Runners, when the bunhuggers come out it’s GO time.
People not in the sport of track and field, or non-runners, have asked, “Why in the world would you want to run in those?!” I’ve heard little kids giggle and balk, “She’s running in her underwear!” Even body conscious women have sneered, “Oh, look at her, who does she think she is?”
Let me explain…bunhuggers are not
* worn in an attempt to steal your boyfriend.
* meant as some kind of ‘in your face, runners are HOT and we know it!’ statement.
* stupid.
Think of running in bunhuggers like running in your spikes.
You know the second you slip your feet into those spikes, lace them up, and head to the line it’s RACE TIME.
I’m sure there is the element of wind resistance, and yes, bunhuggers are comfortable. Trust me, there is nothing worse than racing with a wedgie…or running with shorts that bunch up in the front. My friend used to have a term for ‘those’ kinds of shorts, “My thighs eat them.”
A large part of racing is mental. Part of distinguishing a RACE from any other run is making it FEEL different. The energy, the electric buzz of the spectators, the nerves, the excitement, the competition, all of the feed into the race atmosphere.
Running your warm-up is just as much physically preparing your body as it is MENTALLY prepping you, getting into the zone.
When you kick off those bulky training shoes and slip on the spikes, you FEEL the race coming. As you strip off those sweats to the bunhuggers underneath you SENSE it…it’s almost here.
Run that final stride, poised and set at the line, it’s ON!
“Look good, feel good.”
1) Female runners, what do you prefer to race in? Do you run in bunhuggers, or have you?
2) On the other side, have you made fun of the bunhuggers? Do you find them silly, and not understand why people would run in them?
3) Guys, men get teased for the shorty running shorts in general. What style shorts do you prefer? What do you say to the dorks who make fun of running shorts?
4) What is a part of your ‘process’ in amping up for a race? What is something that makes you FEEL like it’s race time?
Hello! My name is Cait, I'm a freelance writer and artist who is more than a little obsessed with running. The Arty Runnerchick is dedicated to connecting with other runners and those sweat obsessed through words and art! 
I have never tried wearing shorts like this nor seen many people run in them – except TV coverage of big events
I think that reflects my lack of involvement in track and field events in school and lack of participation in much ‘serious’ running / competing. I do think everyone should run in what they’re comfortable in though, so if these are it, that should be that!
great last sentence there!
I’ve never been able to get totally onboard, because I’m convinced they just do not look good on me. They look perfectly good on other people, so I’m not sure how they do it.
okay, it sounds like we need to work on that runner body confidence!
I’m not sure I’d really be comfy in them – especially in Singapore. Asians in general tend to dress somewhat more conservatively, and there are plenty of others who remain well-covered as a religious or cultural choice. So wearing very little makes me a little uncomfortable, since it’s so outside the norm (and I already stick out for being pretty much outside the norm around here). If I do strip down, I take off my shirt and run in a sports bra – this bothers me less than showing off the tops of my thighs. I do wear tight, relatively short (3-4″) shorts, though.
But I really don’t much care what other people do, as long as they are comfortable and aren’t legitimately flashing their private bits about.
For me…it’s pinning that number on my shirt. THAT’S when I know it’s “go-time”!
oh this adds an interesting perspective, on the different social atmosphere runners are in! i also like you paralleling the race number…great one!
I wouldn’t feel right wearing them as a recreational runner. I think it’s fine if you’re a collegiate or high school runner, or a professional runner, especially a track runner, at a meet. That’s perfectly acceptable- it’s a part of the track and field uniform. Those runners should wear them, for the reasons you stated
.
To me, going to a casual group run wearing bumhuggers though, is almost like showing up to a touch football game in the park wearing full pads and a helmet. But a professional race, oh yes definitely. The runners I’ve heard that wore them (they ran in college) said they really liked em actually!
very true, i don’t think there’s a need to whip the buns out for a group fun run! hehe
It’s the tights that may be the equivalent, but I don’t believe most men can ever pull off looking good in tights.
hmmm, u’re right, i think the trick with the tights is to make sure u’ve got a longer shirt.
I love “bun huggers” or booty shorts or whatever you call them. When I first starting racing we had to wear the really bad ones- they look like high rise briefs. By the end of college we had the super short shorts. I agree that wearing those makes me feel ready and fast. However- I rarely wear them anymore because I am not as fast and feel like a poser wearing them since I don’t have the running chops to back them up.
hahaha…okay, u and i are thinking the same! now, i wouldn’t be caught dead racing in buns because i feel u have to ‘earn’ them and i’m not up to snuff currently!
I always like my capris. The whole puberty thing really threw me off! Confession – I used to wear bunhuggers. I did athletics until I was about 15 (mostly jumping) and I was that chick strutting around in a crop top and bloomers (bunhuggers). That memory came back so strongly when I was reading this post!
haha…i luv the stroll down crop-top, bunhugger Kate lane!
Love this! Bunhuggers are the best and exactly for the reasons you described. They feel so comfortable and since I do not wear them for every race (only the biggies ) when I put them on its like “Ok….it’s go time!”
SO true, those buns only come out for the biggies…when it’s ON!
Love running skirts and bunhuggers although most of my runs are in the former; I use the latter for gym work.
i’ve never tried the skirts.
This is a great post. I am a bunhugger lover! But I am always a little shy when wearing them, I dont want to give off the wrong vibe to others, I agree, they are infact just way comfortable compared to anything else. I hate shorts that ride up when running, you spend half the time pulling them down. My favorite things to run in is SPANDEX, you can not go run with something skin tight.
Just makes you feel fast!
there is no kind of torture like going thru a whole run with a shorts wedgie…back or front.
I ran XC and track but never wore bunhuggers..and never got the appeal but it makes sense if you don’t get wedgies! I lol-ed at the “my thighs eat them” comment…so true! those shorts are the worst. This might be a dumb question but do you wear underwear under the bunhuggers? I typically run in nike shorts with the little underwear included inside (but also wear my own underwear) and that helps with wedgies.
undies talk…haha! when i was racing, no, no undies under the buns because the material is tight enough so u don’t feel a cool breeze.
Bun huggers rock! I wear them for XC and track. At the start of the XC season this year our athletics director tried to introduce a shorts option. Only two girls wore them and the rest of us complained that it made us look like less of a serious team. We had a vote to go back to just the buns. Even the girls who chose the shorts voted in favor. It turns out their moms asked them to wear the less revealing kit.
i LOVE this!!! okay, back in HS one of our female coaches refused to get us any kind of decent racing gear…so my friend and i went rogue, raised funds to buy the good stuff for our team…those buns and shimmels were well worth it.