Blogs - Talking about Ticks and Running and Biking and Hiking 

I am currently reading a book. Shock! In true confessions, it is taking me a long time to get through the book because of life is so hectic,  so perhaps I am only chipping away at a book. The book is Atomic Habits by James Clear. Clear gives readers simple instructions and a solid foundation on how to build better habits. One of his recommendations is called habit-stacking. What does this have to do with ticks? Continue reading. 

 Habit-stacking, according to Clear, is identifying a current habit and stacking a new behavior on top of the current one. We, as endurance athletes, understand the importance of a "tick-check" after a run, but, if you are like me, we often get so busy with cooldowns, mobility, or eating protein that we forget to check out the body for the pesky little critters. How can we remember? We can habit-stack! After our run, bike, or hike, we upload our performance on Strava. It is already an ingrained habit.  To build a better habit of checking for ticks, we can habit stack by following Clear's suggestion: After I (Post on Strava), I will (Check my body for ticks).  And when we do post, be sure to join the Strava Club, "Don't Let Ticks Ruin Your Run or Ride; Get Ticked Off"! 

https://www.strava.com/clubs/gettickedoff 

March 2023

When I conducted my survey, one of the least used prevention strategies for tick-borne disease was to treat clothes with the insecticide, Permethrin.  Who does that? And is it effective?  I remember seeing the familiar yellow Sawyer spray bottle in my basement and I have a vague memory of my mom treating my clothes before I went to summer camp, but I've never considered using it as an adult - and certainly not on my running clothes. That is, until now. A recent article in the New York Times, Wire Cutter, discusses the pros of wearing treated clothing. The author, Doug Mahoney cites a study that determined people who wore "permethrin-treated sneakers and socks were nearly 74 times less likely to get a tick bite than those who wore untreated footwear" (Mahoney). That sounds like a great statistic to me! As endurance athletes, we tend to have several pairs of athletic shoes. Why not treat the trail-runners and a few pairs of high socks with Permethrin and reduce the risk?  As Mahoney states, "Permethrin is like the wall around the castle: It’s always there offering protection" (Mahoney). For more information on this and to research on your own, check out the following resources:

•  https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/repellent-treated-clothing

• https://www.consumerreports.org/insect-repellent/is-permethrin-treated-clothing-safe-and-effective-a7181708753/

• https://www.insectshield.com/blogs/blog/how-permethrin-can-help-repel-ticks-and-prevent-tick-bites

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/sawyer-permethrin-premium-insect-repellent-review/