I’m not someone who likes overly tight clothes. In fact, I really prefer my clothes to feel nice and baggy, nothing tugging or sticking into my waist. That’s why I prefer bibs to bike shorts, and often suggest people size slightly up with cycling jerseys. While this is good advice for cyclists, it’s not ideal for runners, as I’m slowly learning. For instance, what I wore for the 80-kilometer La Cloche trail:
It looks OK at a glance, but look closer. Even in an action shot, you can see how much extra (sweat drenched) material there is in both my top and my shorts. When we finished, the shirt that started out as loose but not too loose had turned into one that could fit Peter and I both inside of it at once, because as it got wet with sweat, it started to sag. A lot.
But when I wear tighter shirts, the poorly fitting ones will ride up immediately, leaving me with an exposed stomach. Fine if that’s the goal, not ideal if it’s not.
Now, I’m trying to be a lot pickier when I buy new running clothes. Here are the new rules for fit and material that I’m sticking with, and it’s led to some much smarter buying decisions, and a few returns in the process!
The goals when trying any running clothes on:
- Tight, but not so tight that you struggle to put it on. But consider how it will feel at mile 10 when you’re soaked and it’s stretched out a bit. Will it still be OK if it’s stretched by 10%?
- Minimal flapping and extra fabric anywhere
- Easy breathing (especially when talking about sports bra shopping!)
- Comfortable underarms (especially the seam. Underarm fit can make or break a run top!)
- No seams hitting inner thighs
- Won’t ride up in first steps! (for shirts or shorts!)
For men, these considerations may change, but not by much. If you wear longer shorts, like Peter does, you still want them to be a slim fit rather than a more basketball style of fit. You still want to be aware of where seams are hitting your skin. The same tightness rules apply.
Material-wise, look for:
- Polyester or merino wool
- NOT cotton
- Features like ‘sweat wicking’
I know that it sucks to try to find good running gear, trust me. No matter what size or shape you are, there will be issues. And yes, even those who look like they have ideal runner bodies are struggling—you just may not realize that they have issues with things like nipple (or heck, even labia) chafing. Yep, those are real things. And they’re more common than you might think, so if you still haven’t found your magical perfect fit clothing, don’t panic. It’s out there.
Want more on choosing the right gear for you? Check out our book, Becoming A Consummate Athlete, right here:
