Sweat

See this sports bra?
Notice anything about it?

Usually after a workout, there is a sweat line. No so today. Because the whole thing is DRENCHED! 

Along with my shirt and shorts. 

Sweat feels so good and so cleansing. 

This pic of the sweat puddle under the spin bike does not do it justice.  There's a matching one on the other side. When I wiped down the bike and mat, they actually splashed all over! 

According to Wikipedia (the ultimate source of all knowledge haha)

"sweating is primarily a means of thermoregulation which is achieved by the water-rich secretion of the eccrine glands." And "Sweat contains mainly water. It also contains minerals, lactate, and urea."

But to an athlete,  sweat represents all your hard work. It's your frustration left on the trail. It's emotional cleansing. 

I frequently work out solutions to problems while running.  If I'm alone on a trail, I've even been known to yell. Just get it out! And the sweat I leave behind feels like tangible evidence of those frustrations leaving my head and my heart.  

Sweat also helps me monitor my effort vs my results. I used to think of I was dripping wet after a workout,  I must not be strong enough to handle it. In fact,  the opposite is true.  Higher sweat rates are thought to be related to better fitness. As your fitness increases, your body becomes better at cooling itself. Thus, more sweat. 

So wear your sweat proudly. You earned it!