by Coach John Flynn
Your LA LEGGERS jersey is made out of tech fabric, a major update the old polyester fabrics of yore. These tech fabrics are woven in such a way that they are “breathable,” they wick sweat away from skin, and they have a silky, smooth feel to them. Years ago cotton was the gold standard, but runners and walkers nowadays all live by the maxim “cotton is rotten” because it retains sweat and can cause terrible chafing.
As you outfit yourself (shorts or leggings, hat or headband, sports bra for ladies and socks for everyone), remember to look for tech fabrics that will keep you drier and cooler on the road. As with shoes, it pays to shop at a running specialty store (like Road Runner Sports), or a high-end sporting good store (like REI), because you’ll want some high performance clothing next to your skin. It’s worth the investment in order to keep your tender bits, well, from getting TOO tender! One thing to consider is wearing a “foundation” garment like compression shorts: a sort of underwear under your running shorts (or skirt or leggings). Running bottoms usually have built-in underwear, but compression shorts make everything just that much smoother.
And while you’re at the running store, invest in a stick or container of anti-chafe balm like Body Glide or Squirrel’s Nut Butter. A swipe of these odorless, colorless balms should be applied pre-workout to those tender bits: any place where you might be rubbing such as between legs, along the sides of your body, or at places where your water belt might run like the small of you back. Men will definitely want to apply some to their nipples since those can be rubbed raw on a sweaty day, and women will want to make sure to address chafing from bras. Feet can be rubbed the wrong way too, and there are special anti-chafing products if feet are an issue for you.
Finally, you’ll want to take good care of that new Leggers jersey and all your gear by keeping it clean. The main downside of tech fabrics is that over time those complex polymers tend to trap odors. If you don’t pay attention, they get incredibly stinky and it is hard to get that stink out! Cotton does have an advantage there, so you’ve got to pay attention to keep odor at bay. Here are some simple steps:
– As soon as your workout is over, rinse out those clothes. You can even take them into the shower with you to get much of the sweat and body oils and salt out.
– DO NOT let them sit in a laundry basket and get musty! Get them into the wash as soon as possible. At worst do a pre-soak.
– There are special sports detergents. I haven’t done extensive testing, but they are an option (see the link about cleaning below).
– Use cold water. This is true of MOST of your clothes, by the way. Save on gas/electricity!
– No matter how you wash them: DO NOT PUT THEM IN A DRYER. As with stains, the dryer will trap odors in tech fabrics. Line dry! Tech fabric dries much faster than natural fibers do.
– If you use a belt or running pack, they also retain sweat and since they don’t go into the wash (typically) they can harbor smelly bacteria. Rinse your belt/pack when you rinse your clothes to keep smelling sweet.
– Vinegar can be helpful if you’ve got something that is holding the smell — I have this problem with belts and phone bands sometimes. Mix water with white vinegar in a 4:1 ratio (say 4 cups of water to 1 cup of vinegar) and let the offending item soak for a couple of hours. Rinse and wash normally (or just rinse if it’s a belt).
For a fun, short video about clothing and gear, check out 12.5’s Mentor Christine Sweat’s presentation at Leggers 101 here.
And if you want to know more about keeping your outfits smelling great (including reviews of detergents), see this piece.
