Learn To Love Running: Clothing
August 20th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
Earlier this year I taught a running clinic at my workplace. I titled the clinic ‘Learn To Love Running’. I am passionate about running. I decided to post some of the materials I put together for the clinic here on my blog. This was from one of the sessions.
When people start running, they often don’t give much thought to the clothes they will wear. They’ll pull on a t-shirt, shorts and socks they have in a drawer and head out. Yet, there is clothing a lot more suitable for running that will make you much more comfortable on your run.
One of the bigger problems with most people’s choice of exercise apparel is the material it is made from. If you have ever worn a cotton t-shirt and gotten it wet you know how sodden and heavy it gets. Wet t-shirts are also abrasive and will chafe the wearer. It’s not that uncommon to see marathon runners who choose to wear a t-shirt with blood streaks down the front from their bleeding nipples.
This is because t-shirts are made from cotton. Cotton’s absorbency is the reason that it’s the most common material for bath towels. However, absorbing and holding moisture is not what we want in exercise apparel. Ideally, we want the moisture (sweat) produced when we exercise to be wicked away from our bodies and to evaporate as quickly as possible.
Instead of cotton, a better choice is what is often called “technical apparel” in running circles. These are clothes that are fashioned from high tech fibers that will wick the moisture away from the skin to the surface of the material where it will evaporate, but won’t absorb and hold the moisture. A shirt made from these high tech fabrics will cost a bit more than a t-shirt but if cared for will also outlast a t-shirt. I have shirts and singlets made of this material that are 10 to 15 years old and are still serviceable.
In addition to technical fabrics for shirts and shorts, you should also think about getting socks and underwear made of the same materials. You will be much more comfortable if you do. There are some parts of a runner’s body that you don’t want chafed!
On the opposite end of the temperature spectrum is cold weather running apparel. Similar benefits are obtained by buying cold weather tops, wind pants and head gear made from high tech fabrics. You’ll stay much warmer and more comfortable in them than you would wearing and old cotton sweatshirt and sweatpants.
While we are talking about cold weather, a good rule of thumb for runners is to dress like it’s 20 degrees warmer than the actual air temperature outside. In other words, if it’s 50F outside, dress in what you might be comfortable for 70F weather if you weren’t running. When running, your body will generate lots of heat. You will be more comfortable if you are slightly cool at the beginning of the run than if you overdress and create a furnace inside your clothing. For me, I am very comfortable running in just shorts, a shirt, a top and a hat even when it’s in the upper 30′s F out. In fact, I’ve been know to wear just shorts on my lower body when it’s down to the mid 20′s F.
Technical apparel doesn’t have to be expensive. If you don’t buy the big name brands you can save or if you catch the big name brands on sale the cost is quite competitive.
You’ll be a much more likely to stick with something if you’re comfortable. So ditch the t-shirt and baggy shorts and get some real running clothes. It will improve your running experience tremendously.
