A man runs in the park against a backdrop of tissues.
Snot rockets are frequently let out by runners, but are they actually necessary? (Picture: Getty)

A few minutes into my 5K run, I was getting into the groove of things when I witnessed something vile.

A runner ahead closed one of his nostrils with a finger, then exhaled — hard. I later learned there’s a name for this gag-inducing behaviour.

I’d almost run into a ‘snot rocket’, and these snotty hazards are plaguing parks this spring.

Published in the International Journal of Otolaryngology, one 2017 study found that between 27 and 74% of athletes deal with rhinitis (which is a fancy medical term for having a runny nose). But why?

Essentially, breathing in through your nose becomes harder when you’re exerting yourself, and if it’s particularly cold, dry, or filled with pollen, the nose’s lining can become irritated, which triggers more bogies.

As Dr Adam Staten explains, a bit of snot is a completely normal response from the body during intense exercise. I’d argue, though, that shooting it out towards other runners is not.

He tells Metro: ‘When you exercise, your breathing speeds up due to an increased demand for oxygen, which causes you to pull a lot more air through your nose and airways.

‘The nose then warms and filters this air before it can reach the lungs, and mucus production is part of that process.’

There’s no difference in terms of gender, as neither men nor women are scientifically more likely to produce snot rockets. When a sniffly nose is driven by allergies, Dr Mohammed Ditta reports that it’s more common in boys during childhood, but this switches to women in adulthood.

Man blows his nose while jogging in the snow.
Some runners confess to snot rocketing out in public (Picture: Getty Images)

He adds: ‘Non-allergic rhinitis, which is triggered by things like cold air, strong smells, pollution, or exercise, is frequently reported by women, although anyone can get it.

‘If men seem more likely to do visible “snot rockets”, that is more plausibly down to behaviour, social norms, and exposure patterns rather than a biological factory making extra mucus.’

‘I’m like a faucet that doesn’t turn off’

Snock rockets are so commonly witnessed by runners that there are entire online forums dedicated to debating them.

Over on the r/Running Subreddit, @curtisbbaker admitted to spitting and ‘shooting snot rockets’ while running, but added that he has a ‘constant flow of phlegm that has to be released.’

‘I am like a faucet that does not turn off until I’m finished running. I would love to find a way to spit less while running, as it’s a bit gross when running with new friends that aren’t used to it,’ he confessed.

@MonarchGrad2011 said that once the temperature drops, their ‘nose runs faster’ than their legs, while @Able-Drink3189 joked that running is ‘gross.’

‘If you meet someone who’s run a marathon, chances are high they have pooped behind a dumpster, or in the woods, which is pretty high. They also know where a good porta-potty is at all times,’ they wrote in the r/Marathon_Training Subreddit.

‘They send that snot rocket, they wipe it on their clothes if need be. So if you want to run, you gotta be comfortable being gross.’

‘Rude, gross and unsanitary’

But for every runner who confesses to sending out a cheeky little snot rocket, there’s a traumatised park-goer – or even a fellow runner – who has to deal with the consequences.

Emma*, 26, tells Metro, she often runs with her boyfriend. While he’s supportive enough to go at a much slower pace to accommodate her, she says that his snot rocketing makes her ‘want to hurl.’

‘We’ll be on the side of the pavement and out of nowhere, he’ll take his fingers, block one nostril and exhale sharply, releasing a projectile clump of snot,’ she says.

‘Granted, he never does it when anyone is walking by, lest they be assaulted by a bogie, but all I can think as it lands on the road or pavement is that some poor unsuspecting pedestrian will step in it and track it home where it will become encrusted into their nice carpet.’

She adds that he does it every single time they lace up their running shoes together, no matter what. She also admits to feeling slightly congested on runs, but firing a bogie out of her nose has never occurred to her.

‘I tell him off time and time again, and make sure he knows it disgusts me, but alas nothing changes,’ she says. ‘For the life of me, I can’t understand why he can’t wait 10 minutes to blow his nose when we arrive home.’

Etiquette expert Laura Windsor agrees that snot rockets are unacceptable, even if there’s a scientific reason behind getting a stuffy nose on a run.

‘You should never do it in places where there are other people, first of all because it’s disgusting, and secondly because you’re making people feel uncomfortable,’ Laura tells Metro.

‘Etiquette is about making people around you feel comfortable. In a public space context, no, definitely not. No one wants to see you excreting mucus from your body.’

Jo Hayes, founder of EtiquetteExpert.org, suggests that runners who regularly experience snot build-ups should simply carry a handkerchief.

‘Or, at the very least, remove yourself far from the sight/sound of any other human and deliver your snot rocket into a bush. Ensure it hasn’t landed on a walking path, or anywhere other humans will be,’ she says.

‘Further, ensure there is no residual snot on your face or body. We’re humans, not animals. We have (most healthy people) control over our bodily excrements, and can hold their release for appropriate situations.

‘I’ll end with a reminder of the Golden Rule for life: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’

Perhaps runners have been emboldended by seeing Premier League footballers shoot snot rockets on the pitch. Even more horrifyingly, some pool-goers have recalled seeing fellow swimmers release them into the water.

On Reddit, @JenksbritMKII admitted: ‘I blow my nose and spit in the pool and push it into the gutter. Also spit out any phlegm whilst I’m swimming if I need to.’

So, the next time you pop out for a walk in the park, you might want to keep an eye on the pavement, for fear of treading in something stickier than you bargained for on your morning stroll.

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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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