What I Wear to Work Out

Recommendations, reflections, and more...

Given that I am obsessed with sports and fashion, one might think I’d have drawers overflowing with the latest and greatest activewear. The truth is I’m pretty frugal when it comes to buying workout gear, preferring to wear the same pieces to death before investing in new ones. I think this stems from my experience as a college athlete, where you get a decent amount of clothing for free, which left me with a skewed perspective on the value of activewear. It may also be my age – I was an athlete in the days before Lululemon or premium “athleisure”. Either way, I graduated with a stash of Nike Tempo Shorts, spandex, and cotton tees and wore those for as long as possible. Working at Tracksmith, I was fairly restrained and tended to stock up on a few core staples.

In curating my gear recommendations you can be certain of one thing – I have worn the styles below to death. This list is just the beginning: I’m looking forward to pulling together recommendations for different sports, seasons, and periods of life in collaboration with other athletes. If there’s one thing I’ve found online, too many “Best Of” round-ups are influenced more by affiliate fees and newness, than true preference. That being said, activewear is incredibly personal. What works for me and my body may not work for someone else. Still, it’s an interesting exercise and, given my desire to gather these kinds of lists from other athletes, we might as well start with what I like.

A little context on my physicality and training since it informs my preferences. I’m 5’9” and generally wear a women’s size M, 6 or 28. I prefer my gear to fit loose rather than tight, so will sometimes size up to an L or pick the men’s sizing depending on the cut. I maintain a rower’s build, which means my legs/thighs are bigger than the rest of me. Since 2010, I’ve been a fairly consistent long-distance runner and have done seven marathons and various other races from the 5K to half marathon. I was lucky enough to be able to run consistently during my pregnancy, and am currently working on building back to running in post-partum. These days, that means a lot of stroller walks with big hills in the middle. I try and mix in yoga or Peleton strength classes a few times a week, should my infant allow it. So, without further ado, here’s what I wear to work out and why…

Footwear

After a fitting at Marathon Sports at the age of 16, I exclusively wore Mizuno Wave Riders for the better part of the next decade. I don’t know if they changed the shoe or I got the itch to try something new, but I became less Mizuno loyal around 2017. Currently, I am finishing out the mileage on a Hoka Rincon. I enjoy the Rincon because it’s light and peppy, but find they wear down far too fast. I’ve also done a lot of training in the Hoka Mach, which I find has better longevity. The best shoe I’ve recently trained in is the New Balance SuperComp Trainer v2, which I picked up thanks to Ali on the Run’s glowing recommendation. I haven’t tried the v3 yet, but it’s the shoe I’m planning on buying next.

The SuperComp Trainer has a carbon fiber plate, which makes it feel nice and springy. I was a late adopter of this technology, but I eventually got on the “cheater shoes”¹ bandwagon when I was looking to snag a PR. I bought a pair of Saucony Endorphin Pro 1s on sale for my Boston qualifying attempt at the California International Marathon in 2021 and they were worth the investment. I’ll never forget the first long run that I wore them on, I kept checking my watch convinced it was lying to me. I was running 10 seconds or so faster than my usual marathon pace without feeling as if I was working any harder. It’s still the only super shoe that I’ve run in, though I prefer the v1 and 2 to the current v3, so will need to figure out my next racing option. The New Balance SuperCom Elite seems like the obvious choice, though I’ve heard good things about the Asics MetaSpeed and like the look of On’s Cloudboom Echo. I’m not sure I’m cool or fast enough for the LightSpray Cloudboom Strike.

As I mentioned above, I’ve been in my walking era for the last few months and I’ve been wearing a pair of Cloud Monsters as my default. I bought these last summer for a trip to Corsica because I wanted a pair of trainers that would look decent with casual clothing. I didn’t love them for longer runs (too soft), but I enjoy them for walking and plan on getting another pair for that purpose. I lift at home barefoot, but these are also the pair I wear to cross-train.

Apparel

No surprises here, but this list is mostly Tracksmith. Of course, I’m biased, but as I mentioned above, I mostly stuck to the same gear and rarely replaced them. All of the pieces I am recommending below I’ve had and worn for more than five years, multiple runs a week.

Bra’s

Tracksmith Allston Bra – I have a small chest so this minimalist bra works for me (and did during pregnancy too). The fabric is soft and compressive and the front storage pocket is huge. I’ve stashed an iPhone, keys, credit card, T pass, and a plastic baggy full of Gu chews in there. A lot of other sports bras I’ve run in have given me major chafing along my chest and the Allston never has. It’s the only sports bra I wear.

Shorts

Tracksmith Strata Shorts – When I was at Tracksmith these were called the OTQ Shorts, and my pair comes from the first collection that runners wore at the 2020 Marathon Trials. I’ve run in the same pair for four years and these are the ones I always choose for long runs and harder workouts. They’re feather-light, high cut but not too short, and have a nice wide leg opening. I wore these for both CIM and the Boston Marathon.

Altore Shorts – I stumbled on this Corsican trail running brand called Altore in Porto-Vecchio last summer and I couldn’t resist snagging a pair of their shorts. I bought them for the story, but I do really like running in them. The waistband is wide and the fabric floats around my legs in a way I appreciate. My only gripe is they do not have a liner, which requires some extra planning.

