That Rash is From What?

This post comes with a disclaimer: if it makes you really uncomfortable to read about my thighs, please turn back now. Go make yourself a sandwich, or watch some TV. Check back after a few days after I've updated the blog again.

As previously stated in this blog, I rarely do anything without reading a book about it first. During my reading about running I ran across several "common" side affects of running more miles that make sense unless you are being chased by mountain lions or bears... or chasing after someone dressed as a mountain lion or a bear.

I read about toenails turning black and falling off, achy knees, sore IT bands, pulled hamstrings, and stiff ankles. I also read about some well endowed women getting rashes from their sports bra or developing back problems. I had not read about the rash that developed on the insides of both of my thighs. Naturally, I assumed that due to the location of the rash, it was being caused by the liner of my running shorts rubbing against me. So, I spent a couple of very long extremely uncomfortable runs trying to adjust my liner on the move. Cars, bikers, and other runners would whiz by me, my hands either down my shorts or up from the bottom trying to put my liner in a place it didn't rub my thighs. People stared. I considered trying to explain to the slower-moving starers, but figured that might only make me look more guilty. Plus, after 10 miles running with a rash, I didn't care what they were thinking.

While chatting with the owner of Running Wild, a running store in Iowa City, I happened to mention my rash and proceeded to gripe about not being able to find a pair of shorts that do not rub me.

He smiled knowing, and said, "oh, that's not your liner, that's your thighs rubbing together when you run."

"But my thighs aren't big! We just went shopping and I had to buy smaller sizes." I protested.

"Don't worry," he smiled, "everyone's thighs rub together when they run," and he hopped up and picked up a pair of spandex shorts that mercifully (for everyone else on the road) had a skirt attached over them. He handed it to me and said, "here, this should solve your problem."

I started playing soccer when I was about 10 years old. I'm not saying, after playing for 17 years, that I am a good soccer player, I'm saying that my legs have muscles in them. I estimate about 80% of my body weight is probably in my thighs. So, at the mention of them rubbing together while running, I immediately used this rational in my head rather than actually picture the event happening. (On a side note, my mom, who was shopping with me, thought this was all very amusing)

Back in Colorado, I went for a 7 mile run and the rash is back, just a little lower. It turns out that so much of my thighs rub together when I run that I need longer shorts. I started complaining about my situation to my boyfriend, "you see," I explained, "I have this rash, and at first I thought it was the liner of my shorts rubbing against me when I run..."

"...but it's really your thighs rubbing together." he finished for me. I froze. It's one thing to have some running store guy telling me my thighs are huge and another thing all together to have my boyfriend do it.

He saw the look on my face and started laughing, then explained that it would be gross if my thighs didn't rub together because they would be way too skinny. So, this afternoon my thighs and I are going shopping for a longer pair of shorts.

(That picture? A barn I might have run by in Iowa. The barns all look the same after 2 hours of plodding along)