What is that smell - General running

Oxonbeanie

06/01/2007 at 15:13

After a run of at least 30 minutes I get an unpleasant smell which is a bit like amonia (no I have not wet myself) can anybody tell me what this is and whether I can avoid it?
Too much information? - but I cannot smell it on my kit later when I wash it so fairly sure it is my sense of smell and not me.

Night Nurse

06/01/2007 at 15:15

I would say you arent hydrated enough and its concentrated sweat ?

Try Taffia

06/01/2007 at 15:18

Its your sweat......

Siance

06/01/2007 at 15:29

Click here, stinky peeps!

KKD

06/01/2007 at 17:45

Trevor, I have had something similar.

I sometimes get a metallic taste / smell at the back of my throat after a hard session. It was suggested that I had my magnesium levels checked (which I didn't) I tried taking magnesium capsules but they didn't seem to help.

If you find an answer let me know. Ta.

Nam

06/01/2007 at 23:19

Fascinating!!! Now I know why my mates gym kit smells as if the puppy peed into it!! Thank you for clarifying this mystery!!

TimR

29/10/2010 at 14:24

Quite an old thread. I thought I would add to it rather than create a new one:

This subject was highlighted to me from another forum so I wanted to do some more research.

I had noticed this a few times and thought it was chemicals from the fields I run in and around. I've just come back from a 10miler and the smell is very strong today. I think it's dehydration based rather than a lack of carbohydrate as I had a bowl of museli about an hour before running.

It's not a horrible sweaty smell but very strong chemical smell.

My question is: Is this buring amino acids bad?

Moraghan

29/10/2010 at 15:14

This is brilliant. People have BO and they're blaming it on the fields and their sense of smell. You couldn't make it up!

CazSoul

29/10/2010 at 15:36

It's a bit like blaming the dog when you fart Moraghan...

Moraghan

29/10/2010 at 15:44

I never give the dog credit unless I follow through.

TimR

29/10/2010 at 15:48

No. It's not Bo. Its something else. I only get it after running long distances. Lots of people on the web report it and its widely reported to be due to using Amino acids for fuel rather than carbohydrate.

Moraghan

29/10/2010 at 15:54

It's odour coming from your body isn't it? Or is that not what body odour is?

PhilPub

29/10/2010 at 16:11

Actually I get this on the odd occastion. In normal circumstances I sweat like an absolute maniac but it doesn't smell of much in particular - not until it's dried out. But I have noticed a strong ammonia smell, always a long way into a run and generally I've noticed it when I'm feeling pretty shit. The RW article linked above does make sense; initially I thought it might have something to do with carb depletion because I can distinctly remember the smell kicking up towards the end of a long run where I was feeling pretty woozy, but dehydration rather than carb depletion as such seems more accurate, since I've also noticed it after feeling pretty bad on a hot day, but not energy depleted

I know what my Bobby Orange smells like and it aint like this!

Dundee.Runner

29/10/2010 at 16:12

CazSoul wrote (see)

It's a bit like blaming the dog when you fart Moraghan...

I don't have a dog, so who can I blame? We have a Gecko, but I don't think they fart.

Devoted2Distance

29/10/2010 at 16:20

Moraghan wrote (see)
I never give the dog credit unless I follow through.

Nevermind.

Sainsbury's got him a great deal.

ejc

29/10/2010 at 16:23

I noticed this when I started swim training with a club for the first time in my life. If I hadn't eaten enough carbs before the session (which was 1 - 2 hours long and quite tough) I would get this smell and taste in my mouth.

I looked up the explanation and it made sense to me (I am a Biochemistry graduate so it ought to!)

I find that eating cake before a swimming training session stops this happening, and also over time as I became fitter it happened less and less (without the cake requirement).

(I've never had this effect from running - don't think I run far or hard enough to deplete my carb stores!)

ETA I see the RW article recommends an apple, not cake. Ah well...

Edited: 29/10/2010 at 16:24

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