Half Marathon Runner Panics Over Pre-Race Shaving Mishap

The United Airlines NYC Half Marathon took over the streets of the Big Apple on March 17. The race welcomed a record 27,000 runners to the field, many of whom were running their first half marathon. It can be a daunting experience for a variety of reasons, but one runner was worried about the race for reasons other than the distance or the weather. 

The runner took to Reddit in the days before the race to express their concern. “Accidentally shaved pubes before the United Half,” the post’s title reads. “Did I just ruin my race?”

“This is my first half marathon,” the user wrote. “I shaved them on Wednesday [March 13] without meaning to while I was bored in the shower. There’s stubble now, and I can’t walk 20 minutes without itchy discomfort and a rash.”

“What are my options?” they asked honestly. “How can I fix this? Should I shave again the night before the race?” Realizing the ridiculousness of the worry, the Reddit acknowledged “I can’t believe I’ve trained for months just to go down like this.”

“This is serious, I can’t find any pubes and running info anywhere online,” they said. “Please help me.”

Dozens of other runners offered their advice, which ranged from lathering on Vaseline or anti-chafe products to shaving the area clean once again to avoid stubble. Some extolled the benefits of clothing items like compression shorts, while others reassured the runner they had nothing to worry about. 

After it was all over, the runner returned to the post to update the commenters on what happened. “It went well,” they wrote with a smile. “Thanks, everyone.” 

accidentally shaved pubes before the united half. did i just ruin my race
by u/fatalerror_balls in RunNYC

If you have a big race coming up, running experts will tell you not to try anything new the week of or on race day, whether that be new clothes or shoes or a change in personal grooming.