears that Aquaphor is the key. "It just gets more slippery as you sweat... just glob it on! It's available at most pharmacies."

Another marathoner Richard, from Greenville, recommends compression gear. "Tight is the ticket," he says. "I use compression shirts and lined shorts along with a glide bar. I might look funny but it eliminates chaffing for me." I'm with him here on the funny part. Not 25 anymore you know?

Speaking of being bashful, Chris, a marathoner from Chicago says: "Go tight! If you don't want to show off the bod with a compression shirt then put a tank top or sleeveless shirt over it." Chris also recommends to "double it up" by wearing the compression shirt, nip guards, body glide and lined shorts. He also had a great basic tip that I should mention: simply staying away from cotton in any form and sticking with lightweight moisture wicking apparel.

Bill, from Michigan, swears by compression gear and tape for the nips, but with two very special bonus tips. "I wear compression shorts, but I turn them wrong-side-out. That way, no seams are against your skin. Some athletic tape over the nipples ought to solve that problem. Just remember to pull it off if it gets hot and you take off your shirt. I forgot one day, and couldn't figure out why someone in my neighborhood was giving me funny looks."

All in all 14 very experienced runners weighed in on the chafing issue with some great tips for a newbie like me. I have been using all them actually. See you on November 7th for the 2010 ING NYC Marathon!

Stay tuned for my next post: where to put those extra gels packs on long runs!

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Marathon Runners and Potty Breaks: Yep, a big deal as it turns out

As a newbie runner, I recently asked a group of experienced marathoners if they had any tips on potty breaks. Last year's ING NYC Marathon porta-john lines were long and I really didn't want to stop at all and loose momentum. I held it for as long as I could but by mile 18 I had to relieve myself. I found a porta-john with no line but by then, I had been stalling it for so long it took forever and I lost a lot of time.

Dan from Los Angeles, an experienced runner with 25 marathons under his belt, agrees that it's a big issue, "a last minute potty break is my single worst enemy."

He says bathroom breaks are all about timing, which is hard to get right, "some of my best marathons have been ruined by porta-john breaks." He recommends getting up early and drinking as much as you can. "Then you must time your last bathroom break as close to the marathon start as possible, thus reducing the chance of having to stop early on in the race." He says the timing in this way increases your chances that you won't have to make a pit stop as you'll be sweating at the same rate as taking fluids in."

Bill, a marathoner from the Michigan area, says to avoid bathroom breaks stay away from gel packs that contain caffeine. He also says to use your long runs as training to aid in avoiding bathroom breaks. I didn't know about the caffeine and I'll definitely be doing this when I do my long training runs!

"The bathroom break was always a problem for me too," says Matt from Minnesota. "I started to time my fluid intake before the start. I drink plenty of fluids up to an hour before, but none until after the gun fires. I found that I also felt better at the start with no sloshing belly. If I hydrate properly the day leading up to the race, the few ounces I lose in that last hour never affects my performance."

Matt also suggests for any last minute emergencies you can bring a "relief bottle" of some type to the start of the race. A great idea for those that are worried they might miss the start from a last minute potty break (porta-john lines can be long).

And probably the best tip comes from Paul in Ohio (he's an advanced runner and also a regular marathon pacesetter). Paul says don't be shy about taking a break if needed. "Can't find a porta-john, find a tree."

Good luck runners!! Next post is all about chafing. You won't believe what the experts say here. Amazing tips that have already saved me some skin.

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