7 Hilarious Confessions Only Girls Who Run Will Understand
Because this is not Fight Club, we're going to actually talk about those awkward, sometimes downright mortifying, things that can happen on your run...

April 24, 2017

1. Snot rockets are totally acceptable

“Training for a long time with an all-male group, I picked up some of their behaviour. Like, if I feel stuffy, I just blow out a snot rocket. It’s a little messy at first, but I’ve gotten pretty good at it – now I can shoot my snot right toward the ground. You just close one nostril, assess where the wind is blowing and force a strong blow in that direction.” [Exercise acts on the nose like an irritant, similar to perfume or smoke, causing excessive mucus production in the lining of the nose, according to experts.] “It’s not something I take pride in, but when you’re running, especially at altitude, you need all the oxygen you can get and it’s a distraction no one wants. Wearing long sleeves and gloves to wipe your drippy nose also works.” – marathoner and Olympic medallist Deena Kastor

READ MORE: These 7 Strength Moves Will Help Boost Your Run

2. Nature’s call is loud!

“When I was younger I always used to ‘hold it’ – I would convince myself that I could wait until I got home. What I didn’t realise then was that I was damaging my bladder and ruining my run by not simply stopping and going behind a bush. It was only when I got to the States and started training with a team of girls who would stop along their runs to ‘go behind the bush’ that I realised it wasn’t such a terrible thing and started doing it myself. Unfortunately, this part of our sport is not very glamorous, but the truth is if you have to go, you have to go. I always try to find a nearby restaurant to use their facilities but sometimes that isn’t an option and you have to become one with nature.” – SA 10 000m Olympian Dominique Scott

READ MORE: Exactly What You Should Eat Before And After Your Run

3. Farting is a real possibility

“About a kilometer into an early-morning group run, I realized a whole lot of gas needed to escape – and holding it in wasn’t an option. I hung back from the group and just let rip on the trot like a machine gun. Not my sexiest moment.” – Wanita Nicol, WH deputy editor

4. Watch your step

“Twice I’ve fallen because I wasn’t watching the ground and kicked uneven patches of pavement. Both times I ended up in a full sprawl. It’s very embarrassing – and potentially dangerous. Once I tore a ligament.” – Leigh Champanis-King, WH copy editor

READ MORE: These Runners’ Act Of Kindness Will Melt Even The Coldest Heart

5. Don’t run in a G-string

“I once went for a training run and, without thinking, put on a thong that was a little bit loose so the crotch material rubbed against my skin. I didn’t feel anything during the run, but I’ve never felt such stinging, horrendous pain as in the shower that followed. It was impossible not to scream out loud.” – Amy Hopkins, WH food and managing editor

6. Cold air makes your nose run

“I usually pack tissues when I run, but one frosty day I forgot and it got to the point where I couldn’t breathe at all. So I stopped and blew into my T-shirt. There it was, down near the bottom, for the whole run, for the whole world to see.” – Michelle October, WH junior writer

READ MORE: Here’s Why This Marathon Runner Decided To Share Her Cellulite Photos

7. Pushing hard can have unexpected consequences

“Years ago when I was at school, I was running the 1 500 metres and I pushed so hard at the end that I literally peed myself – with the entire school watching. After crossing the finish line, I just ran straight into the bathroom.” – Michelle von Schlicht, WH art director

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