Do you wear the right clothes for your workouts?
I have heard people ridicule men in leggings when they run or cycling shorts with the padding, calling it a diaper. I know I’ve been known to wear baggy shorts and down-right ancient t-shirts to the gym. As much as my clothes did their job, there is something to be said about dressing in sport-specific clothes.
The above picture made me semi-famous during Ironman Maryland. The kicker? I was the only one dressed appropriately for the conditions. Water was warm and air was warm. A lot of people complained during the race and they said they were feeling unwell due to jellyfish. The thing is: their symptoms were suspiciously similar to overheating and dehydration. So let’s see…
The weather
You need to wear right clothes for the weather. You don’t want to be overheating or freezing. When it comes to running, general guidance is that you should be a little chilly before you start your workout. Same goes for swimming. This way, you won’t start to sweat like crazy and overheat once you start moving. Cycling is a bit trickier. You always have to remember the air flow and the fact that your hands will be exposed. I highly recommend wearing gloves when cycling!
I have not written (yet) about cycling in extreme weather – coming soon! But for now, you can check out my posts about running in cold and heat.
Comfort and chafing
Your whole body, feet included, will thank you if you wear the right clothes. I wrote extensively in this post about chafing. But that’s not the only issue you have to consider. You want to make sure you don’t get blisters from shoes and socks, either… The comfort issue comes up more when you go cycling. I have ridden a bike before in skirt and heels (beauty of life in the Netherlands), but I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody, especially for a more serious distance. You want your clothes to be on a tight side, so they don’t get caught is the bike, but loose/ stretchy enough that they don’t constrict your movements. That ‘diaper’ in your bike shorts may look ridiculous when walking, but really helps your butt stay comfortable and dry. You may not notice the difference over the distance of couple of miles, but if your rides are over an hour long at a time, I can promise you that you will notice.
Safety
I have mentioned this many times, so just quick nod in that direction: make sure that you are safe and visible out there! Oh, and glasses of some sort are a must on a bike – you don’t want your eyes watering when going fast. I’m not going to even mention annoying little flies, dirt and other crap flying around…
Hair
Oh, my favorite… I find hair to be a challenge, no matter what sport I do. TBH, I totally get why men would shave their heads or get buzz cuts!
I love wearing my bandanas when I run – it keeps my hair out of my face and headphones where they belong. The only hair style that works for cycling is a braid, so my hair stays put and the helmet doesn’t hurt my head. As to swimming? I went into a lot of detail here as to why you should wear a swim cap.
The bottom line for your hair? Make sure that it stays out of your face and doesn’t add to misery by smacking you on the face/ back/ whatever or adds to overheating.
Fashion choices
If you are looking for fashion advice from me, you are definitely in the wrong place… My 10-year-old owns more makeup than I do! Actually, that’s probably one thing I can say about looking good at the gym: remove your makeup or you’ll end up looking like a panda. Not exactly a good look 😅.
So make sure you are dressed comfortably, do what makes you happy and I will see you on the roads!