It is no secret that I am a tick magnet. I can run five miles on trails, and collect the only two ticks on the mountain. Naturally, my friends love it when I run with them because all the ticks instinctively gravitate to me. 
I think having hairy legs helps the ticks in their quest. My legs must seem like a jungle-gym to them. “Here comes a couple of hairy legs....let’s grab on....WHEEE!” I have a tick counter on my blog, which I update almost every day. Right now, my “tick count” for the year is at 103. Most of the critters I have found climbing up the fur on my legs, but a few have gotten their teeth into me, and then comes the ITCH!
Ticks tiny first cousins, the dreaded chiggers, are even more of a nuisance. First of all, they are so small they are practically invisible.
Secondly, they come in bunches. I routinely feed about a dozen hungry chiggers on each trail run.
There are several “remedies” for the chigger bite: rubbing Vaseline over the bite, painting the bite with clear fingernail polish (try that with hairy legs!), and my favorite, rubbing Icy Hot over the area. Burning is better than itching!
Of course, the mosquito is ever present, and they like the cool confines of shaded trails, especially around ponds and creeks.
I have always thought that a mosquito will not land on a moving object like a runner. But after several hard miles, my pace usually slows to where the mosquitoes, with a good flying start, have no problem landing on me. I sport half dollar sized welts after a bite, and the remedy that works best for me is to scratch it until it quits itching. Works every time!
And last, there is poison ivy. While exploring that slightly overgrown trail that meanders beside a stream and alongside a bluff, the beautiful greenery trailside is often the three-leaved ivy.
One swipe against the ankles results in a nice inflamed rash of oozing blisters. Itch itch itch. Try scalding hot water in the shower, grinding salt into the rash, or consider amputation. Actually, I have obtained some drops that taken once a day have built my immunity to the dreaded ivy. Since taking them for a few weeks, my poison ivy is far less of a problem.
Major league baseball players have a feat called “hitting for the cycle.” This involves one player hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game. This is a rare feat, as uncommon as a pitcher throwing a no-hitter. I think trail runners should have recognition for “itching for the cycle.” This would involve getting a mosquito bite, a tick and a chigger bite, and some poison ivy all in the same run. This could be my claim to fame….my stats on the back of trail running trading cards.
288 races ran, 79 last place finishes, “itched for the cycle” 58 times in his career.
I think having hairy legs helps the ticks in their quest. My legs must seem like a jungle-gym to them. “Here comes a couple of hairy legs....let’s grab on....WHEEE!” I have a tick counter on my blog, which I update almost every day. Right now, my “tick count” for the year is at 103. Most of the critters I have found climbing up the fur on my legs, but a few have gotten their teeth into me, and then comes the ITCH!Ticks tiny first cousins, the dreaded chiggers, are even more of a nuisance. First of all, they are so small they are practically invisible.
Secondly, they come in bunches. I routinely feed about a dozen hungry chiggers on each trail run.
There are several “remedies” for the chigger bite: rubbing Vaseline over the bite, painting the bite with clear fingernail polish (try that with hairy legs!), and my favorite, rubbing Icy Hot over the area. Burning is better than itching!
Of course, the mosquito is ever present, and they like the cool confines of shaded trails, especially around ponds and creeks.
I have always thought that a mosquito will not land on a moving object like a runner. But after several hard miles, my pace usually slows to where the mosquitoes, with a good flying start, have no problem landing on me. I sport half dollar sized welts after a bite, and the remedy that works best for me is to scratch it until it quits itching. Works every time!
And last, there is poison ivy. While exploring that slightly overgrown trail that meanders beside a stream and alongside a bluff, the beautiful greenery trailside is often the three-leaved ivy.
One swipe against the ankles results in a nice inflamed rash of oozing blisters. Itch itch itch. Try scalding hot water in the shower, grinding salt into the rash, or consider amputation. Actually, I have obtained some drops that taken once a day have built my immunity to the dreaded ivy. Since taking them for a few weeks, my poison ivy is far less of a problem.Major league baseball players have a feat called “hitting for the cycle.” This involves one player hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game. This is a rare feat, as uncommon as a pitcher throwing a no-hitter. I think trail runners should have recognition for “itching for the cycle.” This would involve getting a mosquito bite, a tick and a chigger bite, and some poison ivy all in the same run. This could be my claim to fame….my stats on the back of trail running trading cards.
288 races ran, 79 last place finishes, “itched for the cycle” 58 times in his career.
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