Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Stank of Confusion

I must confess, I am confused. 

Being that I frequent many runner and exerciser blogs, I read a lot about the stank issue.  Namely, that people are stanky after they run/exercise and that the stank does not always come out in the wash.

I don't get it.  I have never had a stank problem.  Well, let me rephrase:  I have never had a stank problem except with the ballcap I have worn for runs over the past three years and it only developed a stank issue after about two years.  Then I washed it and it ceased to stank.

Anyhow.  With that exception, I have never had a stank problem  And hey, my friends can chime in here about how they've been around me after I've run and I did do the stank.  But I don't think I did.  After I run, I smell like my deodorant and body wash is working.  That's it.  And it's not because I'm not working up a sweat even if I am slow.  Because I am. 

I'm wondering if it's because of another thing that baffles me, namely, that not everybody showers every day or, alternatively, that not everybody washes their hair every day.  Like I do.  I've read literally a hundred magazine articles that all talk about how to perk up your hair on the days between showers or that this style or that style works better with dirty hair.  Um, yuck?

Maybe that is the reason for the stank versus the non-stank.  If so, my suggestion is:  Shower!  I'm not even going to get into the whole shower at night versus shower in the morning thing.  For me, it's hands-down shower in the morning.  If you're horrifically dirty after the day then shower at night too.  That could be why my grandmother comes down on the side of shower in the evening, now that I think about it; she grew up on a farm. 

But shower!  Wash your hair while you are in there!  By the way, if you don't, please don't take public transportation.  Or walk past me in the grocery store.  I can't count the number of times I've nearly upchucked on the broccoli because people can't be bothered to hop in the rain locker (as my grandpa calls it).  And I'm not talking about the "I just worked out" stank on these people.  It's clearly the "I haven't showered in at least a day" stank.  You can just tell.  Hell, don't even go out in public. 

So, inquiring noses want to know:  Am I the only person who wonders why everyone else is so stanky post-workout?  Or do they just think they are stanky?

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

2 comments:

  1. I bet they THINK they are stinky and probably feel stinky. After I have a long run I don't feel like I smell as much as some of my clothes smell. But I've found those tech fabrics do have their own strange scent to them - and then once wet with sweat that smell gets worse.

    Shower shower shower. I ALWAYS shower every single day. I'm a morning girl, too! I've had so many people shocked that I was my hair every single day, sometimes twice a day. Um, I'm clean!

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  2. Be glad you don't have the issue of stinky running clothes. I don't think it's body odor as much as it is the fabric that is the issue.

    In my opinion, running clothes take on a life of their own with odor when it comes to long term use. (Mine are worn 5 to 6 days a week for workouts that are at least an hour long.) I've noticed the "tech" type fabrics hold onto that funky odor....and cotton doesn't. The older and more used the fabric is...the stinkier it becomes. Shirts aren't a big deal to replace since we seem to get a new one at each race, but pants are EXPENSIVE. I cannot afford to buy new ones each time they hit their limit. I do wash all of my workout clothes after EVERY single workout, but there is just something about that fabric.

    I've tried everything from adding vinegar into the wash load to fancy odor removing enzyme treatments. Nothing helps. As a matter of fact, I think vinegar is what killed my favorite running capri tights! They developed tiny pinholes like a moth had eaten through them. Now I just use Tide Sport Wash & call it good.

    Also, the closet we keep all of our running gear in smelled like a locker room until I stuck a giant Yankee Candle (without the lid) in there. And yes, the running hats MUST be washed at least every third run or so. Always after a long run. I cannot stand the smell of a funky running visor. I don't wash my Fuel Belt, Road ID, Ipod wrist case, etc. after each run or workout, and that causes the closet to get a little....gym like. I don't have time to wait for them to dry before the next workout, and I can't afford to replace it if it falls apart in the wash.

    After reading through this, it appears that the solution to my problem is to stop being so poor. lol

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