By Luke Martino
As runners, we can all agree that chafing has afflicted us at some point in our running career. Whether it be our nipples, thighs or heels, it can be an extremely uncomfortable experience for anyone running long distances.
Runderwear has become a national champion when it comes to chafing. The company offers a wide range of underwear, shorts, sports bras, socks and base layers, all created with their incredible seamless, chafe-free technology. You even have sizes from extra small to extra-extra-large.
Part of being a runner is ensuring I don’t get injured or suffer discomfort on runs; that’s the theory. I am terrible at stretching, warming up, and cooling down, but the one piece of kit I won’t live without is my runderwear pants for guaranteed comfort and no chafing.
The further the mileage, the more you begin to feel the effects on your body; however, many ultramarathon runners like me are looking for better ways to stay more comfortable during races.
I have to have an ultramarathon race or two on the horizon to keep me motivated, but as part of that, I like to mix up my runs to include trails of all distances.
I run with friends up in the Peak District, along coast paths whenever on holiday and across the fields and rolling hills of my local area in rural Leicestershire, and I try to stay aware of the situation. That’s often where the fun starts!
I enjoy just running without the pressure of speed and performance. That’s where my love of ultramarathons has grown! I run far to give myself some balance and to escape – a day out on a long run works wonders for simply leaving everyday problems behind.
As an ultrarunner, the kit is imperative, and once you find a brand you trust, you tend to stick with it. I bought my first Runderwear base layer ten years ago for my first ultramarathon. I didn’t realise how important it would be at the time until I was baking in the summer sun, sweating for 5/6 hours a day. On the last day, I got caught in downpours and ran to the finish line in wet gear.
Since then, I have also trusted runderwear with other parts of my body. It’s like a second skin; you don’t even think you’re wearing them; you can forget about them and run free in comfort with red marks or chafing.
They have a seamless design, so there are no labels or seams to rub against your skin, and they are breathable too. It’s important to remember that when you add up the Vaseline, tapes and plasters I was getting through, you may as well pay for performance underwear. It’s worth every penny.
Before getting in Ultras, I had just worn my standard underwear, and I knew that wouldn’t work for Ultras as I would always get blisters and chaffing and have to tape up, Vaseline up and plaster up. All of that goes with underwear.
My go-to pieces for my outerwear are the runderwear short sleeve base layer worn as a t-shirt and lightweight shorts, which make me feel light and fast no matter what shape I am in!
The base layer is perfect when wearing a running vest or backpack; I have never suffered chafing or soreness over my shoulders, back of the neck or across my back from rubbing or movement of the pack, even when I inevitably pack too much! I alternate between boxers and briefs depending on which shorts I wear.
I swear by their anti-blister socks, as what ultrarunner doesn’t need these? On the few occasions I’ve run in my standard underwear, I’ve massively regretted it, a lot of redness, soreness, and pain!
I recommend runderwear to every fellow ultrarunner as you won’t look back: I haven’t in 10 years. Just kit you can rely on. Let’s face it, your underwear is your first layer, so it needs to be ultra comfortable and perform.
