Hey friends, I try to not judge, but lately, I’ve seen a few things I think we need to change. I know, it’s tough, but let’s see if we can do this. It is running-related, I promise.
I am lucky that I have gotten rid of most of my shame.
I was the girl that put on a bra at 10 years old and didn’t take it off for many years. I was seriously proud that I even slept in those wire-padded-mounstrosities. Yes, wires. I have small (A) chest so the point was to make them look bigger or hide them, right???? Yes, I really did sleep on those things.
Time went by, and a few years ago, when I realized that in NYC you can walk around bare-breasted (yeap, it’s LEGAL!) my brain started to rebel. My nipples did too. Of course, it’s obvious that I don’t need any sort of support, so if you do, that’s a quite different thing. But, you can literally walk out in NYC with your boobs out and it’s ok. I started seeing it in the park, girls sunbathing, or in the randomest places and started wondering WHY oh WHY so many of us go through so much to hide them. WHY??? And I was one of them for the longest time. Yes, we all try hide them OR only use them to get stuff (for you that have some!).
No, you can’t say you don’t hide them because sometimes when you are trying to be provocative and show cleavage, you’re sexualizing them boobs! But, can we be ok with our boobs not being a sexual object? We’re either hiding them or using them to get attention!!! WTF! I am ok now not wearing any wires or padding or OR cleavage. My boobs are there, for no reason apparently as I don’t plan on having children, so until I figure what they’re good for, I am gonna leave them alone just like my elbows or my chin (though those two are good for supporting me in some positions). My boobs have no purpose -besides Juan’s amusement, of course.
Now, you know me, when I go running I will wear as little as possible. I just like it better that way. For a while, I tried to wear extra layers, even if I didn’t need them, because as I was falling so often, the extra layers would pad my skin a bit.It didn’t stick, I don’t like it. Ugh clothes.
So, many of you have seen way too much of my nipples on my bras. In pictures all over the internet. Everywhere. Oh well, get over it. Think of them as my elbows if you like. I started this a long time ago when not many people (no one really!!!) in Central Park were running in a just bra. My friends can tell you how I forced them. Once, a team-mate said how she was going to try to run shirtless “next year, when I have abs and a good body to show“, looking straight at my pouchy stomach. Honey, THAT is not the point. AT ALL.
I really don’t care what I look like. My stomach can be big, bloated, full, gross. It’s mine. I own that. If you don’t like it, you can just look away. Same goes for my boobs. They’re small, they’re sweaty, they’re cold and they point, there’s two of them. They’re mine (and probably Juan’s). They are okay. Ps: my eyes are up here.
One picture is the same as a million: my nipples always look like this.
Anyway, how about we all stop making women a sexual object that needs to look perfect and skinny or be ashamed of their bodies? Yeah? Can we? How about we let the hairy men run shirtless without weird looks? how about we let everyone enjoy running freely the way they were born?
This all came to mind because, in the hot weather, this past weekend, I saw two lovely ladies, on two separate places, working hard on a run out there, and they were so hot, so hot, they had lifted their top to put it under their bra, or folded over their bra, and were also wearing long tights. I wanted to go over, hug her, and tell her it was ok if she wanted to get rid of her top. And that she didn’t need to hide her legs in long tights, I DON’T CARE WHAT SIZE YOU ARE!!!! There is no need to be ashamed. It’s not about how you look. After all, we’re all quite insecure. It might be hard the first few times, but you’ll get used to it. The more you put what you are out there, the more you’ll get to know it, and the more you’ll love it. And if someone has a problem with it, just send them my way.
Why is it that men can run shirtless and we can’t feel ok with it? Why is it they sometimes wear shorts so short, or tights or tight we can see everything yet WE are supposed to be ashamed? EH? My husband the Ironman only wears tights and is often embarrassed about how the tights profile “everything”. SO WHAT? NO ONE needs shorts over the tights!!! Let’s stop the body shaming.
Come on people!!! this is 2014. I think it’s time we all start being more supportive of each other’s bodies, whatever they look like. Just think all our bodies have helped us accomplish, slow or fast, or even that first glorious mile. This is how we were born, and it’s OK. We don’t all need to look the same, or cover some bits that are not illegal! Free the nipples. Free Yourself.
Okay… I know need to hear it… what do you think? Are you with me on this??????
The day I did this, I run 3 miles in that outfit, back and forth to cheer. The boobs were fine, but the bottom kept giving me a wedgie. So, apparently, some of us don’t even need a bra!!!!!
runningandthecity 
yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a thousand times yes. i can relate/ agree to all of the above.
i’m inspired to get out & run shirtless more often!
