undercrackers

last place

Hi All,

one for the boys. I need to know what underwear is best for long runs to help avoid chaffing.
I have my first marathon in 4 weeks and did my first 20 mile long run at the weekend. I had some serious chaffing right round my waist (were the elastic from my boxer shorts was rubbing) and a really bad red sore patch on my back where the label would have been. i had plenty of chaffing in the usual places too but I assume loads of vaseline before the big event will sort this out.

i have all the right gear now brooks shoes, hilly socks and decent shorts and wicking tops with compression tops below, kecks are the one thing I just haven't figured out yet, any suggestions?

thanks.

[Deleted User]

Best underwear for longs runs?, none.

[Deleted User]

I agree with danowat

I suffered badly from between the thigh chaffing during my last 10K (Great Scottish Run), had not experienced it during my training runs that bad (but never ran over 7K in those) I ran in the same set up, a pair of tight boxers and trackie bottoms and it was torture to walk afterwards.

For my last few training runs, I have been going out "commando" with a big dollop of vaseline and this seems to be doing the trick - though I am slowly losing weight and hopefully my target of losing 25KG should help with the "chub rub".

 Although commando under small running shorts could produce its own problems....

[Deleted User]

My nike running shorts have a liner in them so nothing else needed.


...well apart from a little dab of vaseline if its a loooong run.

[Deleted User]

I go commando in running tights too, much to my missus's disgust!!!, she says it just looks wrong!!!

LIVERBIRD

*gets pringles and pulls up sofa*

PhilPub

My preferred strategy for long races is normal running shorts with lining, backed up with some Vaseline in the all-important areas. 

Another option might be to wear lycra shorts under normal shorts.  Proper lycra running shorts (or "Linford Christies") will have skin-friendly seams and you may find them less liable to chafe than shorts with lining.

Boxer shorts - noooo!!!

LIVERBIRD

Can you point to the "all important areas" Phil?

(purely for illustrative purposes of course)

[Deleted User]

 PhilPub:- Boxers shorts, a mistake I won't make again.

[Deleted User]

I wear normal pants when out running even long runs. I also sometimes wear lycra when running too. Like to get the meat and two veg nice and tight.

[Deleted User]

I've got some Salomon shorts which have sewn-in tight undershorts which are fantastic. Otherwise I hear that speedos work well.

XA Raid TwinSkin I think they are called.

runFattyrun

I wear short tight with nothing underneath been to 14.5 miles so far with no problems. I used to run in normal running shorts with sewn in pants but had big problems with those when wet or sweating a lot.

Now I never have any of those issues I used to wear loose running shorts over the short tight but now I don't bother as I have worked off most of my fat arse

Tights are the way to go LP

Roger Bacon

Nike shorts with liners and a good smear of vaseline (applied after all the other race day preparations, if you get my drift).

Lycra leggings also good.

Pants are always bad, even in running tights, though you do run the risk of "budgie smuggling."

Wilkie

*sigh*

It's CHAFING - C H A F I N G.

One F.




(You knew that was coming, didn't you LB? )

[Deleted User]

The great majority of men wear shorts with briefs built in, so not an issue!

PhilPub

Can you point to the "all important areas" Phil?

Not all at once but I could give you a general thrust. 

(I looked up the word chafe, just to make sure!  While we're on the subject of popular runners' bad spellingses, it's IMODIUM.  Gets my goat big time, that one!...)

[Deleted User]

*sits on sofa next to LB and Wilkie*

I would have been disappointed if you'd not mentioned it, Wilkie.

Good too see were all welcome's hear.

Wilkie

Would anyone care for a Pringle?

LIVERBIRD

Wilkie wrote (see)

*sigh*

It's CHAFING - C H A F I N G.

One F.




(You knew that was coming, didn't you LB? )

I miss you when you're not around Wilkie!

*takes Pringle and is glad that the usual suspects have showed up on the sofa again*

Wilkie

I've been running around France, LB - popped over to Bordeaux for a marathon and a couple of weeks R&R (Red & Rosé)   

[Deleted User]

Decathlon do some great pants that are made from technical fabric so you special little friends don't get all sweaty. They have high cut legs and a wide waist band so no problem with chafffffing at all.

Link to pants

LIVERBIRD

That's the kind of R&R I'm up for Wilkie!

[Deleted User]

last place wrote (see)

Hi All, one for the boys. I need to know what underwear is best for long runs to help avoid chaffing. I have my first marathon in 4 weeks and did my first 20 mile long run at the weekend. I had some serious chaffing right round my waist (were the elastic from my boxer shorts was rubbing) and a really bad red sore patch on my back where the label would have been. i had plenty of chaffing in the usual places too but I assume loads of vaseline before the big event will sort this out. i have all the right gear now brooks shoes, hilly socks and decent shorts and wicking tops with compression tops below, kecks are the one thing I just haven't figured out yet, any suggestions? thanks.

I'd go for tights minus undercrackers or if wearing shorts i'd go for lycra under a pair of short shorts (that's assuming you don't want to run in lycra clad glory). Vaseline will eventually disappear, Something called Bodyglide is supposed to do the trick, those who use it swear by it. Specialist running shops/sites will stock it. Good luck on a chafe free run!

[Deleted User]

Definitely not boxers!

I just wear traditional flappy shorts with liners built in. They are technical fabrics, so are wicking.

I'm an on/off runner, and when i start after a long layoff I get a bit of chaffing, but after a few weeks my thighs just toughen up.

Don't know what you do with those awful lycra things - some wicking briefs I suppose.

LIVERBIRD

If you wear those running shorts like Linford Christie we WILL look at your packets....

You might want to remember that when you're dressing...

The Mystery Man

Well, FWIW, I wear technical boxers underneath both tights and normal baggy shorts.

Problem that I have is that as I have such fat thighs, I tend to suffer from chafing. For sure, that doesn't happen when I wear tights, but to go sans undercrackers would mean that there would be more juggling of balls than on the national lottery.  It also helps to keep other *things* in place if you're blessed with *something* of the dingle dangle strap it to your ankle proportion

TMM

LIVERBIRD

The Mystery Man wrote (see)

, but to go sans undercrackers would mean that there would be more juggling of balls than on the national lottery. 

You have 49 BALLS?????

[Deleted User]

I have a fair bit of excess skin, especially at the tops of my legs (toying with the idea of surgery, but not sure I like the idea), tights work for me, san undercrackers, but then again, I can't even remember a single instance of chafing even with shorts, so maybe I am just lucky, or have such beautifull skin!!!!

fat buddha

if you want to avoid chafing with big thighs wear lycra running shorts and go commando - just a dab of vas in sensitive areas (barse and crack) to prevent any sweat chafing.

the key to lycra shorts is to choose ones with either a panel or diamond crotch as that removes the seams from any main chafage area.......

I used to wear tight seamless undercrackers under lycras but now prefer commando

last place

cheers for all the advice guys, I might go commando on my next run, see how i get on. If the juggling gets too much I'll invest in lycras.

thanks also for the giggles, I thought this thread could produce some comedy but didn't think the running community could be so hilariious!

fat buddha

"but didn't think the running community could be so hilariious!"

why not? we're quite normal people in our own world - it's just that non-runners don't understand us....