23 Women and running
Description
This article is from the running Beginners' FAQ, by Ozzie Gontang with numerous contributions by others.
23 Women and running
Women's running records are not as fast as men's, for physiological
reasons, and women have had to overcome numerous barriers in order to race
a full set of distances, but women are every bit as tough as men and
tougher, (men don't experience the marathon of birth).
There are some specific consideration for women runners. Properly designed
sports bras should minimise breast injury and soreness. Don't just pick up
any old sport bra - you need a supportive bra that was designed for high
impact aerobic activity. Examples include the ActionTech model by JogBra.
There are also jogbras made specifically for large breasted women. [Thanks
for help from Lani Teshima-Miller for this section]
Moderate exercise significantly decreases the severity of premenstrual
symptoms and may lower the risk of some cancers. Very high exercise levels
can lead to erratic or absent periods.
Sadly, there are extra risks for women runners. Each must make their own
evaluation of risks, but running with others, running in daylight or well
lit places at night, running in places with other people around should all
add to a runner's safety. Some may wish to carry an attack alarm and/or
some other defense.
*
23a Women and JobBras
If you normally wear a bra, you *should* wear a bra for jogging. What you
should do is buy a bra specifically for jogging, because you need the extra
support it provides.
Having started my running being overweight and in need of a jogbra, I did a
fair amount of looking around--I have found the Action Tech
jogbra to be the best for your money. You will find a lot of jogbras
by sports manufacturers, but this one stands head and shoulders above the
rest because of the amount of support it provides.
JogBra, a subsidiary of Playtex, used to sell the Action Tech bras.
However JogBra was bought by Champion in the early 90s and is now
marketed as Champion Jogbra[TM]'s Action Tech Sport Top. Fortunately, it
looks like Champion is marketing this much heavier than JogBra ever did.
They are providing more color selections and seasonal patterned designs,
more than before.
Of the two similar styles, the cotton-based Action Tech provides more
support, while the Supplex top dries faster. Both usually sell for
around $27 retail, although you can get them on sale for around
$18-$21 if you look around. I do not recommend the lighter Supplex top for
those who need *serious* support.
Proper support is particularly essential for the heavy chested woman, who
can experience aches and pains from the excess weight (showing up as back
pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, etc.--and affects posture). The ActionTech
jogbras tend to squish your chest and are only built to accommodate up to a
C cup--however, Champion also makes a few models for larger sized women,
including the Action Shape, and Sport Shape bras. Both of these provide
lift and separation with individual cups (the Action Tech does not), and
are available up to size DD, as well as adjustable straps (which you'll
need if you start losing fat!).
If your local athletic store does not carry the line, you can find
them through mail order companies. However, it is strongly recommended that
you try them on for fit before buying them. You want them snug enough to
provide support, but not so tight that it constricts your breathing.
Whether you need to wear a jogbra or not depends primarily on your
chest size. If it feels uncomfortable or painful to jump up and down
without a bra, you probably need the support. Small-chested but modest
people might choose to wear sport top bras, but support is not so much an
issue. If you fall into this category, you can purchase lycra tops very
inexpensively.
When comparing jogbras, some of the things to keep in mind:
o Does it have any buttons or snaps that can come off?
o How well are these buttons or snaps sewn on/reinforced?
o Is there anything on the bra that can rust from sweat?
o How strong is the fabric? Does it seem flimsy? Cheap?
o How elastic is the fabric? Don't be shy--pull and tug on it to
see if it goes back in place. A good jog bra will hold up
after years of use--the elastic in the material should not
break or fray.
o How well is the elastic in the hems covered?
o Does the bra have a protective inner lining to discourage
chafing?
A good jog bra will become an essential part of your running attire,
along with your running shoes. While I can make do with non-running cotton
shorts or regular socks in a pinch, I will not jog wearing a regular bra.
Considering that a jogbra is just a fraction of the cost of a pair of
running shoes, you should not neglect them or go cheap on them. Buy
yourself two bras (wear one, wash one) to start.
Lani Teshima-Miller (teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.edu)
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