Personally, I think its fine to cover them with shorts if you are insecure and are less than well endowed.
I just don't get why we have to keep discussing men running it tights, its not a declaration of your sexual preference, and its not against the law as far as I know. Wear whatever you find comfortable..... I run in tights, go commando underneath and do not wear shorts in the attempt to hide them. If I wanted to wear shorts I would not instantly think should I wear tights under these, so why the other way round.
If your asking a practical keeping warm question, here's what I do.
1.I wear split shorts when I race and when I train and its warm or hot.
2.I wear tights under those shorts when I race and when I train and its cold but not raining or snowing.
3.I wear tights under a pair of Ron Hill tracksters when its raining or snowing, but never if i'm racing.
4.I wear the Ron Hill tracksters over what im wearing, what ever the weather to warm up before a race.
5.I never wear the tights or tracksters on their own as they are either, a) not warm enough or b) do not give enough support while running. I find the lining of my split shorts gives me the support I need,so i wear these over or under in the case of the tracksters.
6. I never wear underwear under any running kit because it is invaribly made of either cotton that holds onto sweat or of non-tech fabric. See 5b)
If your asking a question of appearance and social acceptance, heres my subjective compleatly unscientific opinion When ever Im at a race I look for the guys and girls in the shortest shorts and the running vest. Not t-shirt, vest, tucked into his shorts. If they have knee length socks even better.They are going to win or atleast be hard to pass. The cool looking runners with matching kit and shorts that cover all and socks that dont extend passed ankles? They are going to loose.
More to the point - Ladies, Do you prefer the outline of meat and two veg, or all veg (baby carrot and petit pois in winter) restrained under taut lycra? Or do you prefer men to hide em behind some baggy shorts to prevent you swooning? And is you answer dependent on if the man looks like Daniel Craig, or John Prescot?
I wear the shorts over the tights because I need the pockets
Mind you it's not easy to find shorts with a decent amount of pockets these days
A man needs his energy bar, his swiss army knife, his mp3 player and spare battery, some cash, large bunch of keys, try getting all that in what they call a "pocket" in most shorts
It just makes you think when your 16 year old daughter tells you you should wear shorts other wise I would not have given a second thought.
Your daughter will have all sorts of views about fashion at that age that I would very pay little attention to... unless you want to start wearing your jeans so low slung that we can see the crack or your @rse in future??!
I know someone who I think looks exceptionally shekshy in tight kit... but I have to admit it looks better on the folk who are slim, toned, muscular... I don't think skin tight works so well where there is a lot of jiggin... and I don't mean your member!!
I think you should just wear what you're comfortable in.
It might be that she's just embarassed that dad goes out dressed like that. If you covered up, there'd be something else that was awful and had to change.
Carry on regardless - dad's are supposed to be embarassing (or was that just mine?)
I must admit that I usually do not notice what men run in. If your shorts (lycra or otherwise) fit properly then conspicuous bulges will be kept to a minimum and be reasonably discrete.
HOWEVER there is a bloke runs near where I live. I do not know what the hell he is wearing and where he gets his shorts from but bloody hell they disturb me. They are skin tight (probably compression) around his stomach but baggy underneath basically giving the banana hammock look.
Freaks me out every time I see him - and it's not that I am looking - it's that there is a neon sign pointing at him going - 'there he is again!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Perhaps I wouldn't mind so much if he was younger and a bit more handsome - but such is life.
My dad used to run and I still recall the first time I saw him in a jockstrap... I found the idea that my dad had a penis quite upsetting at the time, a bit like if you ever heard your parents having sex. Parents are meant to embarrass their children, like Wilkie said if they don't the offspring will never leave home!
If your asking a question of appearance and social acceptance, heres my subjective compleatly unscientific opinion When ever Im at a race I look for the guys and girls in the shortest shorts and the running vest. Not t-shirt, vest, tucked into his shorts. If they have knee length socks even better.They are going to win or atleast be hard to pass. The cool looking runners with matching kit and shorts that cover all and socks that dont extend passed ankles? They are going to loose.
In otherwords zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I take it you are taking the pee. Thats utter ballcocks.
You should just man up. England is rarely cold enough to require anything other than shorts with bare legs . I only grudgingly relented in the worst of last winters snow and even then only because I was getting nasty frost burns up my legs from the snow that kept kicking up!
Thank you all for this thread - you've had me in tears laughing! esp your last comment Herk...
I've just bought a pair of tights - the female shop assistant suggested I wear shorts over them "for obvious reasons" - hadn't really thought about it at all until then and this thread.
Now I see the complex web of social and personal anxieties that lies ahead of me when it gets a little cooler.
At the end of the day us runners are an odd bunch.
Check out any given race, and you'll find of women of all shapes and sizes will cram themselves into the tighest lycra they can find, and reveal monstrous massive camel toes and jiggly flesh.
You also get the men who think that taking that extra slight bit of material off their shorts will make them 0.02 seconds per mile over a half marathon, resulting in near indecent exposure.
Would never wear tights....and have raced cross country in some very cold weather. But then again once you're at race pace it suddenly feels pretty warm. Track suit bottoms perhaps for ultra cold weather..ie snow, when it's a training run and you're not going to reach paces to keep you warm.
