Otherwise known as the farmer’s blow, the snot rocket is one of the grosser, yet more liberating things you can do as a runner. In my opinion, it’s a skill that all women runners should master, since tissues are not always available during 3-hour trail runs in the middle of nowhere. Plus it’s badass. And somehow cool too.
I attempted my first snot rocket on a bike ride in my early 20s. I watched my husband and all the other guys execute perfectly timed, perfectly aimed snot rockets at regular intervals throughout our rides. My nose has always been notoriously runny and instead of stopping to blow it, I just wiped it with my glove or my sleeve. By the end of my rides, you could have called me snot rag. It was disgusting.
So one day I decided to make a change. I would shed my snot rag persona! I would become an efficient blower of boogers, as good as the men. No, I would be better than the men! Sure enough, after 15 minutes on my bike, I felt the inevitable running of the nose. I had seen so many examples that I knew instinctively what to do. I took my finger, pushed down on one nostril, and gave a nice, little, feminine blow.
It was not glorious. In fact, it was the farthest thing from glorious. Instead of flying off to the side of the road, the snot streamed back in my face, causing me to wipe haphazardly, one hand still on the bars, which pushed the snot onto and under my sunglasses, now obscuring my vision. In the end, I had snot all over my sunglasses, helmet, on my sleeve and even a little in my hair. I’m just glad that instant gratification video hadn’t yet been invented.
Here’s the problem. I wasn’t aggressive enough. I didn’t OWN my snot rocket. I learned something important that day. When it comes to blowing snot, it’s all about power. I spent the next 20 years refining this art and today it’s become second nature. In fact, I have to stop myself from snot-rocketing as I stroll down the street during a date with my husband.
Do You Burn More Calories on Your Period.
For more details on snot rocket blowing and the rules of snot rocket etiquette, please leave a comment and I will do my best to help you master this fine art!
Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Nicole was a standout swimmer, qualifying for the 1988 Olympic Trials and later graduating from Yale University. She decided to pursue the sport of triathlon, and a lucky seat assignment introduced her to her future husband (future 2-time Ironman World Champion), Tim DeBoom, on a flight to the 1995 ITU World Championships. Nicole started racing professionally in 1999, racking up countless podium finishes. Her triathlon career culminated in a win at the 2004 Ironman Wisconsin, wearing a prototype of the first-ever running skirt – a skirt that would launch a revolution in women’s fitness clothing just a few months later. Nicole founded Skirt Sports in September 2004 with the mission of helping women find inspiration, confidence, and courage through the transformative power of running and fitness. Today, Skirt Sports is a fast-growing women’s events and apparel brand offering a full line of products that fit real women’s bodies and support their busy running lives.
