I've always heard my (cyclist) guy friends talk about having veins popping out of their legs like it's a good thing. I've always thought that having veins popping out anywhere was disgusting and in no way desirable or attractive. I don't look at the back of my knees very often, but I looked the other day and noticed a much-too-noticeable vein running up the back of my left knee. Yuck. While it's not actually, tangibly popping out yet, it is visibly BLUE and I'm not a smurf- I don't want blue skin. Momentarily reassured by the memory of a bunch of cycling dudes standing around flexing their legs and trying to get their veins to pop out, I thought that there might be hope and, despite what I personally think, blue veins pumping visibly under the skin might generally be regarded as desirable.

So I asked.

It was clarified: scrawny, tough, fast cyclists typically have popped-out veins so it's associated with being fast. Therefore desirable in bike racers. So far, so good. Then came the blow- my friend was shocked that I even asked about GIRLS having vein-y legs and seemed utterly repulsed by the mere thought. I was too chagrined to push the subject further than his initial repugnance.

So what do you think? If you see a male athlete with surface veins is it intimidating? If you see a female athlete with surface veins is it repulsive?