The Struggle Bus Every Runner Has Ridden

Every runner has their stories about some mishap or another turning a run into a quasi catastrophe, or some struggle they deal with regularly on their runs. So we thought we’d compile a list of the top 4 things that make life, er, interesting for a runner:

1. Chafe-town USA!

Ahhh, yes. Chafing.  Even those blessed women whose thighs don’t touch experience this not-awesome part of running. Thighs, butt, nipples, underarms – you name it, and it can probably end up chafing if you run long or sweat hard enough. It’s like the physical embodiment of the work we’re putting in. Or that’s how we like to think of it anyway… it helps numb the pain.

2. No pedicure in the world can save your toenails.

We’ve all been there, hanging out by the pool or having a night out on the town with some of our girlfriends, when you happen to look down at their feet. Their perfectly polished, smooth, pretty feet. And then you look down at yours. Your shoes are probably not open-toed, specifically because you don’t want anyone to see your hard, scaly, toenails-missing appendages. You sigh in envy at their perfectly pedicured toes and try to remember when your feet last looked that good. You can’t. And what’s worse is that they just keep getting WORSE, no matter how many pedicures you get. When your toenails grow back, they grow back…thicker. Weirder. There’s no controlling them.

Toenails gone elephantine (or just gone), scars, blisters, redness. You name it, your feet have experienced it. This is a lot easier to shrug off for men, who are somehow expected to have gross feet. But as a woman, it’s a tough part of being a runner. That’s OK though, your girlfriends can keep their 4 inch open-toed stilettos, nothing feels as good as that runner’s high!

3. Aches, Pains, and Trots

We probably could have separated these into their own categories, but we’ll just categorize them together under “generally unpleasant body stuff.” Your neck, your back, your knees are outta wack. Pretty much always. And while it’s fun to sing, it’s not as fun to experience.

And who can forget the dreaded runner’s trots, where you’re just minding your business, enjoying your run through the wilderness, 8 miles from the nearest restroom with toilet paper (the tree or bush to your left doesn’t count), and BAM: gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now. I guess the good news is that nothing will motivate you to run your fastest miles back home then the fear of poopin’ your pants? Ahhh, yes…silver linings.

4. You Can’t Run Away from Bladder Leaks

Many running moms (or even not-moms for that matter!) will tell you that oftentimes when they run, they also leak a little pee. Nothing will put a DAMPer (see what we did there?) on your runner’s high like realizing you’ve been leaking small amounts of urine throughout your run and are returning home with wet undies. Or worse… having to wear a bulky pad or uncomfortable insert during your runs in hopes of returning home with dry undies. The sad part of this one is that peeing a little during a run may be one of main reasons women who experience it stop running as much (or at all.) Gross feet, achy knees, and chafing skin are all bad enough…but no body wants to add wet, smelly running shorts to that mix.

The good news is, you never have to let bladder leaks keep you from a run ever again! With Finess, bladder leaks are stopped before they start. And because it’s just a small, soft foam patch, you won’t feel the discomfort of a bulky pad or insert while you’re running. Finess allows you to get back to running with confidence and joy. Because let’s face it, runners deal with enough “side effects” without adding wet underwear to the list.

The bad news is… your feet are probably not going to get any prettier.