What to Wear Running: 80 Degree Run in Under Armour for Women

Temp: 80 degrees F/25 degrees C
Humidity: Moderate (55%)
Wind: 10-15 mph
Terrain: Rolling hills
Distance: 3 miles

What I Wore: Under Armour's Fly By mesh tank and knit short. Champion compression sports bra.


Did It Work: As much as possible, yes. I don't handle heat very well. When the mercury hits 75, I'm a hot mess. HOWEVER, this UA gear worked well. The tank didn't bunch or chafe. The mesh wasn't cheesy and see-through. Instead it was breathable and a good weight. The design creates a gather in between the upper shoulder blades so it's less restrictive and more modern. The one thing I would change: make it two inches shorter. But that's just because I have a short torso.

I REALLY like the shorts, with two considerations for anyone going shopping. Here's what's good: modern fit with no excess fabric; wide, comfy waistband; pocket built into liner; close-fitting liner or some nice soft material; VERY good looking, classic design.
Considerations: tiny inseam (~2 inches); lack of inseam can make it feel like it is riding up between the thighs (I don't think it actually was). When buying, be sure to try them on. The shorts are so fitted, you can get VPL (visible panty line) from the built-in liner on the hips or lower bum area.

And the shoes? I'm still testing Under Armour's Micro G shoes. They did well today. I modified my stride a bit and didn't have any ankle pain. Note to self: tighten those laces! These shoes will slip from side to side if not laced tightly.

Thank you to Under Armour for letting me try out this gear.

Washing running clothes

As a runner/yogi/cyclist with a day job, I have A LOT of laundry on my hands. If you've landed here because you're thinking about running, consider yourself warned: being a runner is like having a baby in that it generates a lot of dirty clothes and sometimes you'll think "I have no idea what I'm doing!"

I don't have the secret sauce for smell-free running gear but I do have a formula for making gear last and last and last. So, if you're frugal or broke, but love to workout, read on.

1) Hang dry everything, except your socks. Sounds simple until you realize that the image below is what I wore in one week and all of it (except the socks) had to be hung after washing. Every doorknob, chair back and towel rack in my apartment was occupied with drying bits and pieces.

Blurry but you get the gist!

2) Dry before the hamper. If you can, let super sweaty stuff air dry before you throw it into the dirty clothes. At the end of the week, you'll still have a hamper full of funky clothes, but at least none of them will have grown mildew, which is gross and harder to get rid off.
3) Use good detergent. I know, Tide, Win, Penguin, etc. are all expensive, especially if you're on a budget. But buying new gear is costly, too. Thanks to taking care of my clothes, I am still wearing gear from 1998. Can you pick the 13-year-old shirt out of the line up above? Hint, I'm wearing it in the post preceding this one...

Happy trails and smell ya later!

Liner in running shorts

I've written about running shorts before. This is for people who are wondering "what is the lining in running shorts for."

I'm not a shorts designer, but I've been wearing running shorts since they only came in two cuts - short shorts with a hip-high slit and mid-thigh. So here's the quick and dirty on why running shorts need a liner:

1. Wicking fabric - most liners are made of a light-weight material that will help remove moisture from regions that can get pretty hot and sweaty during a run.
2. Save your underwear - lacy underthings and boxers were not made for the abuse of exercise. A liner does all the work of underwear, saving you from having to answer the question "Boxers or briefs?" before every run.
3. No chafing - if you've ever worn a thong or thick cotton briefs on a 12-mile run, you know why there's a liner in good running shorts. Regular underwear can rub in all the wrong places and, over time, leave a mark.

I know, if worn by themselves, running short liners would be the world's ugliest grandma panties. When built into shorts, the degree to which they make a run more comfortable makes them one of the sexiest things on Earth.

My reco? Only buy running shorts that have a liner and, for those of you who've asked, no, don't cut the liner out. Save your tush, your underwear and your laundry pile.

Happy trails!

What to wear running in 85 Degrees

Temp: 85, feels like 90Precip./Humidity: None/high
Wind: Calm
Terrain: Flat track
Distance: Intended - 1 mile; Actual - 1/4 mile. Biked 7 miles.

What I Wore: Nike tank with built-in sports bra for full coverage but minimal layers; Puma shorts with built-in liner of wicking material; icy neckerchief.

Did It Work: The outfit was as comfortable as it could be considering the conditions, but my body failed me.

