The road to 13.1: SmartWool 1 – 0 Darrell (Full Time)
It started like any other 25-degree morning on which I dragged myself outside to run outside. I got up, got dressed in all the appropriate winter gear, and headed outside. By the “appropriate winter gear”, I mean a base layer up top with two warming layers plus a bright yellow shell on top. I also mean my dearly beloved SmartWool boxer brief beneath my way-too-expensive-but-good-for-my-hamstring tights.
No, there are no photos of me wearing these tights. God willing, there never will be. Nothing good could come from it. Ever.
After stretching out and warming up a little, I started my 2.95-mile run. I wasn’t particularly fast, but I wasn’t horribly slow, and kept a pace that probably would have made my orthopædist a happy camper. When I was done, I set about taking a shower so I could head off … to physical therapy.
Yeah, it seems vaguely counter-productive to shower before going to physical therapy … which involves exercise and what not. *shrug* It’s life.
I stripped off the various layers of insulation and what not, and was just about to hop in the shower when I realised … my thighs were absolutely on fire. We’re talking splotchy red, swollen, and itchy. I had an allergic reaction to the SmartWool. I’m pretty sure of this given that the entirety of the reaction was contained under the SmartWool. It was like I had two large bands of hive — not hives, but one large hive on each leg — wrapped around my thighs. On the upside, only my thighs reacted. Granted, I completely don’t understand why only my thighs reacted, but I’m definitely not complaining.
Once again … no, there are no photos. Be glad. No one needs to see that, folks.
I hurried into the shower and scrubbed off in between bouts of intense scratching. I didn’t really have any more time to deal with it, though, as I had a physical therapy appointment at 0730 EST. I got there about five minutes late. To be sure, I had a fantastic excuse. I also had evidence in the form of red splotches and large welts. My therapist had me apply a light treatment of steroids at the end of my appointment and then sent me off to get some Benadryl (or, in my case, the generic equivalent from Meijer).
At the end of the day, I stopped by Gazelle Sports and got some non-wool base layer clothing. I’m hoping that my SmartWool problems are only related to my use of it when running. I’ve never had any problems with it before, and I’ve worn it lots. I love my SmartWool. I’ll keep trying it, probably with my longer, warming-layer piece of SmartWool. We’ll see how it goes; I’m hoping to even the score with SmartWool.
