Clothing Essentials

 

I.                     Let’s talk about fabrics:

 

  1. Facts about cotton:

 

  1. Cotton takes longer to dry, is heavy when wet, and takes up more room. To quote from the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine: “Cotton fiber retains three times the moisture of acrylic and fourteen times the moisture of CoolMax®. When exposed to ambient air, socks composed of cotton retain moisture ten times longer than acrylic. In descending order of hydrophilic ranking, the following fibers are listed: cotton, wool, acrylic, CoolMax®, polypropylene.” 

 

    1. As I’ll mention later, some large stores carry less expensive shorts.  Be leery as these shorts can often times have a cotton liner.

 

 

II.                    Which socks should I buy?

 

A. There are three main things I ask my customers to consider:

 

  1. Thickness of sock.  Some love really thin socks while some like a thicker sock
  2. Cut of sock (height around ankle).  Some don’t like their socks to show above the shoe, some want their socks to go above their shoe to prevent the sock from falling into the shoe, to prevent blisters and/or to keep rocks from entering the sock
  3. There are many ways of avoiding blisters.    Some socks are totally seamless under the toes.  Some have fancy methods such as being double layered.  Some are like mittens with places for each individual toe to go.
  4. The author also likes to look for socks with a nice fit to the arch (not too tight, but not too lose), that way the socks don’t slip and slide/bunch up too easily in the shoe.  Some sock manufacturers even make left-right socks to make sure the socks fit each foot’s arch, etc.

 

III.                  What should I cover my hiney with?

 

  1. Shorts:

 

  1. Consider inseam length (i.e.  5” vs 1.5”)
  2. Consider liner type and material.  Most shorts have a traditional brief, some have a compression type brief, etc.  Some liners are made with sliver thread which is anti-microbial (less odor factor) and is better at regulating heat.  Cheaper shorts might have a technical fabric to the short, but use cotton for the liner.  Things like that need to be watched for!
  3. Consider easy of thigh movement (v-notch, scalloped, split, etc.).  You should be able to squat and lift your thigh up and down comfortably.  There are some shorts out there that are designed to help you look good, but that restrict your range of motion.
  4. Pockets (are there any?  If so, how many, and their location?)
  5. Hand factor. How does the material feel in your hand?
  6. Reflective embellishments.  Cheaper shorts will have little to no reflective embellishments.  This is an important factor for those who have to do their walks/runs when there’s dim lighting.

 

  1. Skirts

 

  1. Typically mid to low rise
  2. Typically offer compression liner
  3. Some have pockets, some don’t.  If they do, it might be on one or both of the legs of the liner and/or on the skirt itself

 

  

IV.                And anything I should think about in looking for a top?

 

  1. Seams.  When you try the shirt on, do any of the seams seem to irritate you?  Swing your arms around to see.  Bend your elbows back to see how tight the shirt is across your chest
  2. Hand factor.  Not only do you want to see how the material feels in your hand, also pay attention to the thickness of the top.  Cheaper tops tend to be thicker/heavier tops that those made by companies who specialize in athletic clothing. 
  3. Waffle material, burnouts, etc.  These “holey” tops allow the fabric to pick up the sweat from your body, and allow it to evaporate faster (think capillary action).
  4. Some tops have pockets for MP3 players, gels, etc.
  5. As with shorts, reflective embellishments.  Cheaper shorts will have little to no reflective embellishments.  This is an important factor for those who have to do their walks/runs when there’s dim lighting.

 

V.                  So How Can I Tell If My Clothes Need to be Retired?

 

  1. If there are holes, sheer spots, etc in the clothing
  2. If you can’t read the garment’s care label

 

VI.                Caring For Your Running Clothes

 

  1. Don’t use fabric softeners.  Fabric softeners can “clog” the wicking fibers and inhibit their wicking properties.
  2. Use the gentle cycle and cold water.  The author has been told that clothing shouldn’t smell of detergent after it’s been washed, so opt for bleach free/scent free gentle detergents.
  3. As for drying, check the clothing labels.  Some garments are advised to be air dried, some dry flat, most can go in the dryer.  The author uses the “delicate” setting on her dryer when using the dryer.

 

  

VII.               What do I Wear When it Turns Cold?

 

  1. For the two days a year it gets cold in Houston the author has a few recommendations:

 

    1. Check your extremeties.  Cover your head and ears and especially those fingers. 
    2. Keep in mind that you’ll warm up a good 10-15°F once you start running.  So it’s okay to be a little cold when you start your run.
    3. Going along with the previous points, dress in shedable layers so that as you warm-up you can easily remove your jacket, etc.

 

                       

Clear Lake Store
2427 Bay Area Blvd
Houston, TX 77058
281-480-5388

 

Pearland Store
10009 Broadway, Ste 101
Pearland, TX 77581
713-340-0505

 

 

Mon-Sat 10 am – 6:30 pm

Sun 12 pm – 5:00  pm

 

 

www.ontheruntx.com