Runny Noses on Rides

[trickycoolj]

Went on my longest ride yesterday, 60 miles! Perfect 75 degree sunshine that started with a layer of clouds in the morning. One of the biggest annoyances on the ride was that my nose wouldn't stop running! I get a runny nose just eating warm food so minor temp changes and I assume 4-5 hours of wind in my face did the same. I was about ready to see if I could shoot snot rockets it was so annoying. Luckily about 20 mi in, there was a freshly stocked restroom at a trailhead and I stocked up on paper towels. Would a decongestant help? Or would that aggravate the mucous membrane even more with the wind? Both myself and DBF were just constant snot factories and both of our gloves are pretty gross. Ew. And fwiw there is no pollen in our air here anymore, everything is dead/dormant.

[roo4]

My nose runs constantly during bicycling and running. I would blame allergies, but it seems to happen all year round. It's just a drizzle, so I can't get a good snot rocket going.

In summary, I am no help to you whatsoever, but I will be checking back in to see how others respond.

[OakLeaf]

Probably more than you wanted to know. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16498856 If your gloves aren't enough, you can always carry a bandanna in a pocket or tied around your handlebars.

It's not necessarily allergic, but if it only happens to you at certain times of the year it likely is. Molds are also very high this time of year, and though I don't know for sure, I would think the damp climate of the PNW would be particularly susceptible to molds.

[Owlie]

I get a runny nose if the air temperature is less than 70 or so. The terry patch on your gloves, a bandanna or a handful of tissues in your jersey pocket should do the trick.

[PamNY]

There are a couple of threads on this issue. Just run the term "snot rocket" through the search engine. PSA: snot rockets are not appropriate unless you are in a really deserted area.

I carry a bandana or paper towel in winter. If I'm wearing a Buff, in an emergency it might be pressed into service.

I think runny noses in cool weather just happen.

[jessmarimba]

I think cool weather or dry air. Mine runs when I'm running even if its 90+ out. My sister was asking the other day why I always wear short sleeves when I run (rather than tank tops)...because it's easier to just turn my head and wipe my nose on my shoulder! :p In cool weather, arm warmers work well, too. :D

Fatcyclist has coined the word "snotulum" for his problems with a runny nose while riding. Mine never accumulate to that amount, just get drippy. It will eventually make my nose a little raw so I sometimes apply chapstick to my nose as well while exercising.

[roo4]

Probably more than you wanted to know. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16498856 If your gloves aren't enough, you can always carry a bandanna in a pocket or tied around your handlebars.

Thanks for the link! At least now I can give it a fancy name. :)

[marni]

Oh yay for EIR- sometimes there just isn't enough terry on the glove. I also have a similar reaction in my eyesmost days which water and weep almost non stop. This in spite of allergy pills, diet changes, and lots of kleenex. I was informed by the eye doctor that it was a fuction of aging. Great! At least my SAG guy is finally learning to realize that I am not constantly crying but it is just an eye thing.

marni

[zoom-zoom]

Probably more than you wanted to know. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16498856 If your gloves aren't enough, you can always carry a bandanna in a pocket or tied around your handlebars.

I totally have this and I don't do anything outdoors without a bandana...if it's not snot it's sweat running into my eyes (even with a buff on my head).

I have sinus/allergy issues on top of that, so even if my allergies aren't bad I still get a drippy nose. I also can't snot rocket, since it's just a thin drip much of the time.

[Catrin]

I have this problem when it starts getting into the mid-high 50's. Totally temperature related. This is when I start keeping my inhaler with me as a precaution as the drainage can cause my asthma to remember itself - though that is more associated with colder air.

[Crankin]

I have the runny eye issue, only when I ride in the very early AM, in cold weather, mostly in my right eye. It stops after I warm up.
It does happen occasionally when I ride in colder weather, again, only in the beginning of the ride.
The mold is terrible now. It's one of the few "real" allergies i have and I've had a miserable 2-3 weeks. But, my nose still doesn't run. I sneeze, but I never blow my nose. Just the thought of blowing my nose makes me gag.

[fetchspot]

I would love to live in Seattle. Weather.com shows all 4 major allergy maps have nothing there.

from a person living in semi-tropical NC

fs

[malkin]

Terry cloth wrist band here.

[Irulan]

[QUOTE=PamNY;655044 PSA: snot rockets are not appropriate unless you are in a really deserted area.
[/QUOTE]

Why would you say this? I figure as long as there's no one in the path of the trajectory and you are not like on a sidewalk, why not?

