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why do elite women run in knickers?
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This was at a time of major international tensions due to the arms race, Cuba etc and so it was hard to get agreement for hormone and chromosome tests as happen today. So instead, women on teams that didn't go down the cheating route chose to wear briefs to show they were normal women. This may be true or it may be urban legend, I don't know.
Anyhow, over time they got smaller, more like bikini bottoms than granny knickers, and it was found that the more surface area of skin you uncover, within the bounds of decency, the better able you are to exercise aerobically as you can radiate heat better than through even the best material. Also briefs avoid the possible wind resistance and friction you get with shorts.
When I ran at school they were compulsory, even for the 'big-boned' girls who wouldn't really benefit from them and might feel bad about wearing them, which I wondered about, but maybe it provided them with an incentive to lose weight? Whatever, now many schools let girls wear shorts or trackie bottoms, and they're a lot bigger than back then, so maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. And as a university runner and subsequently I've found them more comfortable than shorts and also help psychologically, I feel like more of a serious/professional runner.
Put more info on your Profile please Peter- we NEED to know more about you : )))
They're the most comfortable things I've run in. Peter, you reall should give them a try
I'm a bloke, but run quite alot in tri trunks and crop top. Luckly my body is great and I find on a warm day the 20+ milers are much more comfortable and don't get chaffing. It feels I'm going faster and I feel good showing my runner body off. Pity more men don't do the same. Only a couple of runners in the club do so.
I run 70-80 miles per week and quite alot of my time is spent training, also I love running!
A lovely quote from Jess Ennis:
'...the first thing I think when I'm crossing the finish line is, "Pull your knickers out!" because they're so tiny I'm always having to dig them out of my bum. It's very embarrassing.'
"I'm a bloke, but run quite alot in tri trunks and crop top. Luckly my body is great"
errrm - sorry KM but having a 55kg body in a 6'+ frame is not my idea of having a great body even looking at it from a bloke's POV. you're more skeletal than a hunger striker....
I suspect you wear trunks to run as I would very much doubt you would fill lycra runners and would take off in a gust of wind in normal running shorts.....
Blimey, 55kg and 6 foot?? that's just over 8.5 stone by my calculations.
Is that not, like, seriously underweight? Not that I'm any kind of expert....
He knows.
It's been pointed out to him on other threads on many occasions.
Pass the pies!
He weighs less than I do and he's 6 inches taller!
Ah yes, so I see.
Guess I had the intended reaction.
I went in my tri stuff yesterday. was quite warm and wanted to do a fast pace. Actually I find them really ideal, as I keep myself cool, when it's windy, the close fit keeps wind resistance down and give great flexibility - as much as my body can provide. It's a pity that there is some trepidation for some runners wearing them.
Surely for hot weather running the less covering the better. Also good for cross country in muddy or wet conditions as it is easier to wash off the muck than clean clothes.
Easier for women than men as they do not have issues over placing their tackle.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31156202@N05/4068656310/