This morning I had Cutis Anserina. I got ready to go for my first run in a two weeks and my 9 year old asked if she could go with me. I said YES! I let her wear my ipod, which is thrilling for her since it is packed full of Radio Disney music. We ran three miles together and she actually beat me home. The fall colors around the lake were incredible! The weather was wonderful. After two days of straight rain, it was just perfect. As we were running I was reminded of one of my biggest surprises that can happen to someone when they are totally sweaty and hot - you can get goosebumps (cutis Anserina) It was a thrill running with her and on the last mile I got goosebumps. I would often get goosebumps this summer while training in the heat of the summer thinking of the finish line.
today with my little girl was almost a year in the making and I looked forward to many more.
I looked up goosebumps on found them interesting.
Goose bumps, also called goose pimples, goose flesh , chill bumps, chicken skin (Hawaiian Pidgin), or the medical term cutis anserina, are the bumps on a person's skin at the base of body hairs which involuntarily develop when a person is cold or experiences strong emotions such as fear or awe. The reflex of producing goose bumps is known as horripilation, piloerection, or the pilomotor reflex. It occurs not only in humans but also in many other mammals; a prominent example are porcupines which raise their quills when threatened.
Goose bumps are created when tiny muscles at the base of each hair, known as arrectores pilorum, contract and pull the hair erect. The reflex is started by the sympathetic nervous system, which is in general responsible for many fight-or-flight responses.
Goose bumps are often a response to cold: in animals covered with fur or hair, the erect hairs trap air to create a layer of insulation. Goose bumps can also be a response to anger or fear: the erect hairs make the animal appear larger, in order to intimidate enemies. This can for example be observed in the intimidation displays of chimpanzees[1], in stressed mice[2] and rats, and in frightened cats. In humans, it can even extend to piloerection as a reaction to hearing nails scratch on a chalkboard or listening to awe-inspiring music.[3]
Piloerection as a response to cold or fear is vestigial in humans; as humans retain only very little body hair, the reflex (in humans) now serves no known purpose.
In humans, goose bumps are strongest on the forearms, but also occur on the legs, back, and other areas of the skin that have hair. In some people, they even occur in the face or on the head.
Piloerection is also a (rare) symptom of some diseases, such as temporal lobe epilepsy, some brain tumors, and autonomic hyperreflexia. Goose bumps can also be caused by heroin withdrawal. A skin condition that mimics goose bumps in appearance is keratosis pilaris.
Goose bumps can occur only in mammals, since other animals do not have hair. The term "goose bumps" is therefore misleading: the bumps on the skin of a plucked goose technically do not qualify as piloerection even though this is where the term comes from. Birds do however have a similar reflex of raising their feathers in order to keep warm.
16 comments:
That is so neat that Annie Kate was able to go running with you. My 10 year old son likes to go with me sometimes and I'm amazed at well he does.
thanks for the info on good old "goose bumps" very interesting :)
Did she actually run with you the whole way? If so I am totally impressed. I would love to have my girls come with me sometime, well that would be if I ran.
How fun to get to go running together! My oldest is a runner -- I would have to work hard to keep up with her!
The goose bumps info was interesting. I get them all the time! Hopefully nobody thinks I'm withdrawing from heroin. :) Just cold and awe inspired.
Goose bumps eh? You're cracking me up with this post.
We do call it chicken skin here.
yay for you and AK. cass started running club at school this year and is loving it.
we want to do the community 5k this summer.
so much fun and such a good role model for our girls.
loved the caroline bday post...sweet little smile and bless her for all of the questions!!
Interesting title, and an interesting post as well! Hurray for you and AK for running with you!
Sounds like you actually had "cutis Annie Kate-serina!" That is so great that 1) she asked to go, 2)you let her & 3) she completed 3 miles! You are seeing your good example of a lifetime of good health begin to take root! Go you! My mom has run her entire life (she's 57) and just seeing her go out and run when I was younger settled into my psyche. Good mommy-ing, friend!
p.s. that above comment was removed by me; i hate it when i make typos!
Kristi,
I can't seem to find your email address. I wanted to forward the link about team Hoyt. Send AK a big hug from SJ. Tell her she is missed and we are so proud of her running with you!
Take care and good luck as you resume your running. Just remember it's the 'hard' that makes it worth while.
kim
Interesting! I've got lots of weird body-related questions I can give you, if you're in a research mood!
Erin still calls them 'goosey-bumps'.
Well done on AK joining you. She seems to embrace challenges, which is wonderful.
This is so funny- I never have thought to look up what they are really called. Love that AK went running with you- she is so athletic!
Wonderful! That would have been a wonderful picture.
You changed your header! Again! It's gorgeous.
You like so crack me up. I don't know why I don't comment on your blog, like every time you write something new. The giveaway shoes are great. The marathon running, and your daughter running with you. I enjoyed the "goose bumps" talk. I think you pulled off a good birthday party, inspite of yourself. I love the journal post. Great ideas about journaling. Thanks for your great blog. Thanks for the great posts. Thanks for making me smile or laugh like every time I read.
wow what an accomplishment...to run with your dauhter...that is cool...IN mexico we grew up calling it chicken skin...funny...sounds kind of gross..I love goose bumps better...I still remember walking with my mom...she always had a 4 to 5 step lead...I was more like her body guard...
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