A fine layer of salt covered my skin. Traces of salt left white streaks across my face. Clearly, I had a horrible and incurable illness that resulted in my body releasing salt through my pores.
My first thought was that perhaps I had consumed too many salty foods. The day before I ate soup for lunch, which obviously contains a lot of sodium. My dinner consisted of a completely inappropriate combination of spinach-artichoke dip and tortilla chips, a slice of pizza, and a glass of beer. I do not recommend consuming such things the night before a long run, by the way. Someday I'll learn my lesson and won't have to run 13 miles with a junk food hangover.
Could it be possible that I had consumed enough excess sodium so as to secrete it through my skin? I didn't think so. I called my sister and she thought it was terribly weird and abnormal as well. Obviously the next step involved consulting google.
Apparently this isn't so strange because google produced countless articles about runners and sweat leaving traces of salt on the skin. How is this not something that is crazy weird to people?!?!?! I found this article particularly helpful. Still, finding salt all over my skin is f-ing weird, but apparently its just something that happens. According to that article:
Some runners have saltier sweat than other. Salty sweaters tend to end up with a crust of salt on their skin after a hard workout. Other runners, in comparison, have a low sodium content in their sweat - and no white salt stains on their skin or running clothes.
I'm extremely glad that I didn't sweat out enough salt that it left salt all over my running clothes. Shouldn't this be something that's more widely publicized? Do you think any other beginning runners have ever wondered if they've contracted an incurable illness related to sodium? Cause seriously, finding salt all over my face was not what I expected post-run.
It was very odd. I felt the need to share.
2 comments:
Thank you for posting this. I discovered this strange white substance on my face for the first time after running 9 miles today, and have been googling ever since. Your blog matches my thoughts exactly. Why is this not listed in Runner's World Magazine as a rite of passage to running longer distances. They cover urinating on oneself, you would think salty face would be notes as well?? Anyhow, after reading your blog I don't feel so weird :)
Hi Leslie,
I've not been to your site before; I'm just passig through, but for some reason during a quick scan of the site, I found this entry and wanted to make a quick comment...
The salt thing is totally normal; do not be concerned at all.
I have worked in Iraq for the last 2+ years, and before that lived in Texas, so I can vouch that getting the crusty layer of salt is normal if you perspire enough (due to heat or exercise). In the summer here, it is a daily occurence.
:-]
I suspect that in part it may have to do with the relative humidity at the time you are sweating. When the humidity is lower, your sweat evaporates more readily at the point of perspiration - so you get a crusty layer all over, though I have found it to be most noticable on my face, where it combines with skin oils to form a sort of mildly unpleasant paste. In this situation the sweat on your clothing also tends to evaporate more readily at the source, so one ends up with white salt rings on clothing as well.
In higher humidity environments/weather conditions, the sweat lingers more and does not tend to leave as much dried salt behind, so it is not as noticable.
Having grown up in Texas, and having been outdoorsy since I was small, I have to admit it tickles me a little to see someone surprised at the phenomenon.
:-]
It just means you are getting in a good workout, and it serves as a visible reminder to replenish those salts to keep your electrolytes at normal levels.
Here in Iraq we have to make a conscious effort to keep enough salt in our diet to keep ahead of the salt loss through sweating - you do *not* want to let your electrolytes get too low. Muscle cramps and mental disorientation - and potentially internal organ wackiness - ensue.
Anyway, I hope that helps, and keep up the good work!
Andrew
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