Jonas' first marathon was a traumatic experience for his wife. It wasn't because of his rather average time, but because of another competitor who seemed to have forgotten to take care of his nipples before the start. So he walked through downtown Munich in a white T-shirt with two red dots on his chest and a pained face. Even if we admire the stamina of this gentleman, we can't approve of this under any circumstances, because it works without such ugly scenes.

Squirrel's Nut Butter is a so-called "anti-chafing" ointment that forms a protective film over the skin and thus prevents unnecessary friction. The special thing about it is that it consists of purely natural ingredients and is not made from petroleum like some other products The main ingredients are coconut oil, cacao butter and beeswax. There is also a version for vegans that uses candelilla wax instead of beeswax.

Application is simple: before running or cycling, apply liberally to thighs, neck, nipples, armpits and anywhere it can rub. Just don't be shy. We also find the ointment generally very suitable for dry and cracked skin on hands and feet. With new running shirts and hiking shoes, we always apply the ointment extra generously to prevent skin irritation and blisters.

Squirrel's Nut Butter was developed by Chris and Stacey Thornley, and as so often happens, chance played a part. The daughter of the founding couple had problems with eczema and dry skin. Stacy really just wanted to concoct an ointment to help her daughter. The ointment helped, but was initially only used within the family. It wasn't until a year later, when a family friend took the ointment with him on his bike rides to protect his behind, that it became clear what potential the little ointment had. This friend's nickname was Squirrel, which means squirrel.

Squirrel's Nut Butter was quickly established as a company. Test subjects knew Chris well enough as his brother Craig Thornley is the race director of the legendary Western States Endurance Run. If the ointment protects over 100 miles, then it should always help for a marathon. The feedback was extremely positive and the first ambassadors were quickly found in Michael Wardian, Jim Walmsley and Pete Kostelnick.

Squirrels Nut Butter comes in both stick and canned versions. The stick is applied directly to the skin in a similar way to a deodorant stick and contains almost three times as much beeswax as the version in the can. As a result, the protection lasts longer, which is particularly interesting for ultra runners. We also recommend the stick especially for cold temperatures, as the ointment in the tube needs some heat to soften a little.

With Saddle Butter , Stacey and Chris have now also developed an ointment for long bike rides. Among cyclists, this is called “chamois cream”, which can roughly be translated as “ass cream”. Saddle Butter is based on the same ingredients as the original salve, but is infused with tea tree oil and zinc oxide for antibacterial benefits. Peppermint oil also brings a fresh scent to the lower regions. Chris told us that a well-known ultra runner uses Saddle Butter extensively before her races. This allows her to save pee breaks and just "let it go". This strategy apparently helps win races and set records, but it's not recommended for everyone.

This text was first published in RUNTIME 2/22.