Considerations: As it gets hotter, it also gets harder to find an outfit that is just right. One thing I considered as getting dressed was the lack of wind. When it's hot and sticky, a breeze on bare skin can make a big difference. If there had been a breeze, I might have worn a midriff-baring sports bra and shorts, no singlet. That would have exposed my (probably sweaty) stomach and helped cool my core.
In consideration of combining biking with running, and the lack of a breeze, I chose the tank.

Here's hoping my ankle injury heals soon. I miss my distances!

Stay cool.

Running in 60 degrees

Temp: 60, sunny
Wind: 10 mph (mild to moderate)
Precip./Humidity: Moderate
Terrain: Rolling to flat
Distance: 4 miles

What I Wore: Brooks shorts, Under Armour Baltimore Half Marathon t-shirt and a bandanna (on my head, not cowboy style around my neck!).  

Did It Work: Yes. I ran the NYC marathon in these shorts because they are very comfortable. The UA shirt wicks moisture from skin, so the wind isn't a problem. Caveat: I don't wear this shirt often because it tends to get funky smelling easily. Not sure if this is true of other UA gear.
The sun is getting stronger, so wear sunblock. I like Neutrogena Age Shield with Helioplex and my dermatologist confirmed that it is good stuff. It doesn't streak and seems to hold up even on a long run.

Note: As we settle into spring, you have to find your own gear groove.
If it takes you a while to warm up, try the shorts and t-shirt combo as a base but add a light-weight running jacket or long-sleeve technical shirt as a top layer. You can always take it off and tie it around your waist.

Everything is comes back to life after the winter, making this is a great time to get outside and run. Happy trails!

Running in Shorts

It's Spring in the Northern Hemisphere! On the East Coast, that means cherry blossoms, longer days and transitioning to running shorts.

Running shorts may be a right of passage. Many of us, when we first started running, wore whatever workout shorts we had lying around. If we were dealing with weight issues or modesty, we didn't want to show a lot of leg and held onto our tights for dear life. I know people who think they don't deserve running shorts because they "just jog." If any of these scenarios sound familiar, I say, if you're getting out there at least once a week and are logging more than a mile per run, it's time to dress like what you are: a runner. Buy some running shorts.

What to Know, Before Go (to the store)
Running shorts come in different cuts.
There is the kind that Usain Bolt might wear, with a split up each side, allowing a full range of motion. Unless you're very fast, have an extremely long stride or have a tattoo on your hip that you're dying to show off, I suggest you leave these on the hanger. Get ones that have a small split or even just a dip, on each side.
There's also low-rise and standard-rise waist. I prefer low rise because I have a short torso. Standard is good if you have a long torso or a fuller mid-section. Go with what looks good on you.

Real running shorts have a liner.
This may seem odd to a first-time buyer of running shorts, but real running shorts come with the equivalent of built-in underpants. The liner of my Nike and Brooks shorts are white. My Pumas, pictured here, are extra fresh because the liner is black. Either way, unless the shorts are too tight, nobody else can see them, so it doesn't matter.
The liner is valuable for a couple reasons. First, it keeps you from having to run in your everyday underwear. Be they boxers, a thong, lacy, heavy cotton briefs or commando, none of these are good options when you're out in the elements, doing a repetitive motion and working up a sweat.
Second, it keeps your shorts from clinging to your sweaty booty. I know, vanity is a sin, but I stand by my desire to look as cool as possible while running and clingy, sweaty, saggy shorts don't help.
Good running shorts have a pocket.
I have a cousin in Colorado who is a track star. The one time we did a long run together, she kicked my butt while wearing Champion basketball shorts, which don't have a pocket. Around mile 13, she lost her ID, which she was carrying in her sports bra. We spent 30 minutes stiffening up as we retraced our steps, slightly hunched over, looking for something that could easily have fit in a shorts pocket.
When runners head out, we almost always need to carry keys, money, an ID or lip balm. Good running shorts make that easy with a pocket that is either sown into the liner, near the waistband, or a zip pocket in the back, like the shorts pictured here. 

Running shorts are made of nylon or a wicking fabric.
Once again, cotton is rotten when it comes to running. Cotton running shorts tend to bunch up between your thighs and they show how sweaty you are with stains and sags. Basically, cotton shorts make you look like a struggling runner, even if you're feeling strong. Nike, Brooks, Asics, Puma and RoadRunner all offer great, wicking shorts. When you're shopping, the description on the tag or in the catalog should include something about taking moisture away from skin, helping keep you dry. If they feel and look good, buy those!

It might not be warm enough to wear shorts around town, but when the temps hit 50, it's time to work on that mid-thigh tan line that says "I'm proud to be a runner!"