[IBrakeforPastry]

I was just going to start a thread on this subject - glad I searched. I love the autumn. Unfortunately, my sinuses don't, making cool weather riding uncomfortable. In addition to the runny nose, I get bad headaches, probably from sniffling. So now I'm trying not to sniff (hard habit to break) and have tissues handy. I started taking allergy medicine several months ago. The doctor couldn't pinpoint exactly what the allergy was, but said they're perennial. I may pre-treat with a decongestant. I don't like the idea, but the once or twice I did, it seemed to help.

For those who use a bandanna: how hard are they to wash out? I would rinse it as soon as I got home, of course, but is there any special laundering techniques they would require? Are there different types?

Thanks - I hope to get out and enjoy the fall a bit. I didn't go snowshoeing last year, partly because I was afraid of the headaches.

[Amira]

I'm glad IBrakeforPastry revived this thread or I would have missed it. Also a drippy nose sufferer. So far, I've made good use of my gloves when the need arises, but will think about other options suggested as well. I'm just glad to know I'm not the only one out there with this issue.

[zoom-zoom]

For those who use a bandanna: how hard are they to wash out? I would rinse it as soon as I got home, of course, but is there any special laundering techniques they would require? Are there different types?

I just use the plain cotton ones and throw them in the laundry. Nothing special.

[IBrakeforPastry]

I just use the plain cotton ones and throw them in the laundry. Nothing special.

That's what I figured. I suspect someone is out there selling some high-tech, feature-packed hankie ;)

[zoom-zoom]

That's what I figured. I suspect someone is out there selling some high-tech, feature-packed hankie ;)

If they're not, they should be...there's always someone who would spend $$ on a hanky if it's marketed as "gear." :p

[Grits]

As soon as the weather starts getting cool, I have this problem. Over time, I have found the best thing is to carry a bandana, like others have said, but the issue for me is how to carry it so it is easily accessible while riding. It is hard for me to reach around to my back pocket to get one and then put it back. If I am wearing shorts, I'll tuck it under the bottom hem so I can just pull it out and then tuck it back in. Today I had the idea to put a stretchy band of some type around my handle bar that I can securely tuck my bandana in. I'll have to see how that works out. In the winter when I am wearing a Buff around my neck, I have used it to blow my nose and then just try to fold it over so the wet part doesn't touch my skin. Gross, I know, but I don't care. I hate riding with a runny nose!

[zoom-zoom]

As soon as the weather starts getting cool, I have this problem. Over time, I have found the best thing is to carry a bandana, like others have said, but the issue for me is how to carry it so it is easily accessible while riding. It is hard for me to reach around to my back pocket to get one and then put it back. If I am wearing shorts, I'll tuck it under the bottom hem so I can just pull it out and then tuck it back in. Today I had the idea to put a stretchy band of some type around my handle bar that I can securely tuck my bandana in. I'll have to see how that works out. In the winter when I am wearing a Buff around my neck, I have used it to blow my nose and then just try to fold it over so the wet part doesn't touch my skin. Gross, I know, but I don't care. I hate riding with a runny nose!

I've started tieing mine around my wrist when on my CX or mtn. bikes. On my road bike I have a bento box that I use specifically as a place to stash my hanky.

[IBrakeforPastry]

Maybe we should start designing a cycling hanky.

What features would we need? Fabric: I think I'd like something like a very thin terrycloth. Soft against the face, absorbent, not too bulky. Something to conveniently attach it to something else, making it accessible when needed, out of the way when not. Any other ideas?

I think I'll just raid my rag bag and see what I find.

[OakLeaf]

Anyone tried one of those microfiber dusting cloths?

[zoom-zoom]

Anyone tried one of those microfiber dusting cloths?

I don't think microfiber would work, since it's not absorbent and would just smear snot around.

[limewave]

Maybe we should start designing a cycling hanky.

What features would we need? Fabric: I think I'd like something like a very thin terrycloth. Soft against the face, absorbent, not too bulky. Something to conveniently attach it to something else, making it accessible when needed, out of the way when not. Any other ideas?

I think I'll just raid my rag bag and see what I find.

My friend made me some cycling/athletic hankies out of wicking material. They are great. I haven't tried using them for blowing my nose but I have used them to clean my face, etc. after a ride.