Quince Ultra Form Jumpsuit – During my pregnancy, I was looking for some more supportive shorts and kept getting recommended the Lululemon Align Bodysuit. I tried it on in-store and understood the appeal – it zips you right up – but couldn’t reconcile spending $128 (heads up: it’s currently on sale) for something I might only wear for a few months. I did a lot of hunting for dupes and considered some Amazon options before finding this one from Quince. Reader, I love it. It’s soft yet stretchy and, while reminiscent of the rowing unisuits I wore in college, lighter and more breathable. Most importantly, the legs don’t budge while you’re running. I was able to buy it in my regular size M, and am wearing it as I type this newsletter.

Tights

Tracksmith Turnover Tights – I have three pairs of the Turnover Tights that I rotate through all winter and one pair is at least 7 years old. The key to these tights is that they stay put – they don’t slip down my waist and don’t bunch behind my knees. I wear these under my pants for skiing and made it through my pregnancy in them too.

PYNRS Talbot Tight – These tights have a similar fabrication to the Turnover Tights, but a few key styling differences. The waistband is a wider yoga style and there are drop-in side pockets on the legs for your phone and a pocket in the back for keys. PYNRS is a buzzy Boston-based running brand that draws inspiration from streetwear and run crew culture.

Tops

Tracksmith Brighton Long Sleeve – This is pretty much the only long sleeve I wear (I have 3 pairs I rotate through them during the week). It’s a lightweight merino wool that’s both warm and breathable. One of the biggest benefits is that you can re-wear the same top multiple days in a row – the high Merino wool content means it doesn’t retain odors and it dries quickly. Like the Turnover Tights, I also wear this top for skiing. The Brighton is my go-to Tracksmith piece for gifting, even for non-runners. My doctor friends like wearing it under their scrubs.

I wear the Brighton alone with tights when it’s in the 40s. When it’s below 40, I’ll wear it with a Patagonia puffy vest and tights. If it’s in the 20s or colder, I add another Merino layer in between the base layer and vest.

When it’s above 50, you’ll find me in a baggy cotton tee shirt. My favorite is a shirt from my high school rowing days that says “Feel the Need for Speed” on the back. But If it’s above 65 degrees, I’ll typically go sports bra only. For racing, I’ve worn Tracksmith’s Van Cortlandt Singlet or their Bell Lap Crop Top. The sash makes it easier for my family to spot me on the course.

ACCESSORIES

Near Earth Socks – I was gifted these socks by the brand founder in Berlin, and they’ve become a go-to, especially as I have adopted the Gen Z high sock look. I am fairly easygoing when it comes to socks as long as they are breathable and have a little bit of cushion underfoot.

Garmin – The Forerunner works well for me, though I don’t do anything fancy with it except record my daily mileage. Confession: it took me far longer than I would like to admit to figure out how to take splits during a workout. I don’t think this is a fault of the design, rather than a case of user error.

Yale Crew Hat – I run religiously in a cotton baseball hat – no need for fancy-wicking ones here, My favorites are a navy blue Yale Crew Hat and a light blue Cannon Ski Resort one, but I’ll wear whatever cotton one is readily available in my home. I generally don’t run in sunglasses because I find them distracting but always recommend Goodr on the low end or Article One for a more premium option.

Supergoop! – I wasn’t great at applying sunscreen as a teenager so I am trying to make up for lost time. Supergoop’s products work really well for me – no stinging eyes or dripping mess when I start sweating. I like their Play Sport sunscreen and their Glow Stick, which feels amazing when it’s applied and makes me want to put it on.

Apple Wired Headphones – Call me old-fashioned but these work fine for running, especially when I stuff the iPhone in my bra pocket.

Questions about these recommendations? Want to share your own? Hit me with them, below.

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Quick Thoughts

Things That Drew My Eye or Ire…

We’re in a bit of a post-Olympic fallow period, though the WNBA and U.S. Open should offer plenty of opportunity for discourse in the coming weeks. Here are a few things I spotted…

• Maybelline Partners with the New York Road Runners – As if we needed more evidence that running is trending – especially among women and Gen Zers – Maybelline is now the first-ever cosmetics partner for the New York Marathon. Per the press release, actress Claire Holt, television host and multimedia personality Tayshia Adams, model Haley Kalil, and celebrity makeup artist Karen Sarahi Gonzalez will run for Team Maybelline and Maybelline will “bring people together through their first-ever Maybelline Run Club and cosmetic products at the TCS New York City Marathon as they aim to leverage the sport of running to destigmatize the conversation around mental health.” I’m interested to see how this plays out – I’d love to see Maybelline sponsor a pro runner in addition to celebrities. If Molly Seidel is fit to run New York, she’d be the perfect partner, given how vocal she’s been about mental health.

• Glorious Sport’s Fi Aldimi went deep on the culture and history of nail art in sport.

• I love this tennis jewelry collab from Etsy and Naomi Osaka and this Janji x Merrell trail running one.

1. My husband’s term, not mine.