Wanted: Sports Bra

I have watched the NYC Marathon religiously since I moved to New York. Having had run my first marathon in 1999 (San Diego) immediately before moving to NYC, I came to this city on a marathon high. Each year I have found some place along the marathon route, bunkered down, and cheered from beginning to end--hands freezing, voice failing, and energized and inspired by all who run.

This year between Halloween, Daylight Savings Time, and negotiating two kids instead of one, we were late getting down to Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, the first main stretch of the race after the runners cross the Verrazano Bridge in Staten Island and enter into Brooklyn. We finally made it down to the corner of our street and 4th Ave, with our friend and neighbor Kate, and in between running into about a dozen friends we discussed the overwhelming phenomenon this race: the complete and utter lack of a decent sports bra.

Okay, ladies of the race--WTF? We saw medium and large-chested women jiggling like nobody's business. Not only did it look uncomfortable, but holy god, the nipple chaffing that must have happened to those girls! One woman wasn't even wearing a bra, but a camisole, with her goods shifting up and down a great deal. A GREAT DEAL. We saw so many women running with not enough support and it was greatly disturbing--both as a woman and as a former distance runner.

As someone whose normally small B boobies have shifted to be DDs, I am acutely aware of trying to move with small boulders attached to my chest and it is not fun. I wore a unsupportive bra on the elliptical machine last week and felt like I was going to knock myself out--and the elliptical is low impact! They make great running bras for ladies who are larger or, if you don't want to admit that your chest falls into that category, then double up a normal sports bra. What's wrong with these women?

I think that next year I'll create a stall at the marathon expo on proper sports bra usage...Or maybe I'll film a public service announcement and post it on YouTube...Or start a grassroots campaign for better running bra usage...I'm not sure, but those puppies have got to get strapped down.

(Photos: A group of British ladies walk the marathon each year in these crazy decorated bras--not whom I'm talking about in this post b/c they're walking, not running, but very amusing! And Alexandra getting into the cheering. Children's toys make for great marathon noise makers :)