Sports bra wisdom, from me and my girls.

This morning, I got up at Dark O’Clock to accompany my boyfriend to the Mahomet Half Marathon/5K races in nearby Mahomet, Illinois. Racing 5Ks isn’t really my thing but I always love soaking up the race day atmosphere and looking at all the different runners, who come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

One thing that I noticed today and that I have noticed before is the shocking number of women who sport ill-fitting sports bras. A female myself, I don’t really consider myself a connoisseur of breasts, but at races, I often can’t stop myself from staring at the jiggling masses who bounce across the finish line.  The harmonic motion becomes a matter of gross fascination; I can’t look away because it just seems so painful. I cannot imagine running a 5K, let alone a marathon, with the equivalent of two bowling balls loosely tethered to my chest.

There are a lot of uncomfortable things about running, but, ladies, your chest region should not cause you undue strife! A sports bra is not like a regular bra. Trust me, you want your girls smushed and immobile under that tight wicking material. Just because you can get the sports bra over your head and shoulders doesn’t mean that it fits. In fact, that usually means that it doesn’t fit correctly. I like to struggle when I get into and out of my sports bra. When it’s a fight, I know it’s tight. (Hahaha, I made that up myself just now.)

Here’s a link to the Runner’s World Sports Bra tool. You insert your chest measurements, and the handy thing just pops out a sports bra measurement. However, use this with a word of caution. Not all manufacturers size their bras the same way, so, like bathing suits, the best thing to do is try on a few difference sizes. When in doubt, do what I do: Don the sports bra in question and run vigorously in front of a close friend. This friend should be close enough to tell you if your girls are all over the place.

(If you’re well-endowed, you may want to consider an encapsulated sports bra, since a plain compression one might get a little uncomfortable.)

…And don’t forget to lube up with some BodyGlide (Available at Body N’ Sole, right by the counter!) or other anti-chafing product on these hot summer days. Nothing burns more than sweaty sports bra chafe!  (Men, this goes for you and your non-lactating nipples too!)