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I like to run around lakes and through forests. But when the spring comes and it is wet with high humidity, many little flies and mosquitoes are flying in the air.

Thus, sometimes some of these insects will get into my mouth, which is a bit open to get more air when breathing.

I tried running leaning my head a bit down, but this is not quite comfortable since the throat is not wide open and less air goes in.

What can be done to prevent this situation?

Charlie Brumbaugh
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fedorqui
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    Just swallow. Insects are rich in protein! – Michael Borgwardt May 07 '15 at 09:08
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    Not very sure why this question deserved a downvote. Would be good to at least have a comment, otherwise it is quite discouraging for somebody who just joined this site. – fedorqui May 07 '15 at 13:05
  • We have lots of mosquitoes, but even more swarms of gnats. It's terribly annoying, but I just close my mouth when I start running through them. I've also heard of people getting bees in their mouths while cycling/running and that can be much worse because of mouth stings. – Chris Mendez May 07 '15 at 14:24
  • I would say, live through it. Seriously. Running is endurance of the mind over the body. That is part of the game. Eat the things, they won't hurt you or cause any real issues. It's only an annoyance. Learn to manage it. – Dakatine May 07 '15 at 20:10
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    @Dakatine You've never been stopped dead on a trail in a coughing fit because you've sucked a bug all the way down into your bronchi have you? It's not so much them getting into your mouth that's an issue, it's them getting into your mouth while your gasping for air and inhaling them into your lungs that you want to avoid. – ShemSeger May 07 '15 at 22:13
  • He talked about mosquitoes. Yes I ate plenty of those and I never had those issues, but maybe I could be just lucky then. – Dakatine May 07 '15 at 22:15
  • @ShemSeger That's exactly what happened to me last time, I had to stop and swallow many times until the disgusting feeling was over. – fedorqui May 07 '15 at 22:16
  • @fedorqui It's worse when you're on a bike, especially at speed while cruising down a hill, because it goes all the way down your throat at whatever speed you're riding at, then you have to try to bring your bike to a controlled stop so you can get off and hack it back up and out. – ShemSeger May 07 '15 at 22:28

4 Answers4

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Breath through your teeth, that's what we'd do when cycling in NW Ontario, the bugs are horrible there year round. I've inhaled more than one mosquito in my life time, now I just grit my teeth and put on a psycho smile if I'm breathing hard while moving fast through bugs. Of course this method doesn't prevent bugs from getting in your teeth, so you have to "clean the filter" every now and then (lick the bugs off your teeth and spit them out... or swallow them), and you look somewhat ridiculous, but it works well, and it's something you can do on the fly vs having to wear something over your face.

Another option that looks equally as ridiculous is to suck in your chin and cover your lower row of teeth with your lower lip, then stick your upper lip out and down as if you're trying to kiss your own chin. This prevents bugs from flying straight into you mouth, and if you have a bit of a beard or even just a little scruff, you can use that as a filter so you can't even suck the bugs in. You tend to slobber a bit with the beard filter method...

ShemSeger
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  • This is a very elaborate and useful solution! I will test it soon, it seems to be easy to do and should not make it so complicated to breath if it is not a lot of time. Many thanks. – fedorqui May 07 '15 at 22:03
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    If all else fails. I have found it best while out motorcycle,bike, or running. To carry several ketchup bags from fast food with me. Once swallowed. Might as well make them taste good. – J Bergen Dec 17 '17 at 04:37
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You could wear a mosquito net:

enter image description here

Not clear how this is going to affect your running though...

Community
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    Wearing a net would be the best preventative measure, but it can make some people feel claustrophobic, especially if you have a breeze pushing it against your face. If you're going to wear a net then you may want to make sure you're also wearing a hat or visor with a brim that can keep the net away from your mouth. – ShemSeger May 07 '15 at 15:07
  • Thanks a lot for the solution. It is a bit too much in my specific case, since this net might get a bit overwhelming while trying to move properly. However, I will keep it in mind for hikes. – fedorqui May 07 '15 at 22:05
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    In western Scotland in the summer this is the only possible solution to prevent inhaling swarms of midges. They are so small you can't easily filter otherwise, but a fine mesh net does the job wonderfully, and is not claustrophobic at all. – Rory Alsop May 08 '15 at 08:03
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    Regarding the claustrophobic-ness, a hat with a brim will tend to keep the net away from your face. – Eric May 12 '15 at 03:41
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You could try a running mask — Google > "Running Face Masks"

Face masks are commonly worn by bicyclists and runners in the winter, but lighter-weight materials are available for runners concerned about inhaling dust and other pollutants. They are perfectly suited to keeping the bugs out.

enter image description here

fedorqui
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Robert Cartaino
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Take a piece of nylon screen and cut a 2"X1" piece. Wash thoroughly. Use this like an athletic mouth piece. Slide between the front of your teeth and back of your upper and lower lips. It sounds crazy but works great.

SteveC
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