Could this be indicative of anything or just normal deviation on a bell curve?
I cycle a lot - road biking and mountain biking, and rarely alone. When we’re done or whenever we take a break, I take off my heltmet and glasses and they’re caked in a thick, white crust of salt. My hair is crunchy, my (black) cycling shorts are speckled white, etc. I always make it a point to ask whoever I’m with if they’re experiencing something similar and they never have. I’ve probably been out with about 10 different people since I really started noticing this.
Nobody else has any salt on them at all? Or just not as much as you?
Because when I was training for a marathon, I very often would have salt on the edge of my hairline and other places. It didn’t sound as thick as you’re making it out to be, but I don’t live in Phoenix, so it’s not as dry. All that sweat you’re putting out is evaporating quickly in that desert air, so it makes sense you’d see the salt remaining on your skin.
I’m not them, and I don’t do super-inspections of them or anything, but they don’t seem to have any. I assume probably some in their hair and a thin layer on their skin but I usually look at their helmet straps - the most noticable part of my gear - and no salt.
I went on a trip to Italy to install an outdoor antenna system one summer, and every day, my clothes would have salt lines on them from where I was sweating and it had dried. It had never happened before, or since. I chalked it up to being a function of the environment/humidity. It was about an hour north of Rome, in August. I don’t know how that compares to the climate where you are.
It’s generally extremely dry here - single-digit humidity is common.
Could it have anything to do with taking in more salt than average? It’s one of the things I’ve never really monitored much, while watching saturated fats, simple carbohydrates, etc.
A guy I used to work with was a runner and mentioned that he was a heavy salt sweater too (FWIW he appeared to be in very good shape). IANAD but if that’s the only thing you’re noticing and your athletic performance and recovery are fine (you aren’t getting a lot of muscle cramps, signs of dehydration, etc) then I wouldn’t be too worried about it so long as you’re eating and drinking right for yourself. I happen to sweat a lot and I go through a lot more fluids than other people I run with. I’m also a “hot runner” - I work up a lot of heat so while other people are wearing tights, long-sleeves, warm hats, extra layers and whatnot I’m still in my shorts and t-shirt.
I think it’s all just normal variation between people.