Aug 23, 2011 by Greg Fowler
Having spent my teenage years in the 1980’s, I occasionally like to listen to ’80’s on 8 on satellite radio. The other day I managed to sneak over to the station when the kids weren’t paying attention, and I heard a remake of the 1980 Lipps, Inc. disco classic Funky Town . The remake was by a group called Pseudo Echo and apparently went to number 1 in 1986. I was kind of appalled, but I figured it was a sign that I should make continue with this post. And, why did they remake it so soon?
Oh well, back to running. What does Funky Town have to do with running? I suppose one of the ’80’s versions might be on your run playlist. However, if you have any high-tech fabric workout clothes, Vibram Five Fingers or ever left wet shoes in a closed car for a day, then Funky Town may have a whole new meaning – the smell.
Here are a few tips for dealing with Funky Town. First, get a separate small clothes basket for your running clothes. Keep your dirty workout clothes here. Also, try to air dry clothes if you cannot wash right away. Second, the main reason to keep the clothes in a separate basket is so you can easily wash them separately in the special detergents they make for high tech fabrics. These really make a difference. Occasionally, I have put on a high tech shirt that went through the regular wash, and I could tell a difference in the fabric smell. We (and I use “We” loosely, since my wonderful wife handles 99% of the laundry duties!) currently use Tide with Febreeze for the running wash loads. Third, if your shoes get wet from dew, rain, or a 20 mile marathon training run, stuff newspaper in them for a day to absorb the moisture. Finally, if you have Five Fingers Funk, good luck. Washing them works for a bit, but the funk comes back quick. I do keep dryer sheets in mine when not in use. Here’s a link to a review of a product that just might work: http://barefootrunninguniversity.com/2011/04/13/killing-the-infamous-vibram-stink-a-better-solution/
POFIFOTO!
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