Run shirtlessly

This spring and summer, the weather has been a bit erratic. And perhaps having something to do with that, I have found myself sometimes going for a run a bit overdressed. I used to just live with that. But I changed my tack! I have recently started to just take the shirt off if it turns out to be too hot. I run in a double sports bra so it's not as if I'm skimpily dressed if I do. And it's so comfortable! And if the weather changes or you run into the shade or whatever you can pop it back on.

I must admit I was a bit apprehensive about it; everyone around here is British and they can be right prudes. I remembered jumping into Llyn Peris in my sports underwear and getting very disapproving looks (although I didn't go into that amount of detail on the blog)! And I understand I suppose. When male students wear their trousers so low you get a full view on their undies I don't find that very pleasant. When females wear such thin leggings you know exactly what underwear they wear underneath them while trying not to, I don't find that very pleasant either. (I've not seen people of the other gender do these things.) But I thought long about it and I decided there is a difference between normal underwear and a sports bra. The latter is meant as outer wear. Google 'running' and you'll get lots of pictures of ladies in sports bras (and no shirts) on the first page*. So I suppose if I ran in my civilian bra that would rightly be frowned upon. Run in a sports bra and all is well.

And with that I am also on board with the body positivity movement. There's a campaign for just this! It feels radical to be a 40-something woman in a decidedly non-supermodel body and just show it. I am not in favour of wantonly encouraging nudity but I am in favour of being unapologetic about not conforming to beauty standards! And so far I have not had any comments. Not sure that is the criterion but I am relieved anyway. This new new strategy is a winner!


*: these all DO look like supermodels, though