[SFLiz]

So, yeah, this is a big problem for me. I say 'big' because it affects my rides as far as annoying me to the extreme. My nose doesn't stop the whole ride and it doesn't matter the temperature. My glove can't hold anything else after only about 30 minutes into a ride. I've thought about wearing a tennis wrist band, one of those terry cloth-like ones that look absorbent. I'm going to get one and try it because the continuous reaching back for kleenex is quite aggravating. I'll be enjoying a wonderful high when my nose opens up like a spigot and I'm shaken out of my euphoria.

[Becky]

My glove can't hold anything else after only about 30 minutes into a ride.

That's why I blow snot rockets. Very unladylike, I know, but it beats the constant wiping, snot-covered glove, and ensuing raw nose. I'm careful to either be at the back of the group or ensure that any trailing riders are several lengths behind before launch.

[fetchspot]

I have cut off the cuff of old socks (cotton) and slip them on my wrist when my nose runs. I get large quantities moved by air-blowing (been told it was a talent and I was good at it--sometimes any compliment is good) then catch the drips on the sock cuff. I can wash that after every ride where as I don't like to wear my gloves out with excessive washing.

Micro fiber is rough on the nose.

[Jo-n-NY]

My nose runs everytime I eat and ride my bike even on the trainer. I think it must be the way I breath. I never thought of the terry wrist band but it certainly sounds like a great idea. I also do good blowing the snot rockets when no one is around but this year I lead a few group rides a week and that is when it is very annoying. It is the worst once I switch to long finger gloves as I cannot get a tissue (actually bounty napkin as they work great)out of my pocket as easily.

[amb]

"That's why I blow snot rockets. Very unladylike, I know"

Me too sister, me too! I always have to ride in the back. :) My nose runs ALL year with just a little relief in the warm summer months. I'm quite good at not snotting on myself! I tried tissues early in my cycling start but they got so wet with sweat in my jersey pocket rendering them useless. The bandana sounds like a good idea but maybe not worth the effort. I'll have to give it a try.

I used to get super stuffy when I taught group aerobics - I guess it was something about talking a working out. I no longer have issues with any sport besides cycling. Maybe it's the wind in my sinuses.

[redeyedtreefr0g]

Hi there!

I'm new here (as of this morning! yay), but I saw this thread and just had to look. I starting riding my bike regularly with the start of the school year by commuting to work in Oregon last year. This year I'm in Colorado. I noticed with the hot lovely summer weather here that my nose was finally NOT running constantly like it did my entire first year. With the drop in temperatures, my nose again plagues me.

Like most other posters, I usually only have an annoying drip of nearly-water fluid, unless I get a cold. I had a plastic crate behind my seat last year- it was super convenient to reach back and grab a washcloth that I carried around. This year I replaced the crate with a homemade saddlebag- no convenient spot for the "hankie"! So far I use rear pants pockets in a pinch, or ore often the handwarmer pocket of whatever jacket I have on. Draping the washcloth over the handlebars unsecured (though I thought it was pretty well stuck) did not work and is a sure way to loose your hankie. I'm considering one of those extending ID badge clips.

I blow my nose one-handed into the wind. I try not to do this when anyone is available to witness me doing it. This not only saved the precious hanky space from being over-loaded and soggy, but not wiping my nose that much helps to keep it from getting quite so raw. I also have a special stick of chapstick just for rubbing inside my nose. If you don't think its worth it during the day (such as if you have to continually blow your nose all the time and would therefore simply wipe the chapstick off again) you can apply the chapstick pretty liberally at night, and wake up with your tender nostrils in MUCH better condition for it. Twisting the stick, especially for inside nostrils, seems to apply it better than trying to wipe it on as you do for your lips.

[gocard]

I'm digging up this thread as I find it very applicable especially for this time of the year. I have been riding with a lot of tissues since I can't stand a runny nose and reusing already sodden tissues doesn't feel so great either. It's just so annoying with the constant sniffling that doesn't go away without a good nose blow. I'm going to try a handkerchief or wristbands like others have mentioned. I'm so envious of my riding buddy and others who don't have constantly running noses when riding! Argh

[Skippyak]

I use hankies that I make myself from flannel, if you can find double sided quality flannel all the better. Snot rockets disgust me. People take the piss out of me for my hankie though, because I am British LOL. Anyway, flannel works well because it is much softer and more absorbent than cheap hankies. Scabby noses do well with lanolin. We only have tissues in the house for visitors. We all use hankies now.