This morning we did 4x3min level 4 intervals, 15min level 1, and another 4x3min set of level 4 intervals. What this means in layman's terms is that I blew at least twelve juicy snot rockets out of each nostril. A snot rocket, for those who are more refined in their nasal passage clearing techniques than I, is when you hold one nostril closed with your thumb, turn your head to the side and blow air explosively out of the open nostril, thereby purging it of snot. Repeat on the other side. There's also a few variations on this. There's the Double Snotter, usually reserved for races when you can't spare a hand and don't care if you have a wad of mucus dripping down or frozen on the front of your thigh, where you snort with as much force as possible in the hopes that the snot will at least clear the rest of your face.

Clearly you can't be wiping away the remnants after every snot rocket, that would result in really nasty gloves and faces are easier to clean than gloves. (Most of us end up with really nasty gloves anyway, but it's good to attempt to reduce the nastiness factor of the gloves.) So flecks from the snot rockets build up around each nostril and dry out to form a nimbus of snottiness. This was my realization when I happened to look in the mirror while I was waiting for the shower to warm up.

Nostril Nimbi are especially fun after a ski when you stand around talking to people and you forget that you have nimbi of dried snot on your face. Or when you go into a warming hut to get hot chocolate and the steam re-liquifies your nimbi and they drip into your hot chocolate. Since this happens to everyone, I propose that we embrace nostril nimbi. They should be a sort of badge of honor denoting true skiers from wannabees. Or maybe I should start carrying a handkerchief.