Comments
I just don't get why we have to keep discussing men running it tights, its not a declaration of your sexual preference, and its not against the law as far as I know. Wear whatever you find comfortable..... I run in tights, go commando underneath and do not wear shorts in the attempt to hide them.
If I wanted to wear shorts I would not instantly think should I wear tights under these, so why the other way round.
Thanks Squeakz,
It just makes you think when your 16 year old daughter tells you you should wear shorts other wise I would not have given a second thought.
If your asking a practical keeping warm question, here's what I do.
1.I wear split shorts when I race and when I train and its warm or hot.
2.I wear tights under those shorts when I race and when I train and its cold but not raining or snowing.
3.I wear tights under a pair of Ron Hill tracksters when its raining or snowing, but never if i'm racing.
4.I wear the Ron Hill tracksters over what im wearing, what ever the weather to warm up before a race.
5.I never wear the tights or tracksters on their own as they are either, a) not warm enough or b) do not give enough support while running. I find the lining of my split shorts gives me the support I need,so i wear these over or under in the case of the tracksters.
6. I never wear underwear under any running kit because it is invaribly made of either cotton that holds onto sweat or of non-tech fabric. See 5b)
If your asking a question of appearance and social acceptance, heres my subjective compleatly unscientific opinion When ever Im at a race I look for the guys and girls in the shortest shorts and the running vest. Not t-shirt, vest, tucked into his shorts. If they have knee length socks even better.They are going to win or atleast be hard to pass. The cool looking runners with matching kit and shorts that cover all and socks that dont extend passed ankles? They are going to loose.
In otherwords zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Ladies,
Do you prefer the outline of meat and two veg, or all veg (baby carrot and petit pois in winter) restrained under taut lycra?
Or do you prefer men to hide em behind some baggy shorts to prevent you swooning?
And is you answer dependent on if the man looks like Daniel Craig, or John Prescot?
I wear the shorts over the tights because I need the pockets
Mind you it's not easy to find shorts with a decent amount of pockets these days
A man needs his energy bar, his swiss army knife, his mp3 player and spare battery, some cash, large bunch of keys, try getting all that in what they call a "pocket" in most shorts
Your daughter will have all sorts of views about fashion at that age that I would very pay little attention to... unless you want to start wearing your jeans so low slung that we can see the crack or your @rse in future??!
I know someone who I think looks exceptionally shekshy in tight kit... but I have to admit it looks better on the folk who are slim, toned, muscular... I don't think skin tight works so well where there is a lot of jiggin... and I don't mean your member!!
I think you should just wear what you're comfortable in.
Take no notice of what other people think (especially 16-year-old girls), and wear what you are comfortable in.
Most people will not even notice what you are wearing anyway - they are too busy thinking about their own lives/problems/what to have to tea.....
(My own opinion is that shorts over tights does imply a certain insecurity. If you are not happy in tights alone, try tracksters.)
It might be that she's just embarassed that dad goes out dressed like that. If you covered up, there'd be something else that was awful and had to change.
Carry on regardless - dad's are supposed to be embarassing (or was that just mine?)
I'll rock the tights or capris or lycra shorts whenever I feel like it.
Otherwise it's 7'' nike dri-fit or 5'' raceday split leg shorts,
Sod the shorts over the top, if you're trying to cover up the size of something, you've got more issues to deal with than running gear.
The need for pockets may be understandable though.. I've got one zip pocket at the back that the car key goes in...job done.
HOWEVER there is a bloke runs near where I live. I do not know what the hell he is wearing and where he gets his shorts from but bloody hell they disturb me. They are skin tight (probably compression) around his stomach but baggy underneath basically giving the banana hammock look.
Freaks me out every time I see him - and it's not that I am looking - it's that there is a neon sign pointing at him going - 'there he is again!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Perhaps I wouldn't mind so much if he was younger and a bit more handsome - but such is life.
"conspicuous bulges will be kept to a minimum and be reasonably discrete"
I'm sorry, but the editor and pedant in me has to giggle at the prospect of "discrete" bulges in a gentleman's undies.
I assume you meant "discreet"
I take it you are taking the pee. Thats utter ballcocks.
Quite painful when the snow plough went past me though. "You bastard" I shouted through gritted teeth
Real men treat Betty Swallocks with snow in the netting. this would be impractical with tights as well.
Thank you all for this thread - you've had me in tears laughing! esp your last comment Herk...
I've just bought a pair of tights - the female shop assistant suggested I wear shorts over them "for obvious reasons" - hadn't really thought about it at all until then and this thread.
Now I see the complex web of social and personal anxieties that lies ahead of me when it gets a little cooler.
At the end of the day us runners are an odd bunch.
Check out any given race, and you'll find of women of all shapes and sizes will cram themselves into the tighest lycra they can find, and reveal monstrous massive camel toes and jiggly flesh.
You also get the men who think that taking that extra slight bit of material off their shorts will make them 0.02 seconds per mile over a half marathon, resulting in near indecent exposure.
Would never wear tights....and have raced cross country in some very cold weather. But then again once you're at race pace it suddenly feels pretty warm. Track suit bottoms perhaps for ultra cold weather..ie snow, when it's a training run and you're not going to reach paces to keep you warm.