Weather Stats and Chafing Solution

I don't really have any business posting about my rainy 20 miler AGAIN, but as Mike always says, sometimes the comments are the best part.  One of the comments I got yesterday made me think that I do have one other thing worth sharing about my run.  And one thing I saw on the news made it doubly worthy of another post. 

Fun stats on the news last night about the rain that we had on Sunday. 

At the outset, I will admit for the record that it didn't start raining until probably 6:30 a.m., I was done running by 9:00, and it poured for about an hour after I finished, and then went down to a drizzle for much of the rest of the morning and early afternoon.  So I can't claim all 2.8 inches, but it felt like it. 

Per the news last night: 

We got 2.83 inches of rain, making it the wettest DAY in 2.5 years, the wettest August day in 20 years, and the second wettest August 17 on record. 

(Photo, you know, since I'm sure your initial reaction was that it was totally unbelievable. ;))



I hate to call it worst case scenario for 20 miles because Amy's right, it's worse if you have it for 26.2, and I suppose there are several other scenarios that I don't want to imagine that would also be worse (especially since Meredith's comment about my first 20 miler indicated that doing such a run in the rain would be awful, and that fear came true).  But suffice it to say, not ideal.

Anyway, Amy's comment hit on other horror that accompanies such a wet and long run:  the chafing.

Well, blisters and chafing happen on a wet long run, but this post is only about chafing. 

I figured I should share my totally awesome solution for chafing. 

Yeah, I try to put Body Glide everywhere I expect it.  And yeah, now I'm also using paper medical tape around the edge of my sports bra and/or heart rate monitor.  Those help. 

But that's never enough.

During Sunday's 20 miler, I could feel my left collarbone chafing.  I always know it's bad when I can feel it while running.  Usually the place where I feel it during the run ends up being the worst, but there are about 8 other places that show up when the shower water hits them. 

So I realize my solution works best if you live alone (or if whoever lives with you isn't home when you shower) (and preferably not in an apartment with nearby neighbors), and I realize it's totally ridiculous, but I swear, it has been working for me this year.

By the time I'm ready to get in the shower, I can usually tell where the problem spots will be.

Sunday, I had the spot on my left collarbone that I expected, but I also had round spots under each arm, on each inner thigh, a vertical stripe on my chest, and most unexpectedly, a large upside down T on my left hip.  Yes, a long vertical stripe coming up from my waist.  I truly have no idea how that happened.  My shirt was loose fitting, but I guess somehow that seam got me.  I can only assume the shorter portion of the T came from my shorts waistband.

Anyway, the solution.  When I get in the shower, BEFORE the water hits what will be a problem area, I start shouting/screaming as loud as possible.  A huge, loud, AHHHHHHHHH!  It can't be at all half-hearted.  Like you're being murdered.  And somehow, then when the water hits it, there's a second of pain, but I kind of laugh. 

I don't know why it works.  I guess because normally, all I can do is scream with the pain, and if I'm already screaming, there's nothing more I can do? 

Honestly, it's working.  I won't question it further.  And I'll hope that I will have a soundproof hotel room for my post-marathon shower.