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Let’s do this!!!!!
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I am SO with you on this! As long as there is no pain from über jiggle or chafe, let freedom ring!
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FREEDOM!!!!
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I found this very interesting! I agree with you totally on this one. I am in your bra-size category and I run all the time with only a bra on. I also have pretty much every race photo with nips. Oh well, that’s the way I’m built! Ironically I just got back from vacation and I wore a Victoria’s Secret bikini for the first time. Oh my, those tops really do work! It was so funny/different having a big chest. My husband said it was false advertising though because it had 2 inches of enhancing foam in it 🙂 A girl can dream!
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False Advertising!!! hahaha, hilarious!
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I am right there with you girl. If it was legal, I’d run naked. I have zero problems about running in a sports bra, but I noticed that other people have problems about me running in it, especially girls. Most of them think we run in a sports bra because we want to show off or something. Guess what, that’s their problem. I’d rather feel confortable than waste time worrying about what other people think. Great post!
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Exactly. We should be supportive of each other not make us feel bad…!
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I can say that I’ve never run in my sports bra and I’m not sure that I ever will. I love your confidence though! I actually hate hot weather running so I probably just avoid running when it’s hot enough to go shirtless :). I do occasionally wear capris when it is warm, but that’s because they prevent chafing that sometimes happens with shorts on long runs.
Great post!
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I hear that about the capris, would bodyglide not take care of it?? I know if I don’t bodyglide, it’s like a massacre on my body!!
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I think my skin is just super sensitive. Capris make my long runs so much more comfortable!
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it’s ALL about comfort!!!
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Dude, if it’s hot, I don’t give two flips about *just* wearing a sports bra. I honestly don’t even really think about it. If it makes you squirm, look somewhere else. I’m too busy running to care 🙂
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😉 yeah, I wish every woman felt that way, if they were hot and wanted to shake a few layers off!
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You’re right! I used to run in just a sports bra and shorts because I overheat like crazy. My husband joked that I would be kidnapped by someone in one of those windowless vans but that never happened. But the past couple of years I started running with a friend who always covers up and I started feeling self-conscious. And now I feel like my abs don’t look good enough. But really I’m just being stupid. There’s a woman who lives in the next town who I see all the time training and at races. She’s got some extra jiggle but has no qualms about running in a bra and shorty-shorts. And she’s fast, so who can complain? I think maybe I should shed my inhibitions and my singlet and just go for it again.
And I never understood society’s obsession with boobs. I mean, seriously, why do I have to cover up at the beach when there are men there shirtless with bigger boobs than mine? Really?
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YES!!!! Send those inhibitions down the drain!!! We’re too old for that crap! maybe your friend will join you at some point!!! And yeah, boobs schmooobs!!! if they want to fixate on them, that’s THEIR problem. Yeah, we have nipples just like ANYONE.
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Always my dear!!!!!!! I learned to run with just a bra from you. Honestly….here…who cares?
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Here. There. Anywhere. Heat is the same everywhere!
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Actually, just remembered. I always Ryan shirtless in Argentina too, which apparently is a little bit insane of me. When Juan this year with me, he asked me to wear a shirt because he was nervous about what could happen. I would wear it for a mile then get hot, and take it off. Next day I wore it just a few blocks. Eventually he relaxed and he wasn’t even asking me to wear a shirt. It’s just a matter of getting used to doing it!
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I’m with you lady!
Be comfortable with what yluve got and be proud of what you are doing regardless of if its walking, running or riding a bike.
Be proud!
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AMEN Dean!
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I started running shirtless in the summer six years ago and have never looked back. It’s too damn hot for “modesty!” And for the record, no passing drivers have ever crashed their car or had a heart attack when they saw my bare shoulders and stomach. After a while it just starts to look normal, like it should be. Exposed ankles used to be considered indecent in the Victorian era!
Also with you on the hairy guys being able to run shirtless with no self-consciousness. My husband is a wooly mammoth and I don’t see a thing wrong with it when he goes off for a run with no shirt.
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I don’t see anything wrong with it either but some people tend to be a little bit self-conscious about it.
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I used to care what people thought and now I just care more about being cooler! It’s so much cooler running shirtless! A super supportive bra, some shorts and sneakers is where it is at!
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And socks! And sunglasses!
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This is a post for ladies only, right?
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Noooo. I also referenced the gentleman. We should all free up!
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Oh my! Those Nike bras… I have exactly the same ones and they are the best to show the nips, I’d say. lol I have always had this nipproblem but hadn’t been so concerned until I saw my race pictures on the internet. Thanks for reassuring that it is totally natural and no big deal. I’ll stop being self-conscious then. : )
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