The 5 Worst Smells Encountered While Running
Nothing is worse than a stinky run. However these five smells may be among the worst scents you can encounter while on a run.
We have all been there. You are standing among hundreds of runners at the starting line of a race, waiting for the signal to begin. Somehow you find yourself placed next to a woman who decided to pile on the perfume. Perfect. When we run, we breathe in so deeply that smells affect us much more than if we were to encounter them out of the context of exercising.
Here are some of the worst smells that can be offensive while out on a run.
Body Odor
No one enjoys body odor at any time. But when I’m racing and get behind someone that has forgotten their deodorant that morning, it sometimes makes me want to gag.
Perfume
As I stated before, perfume really bothers me while I’m racing. I am a fan of perfume on a normal day, but running through a thick cloud of it can almost stop me dead in my tracks. Save your spritz of fragrance for post-race.
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Smoke
When I’m running down a rural road, and people are burning yard debris or the leaves in their ditches, I try to hold my breath and sprint past the giant gray cloud. This also goes for smokers that pass me in their cars or on foot. It’s hard to believe that one cigarette can create so much odor when you are out in the open air, but it seems to hang in the air forever.
Dead animals
During the summer, when the ditches don’t get mowed down on a regular basis, dead animals can be completely hidden in the tall grasses. You don’t know they are there until you run right up on them. On a hot and humid day, the odor from one of these rascals can be enough to knock you down!
Manure
Living in a country setting, it is a commonplace to have farmers spread manure on their fields several times a year to help the crops grow. Smelling it when I’m in my yard is not bad. However, while running, it can completely be overpowering at times. I have grown used to it, but there are those really hot days where it brings tears to your eyes. City and suburban folks are not immune from this smell either, especially during springtime.
I’ve learned a trick to keeping some of these smells at bay when I’m out running. A small layer of Vicks Vapor rub right under the nostrils can make everything smell much better.
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