You Want Me to Put Vaseline Where?

Anyone who has trained or run any kind of distance event has probably asked this question at one time or another.

We all know Vaseline is a necessary evil in the realm of long distance running. It saves us from pain and irritation. And, like any good motor oil, keeps all the joints and rubbing parts in fluid motion.

Distance running is humbling. As a mother, I liken it to the experience of childbirth. We do things that no rationale human being would consider -- things that really hurt. And, when we are finished we say "I think I'll try that again."

In most cases, we are not running for notoriety or recognition, but rather to finish the blasted event. So, in essence, we slather goo in our nether-regions simply to say, "I finished the race." Does this make sense?

To an ordinary person, perhaps not. But to those of us who have set the goal, prepared for the challenge and met our fears head on, it makes complete sense. We have conquered something that most people could not even imagine -- something bigger that ourselves. We dug down deep, found the strength and courage and reigned victorious over our body's groaning. And in the end, we crossed the line, covered in Vaseline, with only a finisher's medal and a sweaty photograph to prove we were ever there.