Felice Shapiro
At midlife, for those of us who love jogging, underwear is key. As gravity shifts the flesh on our chests toward the south pole, it is more important than ever to keep those girls from bouncing. The best kind of clothing to wear while running is clothing that keeps us feeling secure so that the only thing moving is our feet. And that’s where the sports bra comes in.
Oh hail to the sports bra as there’s so many choices now and we are lucky to have multiple options — but which ones are best, prettiest and most effective leaves many mid-lifer runners perseverating at the bra-rack. Sometimes the best test is a little jog in place behind the dressing room door.
We thought we could help out a little and cut through the myriad of choices so — we asked a slew of mid-life women runners “what’s your favorite running bra” for your small or large “set?” In terms of sizing, we learned that actual breast size is not necessarily indicative of bra size. Most women experienced having to move up a bra size due to larger “backs” versus more ample breasts. (Another fallout of mid-life bodily transitions) and, a challenge if you are ordering your sports bra on-line.
Here’s the skinny on what our survey of women runners recommended as favorite running bras to keep the girls safe.
For Small Breasted Women: (A Cup): Coobie Bras
Who knew that small breasts could sag and bounce? We learned that no-one wants underwires if they are have petite breasts and our survey resulted in a unanimous unconventional love of The Coobie, not necessarily a running bra but effective enough to feel secure. It is a mix of spandex and nylon with removable contour pads and no wire. The contra pads are key if you are not into your nipples showing or need a little shape. Lacey, plain, options of more or less support and color options as well as a fair price, ranging from $18 to $25, make this a no brainer. You can buy it here with one click.
For Medium Breasted Women (B to C Cup): Lululemon is super comfortable. A veteran mid-50 year old runner was very forthcoming on what worked best about her fav: “It holds up my big fleshy breasts and has lots of support. I love the fun colors it comes in. My new favorite is black and white stripe.” We googled Lululemon running bras and loved all the choices. Check out their fun running bra video to make it easier to pick the perfect one for you.
For Large Breasted Women (D Cup): A popular style among the more ample “set” is the compression tank. This piece is not measured by cup size but runs small, med or large and can be found on amazon as well. When searching for this category “compression tanks” you can find several options but keep in mind, not only is it supportive around the chest area, it also provides a lot of support and compression around the stomach. Our BA50 runner offered this: “I don’t like to wear a bra and a tank top because it’s too many layers floating around.” The Compression top generally runs according to normal ladies sizing so it’s easy to order on line. We love this one for $17.50 we found on Amazon as it is priced right, a combo of spandex and nylon, moisture wicking and odor resistant.
Ok BA50’s please share your favs with us in the comment section below.