You're Going Out In That? (repost)

So, here's a fundamental issue that a lot of us take for granted: what to wear when we run. Running is a wonderfully simple sport, requiring very little "stuff", but it's still critically important to your running, your fun, and your health to have the appropriate "stuff".

Better Running Naked Than Barefoot
Clearly, most of it comes down to shoes. Shorts might ride up, you might chafe, that sportsbra may... do the things that bad sportsbras do. But if you have the wrong shoes, things can hurt, and you can end up with any number of long-lasting problems.

There are quite a few variables involved in running shoes. There's your pronation - whether you pronate naturally, overpronate or supinate. These generally relate to the height of your arch - flatfooted people like me tend to overpronate, people with really high arches are more likely to supinate. Accordingly, there are three broad categories of running shoes: neutral-cushioned for the natural pronators; motion control for the overpronators, and stability shoes for the supinators.

Most of these specific structures are accomplished with the use of different density foams in the sole of the shoe, arch supports, and rigid structures in the sole. Then there are variables of cushioning in general. I have flat, wide feet, and finding shoes has been a pretty frustrating process, quite frankly, even with really good people helping. I need a wide shoe with enough support to keep my foot moving properly, and being a bit larger than those stick-people runners, I need a good deal of cushioning, or I will literally feel the impact in my teeth and skull, which can't be a good thing.

So, most people want to steer me towards motion control shoes, which use denser (and therefore heavier and stiffer) foams, and more rigid (and therefore heavier and stiffer) structures. And I hate every motion-control shoe I've ever tried. The cushioning in the heel and forefoot might be great, but those rigid structures tend to be right under where most of my foot strike occurs, so I get the teeth-and-skull jarring ride.

The point is, you need help to identify your needs, narrow the options, and minimize the potentially expensive and frustrating trial-error quest for footwear. For shoes, then, go to Bettysport or RunTex, where they will take a look at your gait and other factors, and give you guidance on the kind of shoe you need. Don't go to one of the places in the mall, or a department store, unless you already know for certain they have the exact model of shoes you need to be running in.

Socks, the Forgotten Clinton
Yeah, Hillary, what have you done with Socks? What do you have to hide?

While we're waiting for an answer, and last year's tax returns, you should be experimenting with socks. Some people can run in thick, cushioned cotton socks. I sweat too much on a long run. When socks get soaked, your skin gets soaked and softens, and the friction actually seems to increase, as well. All this results in blisters. So, I use thinner socks that won't hold as much sweat. Sock thickness also obviously affects how your shoes fit, so be careful with that.

I'll also add that you may want to be careful about how tight your socks are. Yeah, it sounds crazy, but when they're too tight on the toes, they can contribute to the dreaded Black Toenail of Death (BTOD), which, like the Windows Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) and the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death (RROD), is really annoying and potentially embarassing. Eventually, the toenail will fall off, leaving a weirdly mutated little... toenail deposit sort of thing.

But, really, please don't run naked. Running naked is not Good Naked.
The tech fabrics, like Nike's Dri-Fit, Adidas' Clima-Fit, and the generically licensed CoolMax, are not just hype - they work. They wick perspiration from your skin, and speed evaporation, keeping you cooler, and certainly keeping you lighter. If you're able to run in this heat in a cotton t-shirt, and it's not 10 pounds of sweaty fiber in 10 minutes, you're clearly dehydrated and about to die.

But not all are created equal. Some cheap "tech fabrics" are, like so much of the 1970's, just pointless polyester, and seem to get just as soaked as anything else. Even within a brand and fabric, there's variation - some DriFit stuff is outstanding for hot conditions, some of it is thicker and warmer. Keeping it thin seems to help, obviously - moisture will evaporate out rather than get locked in the fibers. Some of the fabrics have dimples (like Brooks stuff), some have a sort of waffle texture (like Nike Sphere), that increase the surface area for evaporation.

You want to be mindful of seams - start running four or more miles, and they can chafe.

For shorts, I do recommend using shorts made for running. The fabric is lighter and less restrictive, the seams should minimize chafing, and you can get them in varying lengths. The length is important, depending on your body. If your inner thighs tend to touch, I'd go with longer shorts - they're less likely to ride up on you. This is just personal preference, though.

Believe it or not, one of the best places to go for general running clothes is Academy. They've got a good selection of Nike, Adidas and New Balance clothes, even more so for women than for men, and the prices are decent.

For women, Bettysport is a great, locally-owned athletic clothing store, carrying everything from the basics to the more expensive but extra-hip Stella McCartney Adidas line. For women needing help with sportsbras... sorry, I'm not your guy, but I'm told that Bettysport is where you should go.

Of course, there's RunTex, outlet stores, and you're a bit safer buying clothes online than shoes. Try RoadRunner Sports or Eastbay.

Other considerations

Headgear - it's a toss-up. A white cap is probably better than a dark head of hair on a hot sunny day. With my partially shaved head, I worry about the sun, as we all should, but a hat is hotter than going without. A hat can be useful in the rain to keep the water out of your eyes.

Bodyglide - Is your friend, one that you are likely to take for granted, but whose absence will make you weep and walk like John Wayne, and not in a cool, macho way, but in a slightly whimpering way because your thighs are chafed raw.

Band Aids and nipple guards - Guys, and even some girls, will start chafing in three-four miles, depending on how you sweat, how your shirt or bra fits, and how abrasive the fabric of that shirt or bra is. For girls, it's probably an indication that your sportsbra isn't fitting right. For guys - you'll see people at races with blood running down their white shirts. Nipple guards seem like overkill, and most adhesive bandages fail when they get wet, but Band-Aid's Clear Water Block Plus bandages are perfect (well, for guys, anyway), and won't come off. After my first marathon, I came home and crawled in bed. I didn't take a shower until the next day, and I still had to rip the Band-Aids off, after the shower.

A watch - You need to have the discipline and perspective not to be a slave to timing, but it's good to be able to keep track of your pace. All you really need is something with a stopwatch function, preferably that will track lap (keeping time for each segment of a run) and/or splits (accumulated time at each waypoint of a run). Some watches have heart monitors, but as I've said, I'm not a believer in them. There are also the cool Garmin GPS things, but I think that's more just a matter of gadget appeal for most people.

Start experimenting, and finding what you like. If you have any questions, let me know. If it concerns bras and what-not... did I mention Bettysport?