The Chafing Dish

Well I'm back!  Back to the certifiable practice of torturing my body with excessive exercise.  It is a means to an end - I am doing this because it is a lifelong dream of mine to run the NYC Marathon.  I am feeling strong these days, which means my muscles are adapting to the training and my heart and circulatory system are up to the task.  The weak link in this whole training process is my skin.  Frankly, it is pissed.

Not a long run goes by where a new chafing area doesn't turn up.  Now when we think of chafing, we cringe a little bit because the "unmentionable" areas that are typically associated with the problem come to mind like the groin, upper thighs and even nipples (yikes).  My body is, shall we say "getting creative" with where it chafes.  The center of my back, the insides of my arms, my upper chest and even dead center in my lower back.

I always considered myself to have a tough skin, both figuratively and literally.  I may have overestimated the literal side of that.  My skin is seems is not so tough, but it's got an attitude, that's for sure.  It's the little things that set it off - my loose fitting dry-fit tank top or the cloth tag on my running shorts.  I guess, if I'm being fair, no matter how little a nuisance may seem it does get pretty freaking annoying after 3 hours of relentless assault.

Have you ever had chafing? The markings look worse than it feels, with one blazing exception....when you first step into the shower.  When the water first hits it, for a nanosecond, get a flash of the darkest side of Hell.  The anticipation of that flash can also do a number on your head - to the point where you seriously wonder if you really do need to shower after a 15 mile run (you do, by the way).  It is gone as quickly as it hits, but after that tense build up of the pain and the flash of pain you're left exhausted even more. Then if you listen closely you can almost hear your skin saying in the most sinister tone "why do you make me do this to you?"

So what's a girl to do?  Since giving up is not an option,  I'm going to power on through.  I've purchased 8 different kinds of gels, bars, creams to prevent it.  I'll dip myself in a vat of Vaseline before the race if that's what it takes.  I will finish this race in the greatest city in the world.  I <3 NY

Don't forget to donate to my fundraising drive for Team for Kids !  October 6th is the deadline!

https://www.runwithtfk.org/Donate/Member/6567