My heart is pounding, my stomach tightening. Nearby – and without fail – someone is applying Deep Heat to his legs. That sharp, industrial-strength wintergreen scent will always be synonymous with an entire era of my running life.
My most evocative scent memories of running are tied to high school, a time when, as a member of a close-knit team deeply invested in winning, the sport could feel like life or death, every race a dogfight. The heightened awareness has vividly preserved my sense impressions of that age.
The smells of running are often the smells of the places we’ve run. The brine of ocean and sand, the fresh, green aromas of cool summer nights and wet grass when the sprinklers click on. The gladiatorial fume of a polyurethane track baking on a hot day.
This story is from the January/February 2020 edition of Runner's World SA.
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This story is from the January/February 2020 edition of Runner's World SA.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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