Saddle Sore

drjohnson08

When my alarm went off yesterday morning I sat up in bed and it felt like I sat on a nail...wth?  So I checked out what's going on down there and I have this monster "zit."  It is pretty sensitive to the touch.  Yesterday on my bike ride I had to move around a lot in the saddle to get through the ride.  So...maybe not a saddle sore yet, but the beginnings of one?

 

I've done a little research on the internet and I believe it is a result of my long ride on Sunday wearing a pair of tri-shorts that I sewed the crotch in (very poorly).  I clean my shorts after every ride and keep that area pretty clean.

 

Any tips for treatment?  What can I do to make this go away quickly?  How long can I expect this to last?  I'm in Week 9 of the IM plan...Will continuing to ride prolong "recovery"?

Brad Marcus

Been there before! I had the exact same thing you're describing a few weeks back after a long, hot trainer ride in subpar bike shorts. Not sure if it was an ingrown hair or what but it hurt like a son of a ?&$@! Anyway, I used Aquafor on it after showering for a couple of days and I picked up a tube of DZ Nutz (on the recommendation of some EN team members and the guys at my LBS). That stuff works wonders for after treatment and has prevented anything from recurring. Apply generously!

Dave Tallo

Hydrocortisone cream.  This clears it for me overnight in most cases.  

If worse comes to worse, cover with duct tape, tough it out and then buy some good bike bibs!  This should top the list of tri purchases for any IM athlete

Coach Rich

First of all, we need pics to provide a complete diagnosis 

Second, what Dave said: HIGHLY recommend you train in kit in which millions of cyclists have logged hundreds of millions of miles over thousands of years: very high quality cycling bibs and a cycling jersey -- millions of cyclists can't be wrong, you have plenty of pockets to carry your stuff on rides, none of us need any more sun than we're already getting, and chicks jacked up tan lines created by bibs, running shorts, jerseys, running shirts, speedos, etc. 

IMO, you only need to ride in tri shorts a couple times to confirm that stuff is working for you. Other than that, 100% in bibs, all the time. I always scratch my head at why you guys don't buy EN bibs with an EN jersey. Seriously, once you wear bibs you'll NEVER voluntarily cycling in shorts, of any flavor, again. 

drjohnson08

Thanks guys. Hydrocortisone cream is working well. The thing has gone down dramatically. I'll be wearing my 400 mile bibs today. I do apply chamois cream liberally but I think the sewed up shorts and riding in the rain for 2+ hours on Sunday is what did me in.

I did think about posting some pics but I figured that kind of stuff is best left for other websites!

robin sarner

Careful with cortisone topical. Can make infections worse.

I use Lantiseptic for long rides and races. Not water soluble like some chamois creams.