Does your nose run when you run?

If you're a runner, you're probably familiar with the term, "snot rocket." There are a few good reasons why we get runny noses when we run - most races and training schedules occur in the mornings, when the weather is cooler, and cooler temperatures make runny noses. Most runners try to inhale through their noses, which means dust and pollution can get filtered out of the air and trapped in nasal passages. Those irritants can also cause noses to run - it's just the nose doing its job to keep that other stuff out of your body.

While I may see the logic in my runny runner's nose, I don't particularly enjoy the idea of blowing my nose out into the air. My southern sensibilities aren't exactly keen on some of the other options, either, like blowing my nose into my sleeve or hand. 

So, I constructed a little hidden pocket in my running shirt. It makes a nice little, "snot pocket" in which to blow my nose while I'm running. It's double-lined, and it folds back up on its own, so that the snot is tucked away inside.

What you'll need:

Running shirt

Handkerchief

Needle and thread (or sewing machine)

Scissors

To start, fold the handkerchief in half, then cut the folded hanky in half. 

I cut mine in half to make it less bulky, but this is a personal preference. If you wanted, you could make it full size, or cut it even smaller if the half-size is still too bulky for your tastes. 

Since I cut the finished edge, I hemmed the cut, unfinished edge of the hanky so it wouldn't ravel. 

I just folded a small piece over, stitched it, folded again, and stitched again. I didn't bother measuring or pinning - it really shouldn't matter for this project.

Next, I folded the hanky like a fan or accordian. I positioned the hanky so that it followed the curve of the shirt's neckline and pinned the edges onto the inside of the shirt. 

I sewed the outside edges to the shirt. I then sewed the inside single fold to the shirt following the neckline. 

This stitch should help it fold back into place after you use it.

Now I can blow my nose into a hanky while I'm running, with just one hand and without slowing my pace, and the hanky will just fold back up into my shirt!