The Great Bun Hugger Debate

News recently broke in the running community that a mother was trying to ban bun huggers from high school running in New York. 'Karen from Sayville', as she has become known, felt the uniform her daughter was racing cross country in was too revealing and wants to ban them from being an option. 

To those of you who are unaware, a common uniform bottom for runners are "bun huggers", also known as running briefs or "runderwear". They closely resemble bathing suit bottoms. Here is a picture of me wearing said bun huggers during a race from my freshman year to give you a visual.

When I first read about Karen from Sayville trying to ban the bun huggers, I was outraged. I thought, 'This woman has no idea what she's talking about'. Bun huggers were not designed to be revealing or sexy, they were designed for running! Speed, aerodynamic, minimalist. It follows the common running ideology of "less is more". When seconds matter in races, you want to be carrying as little weight on your body as possible. It's the same reason runners race in thin singlets and feather-light shoes. Take a look at any professional running event, and you'll see nearly every woman racing in the briefs. 

I'll admit, when my 14-year-old self first saw the bun huggers, I was shocked. "But they're like bathing suit bottoms!" I thought. Once I put them on and raced in them, my thinking quickly changed. I realized bun huggers were comfortable, surprisingly modest, and greatly reduced chafing between my legs. I never felt exposed, objectified, or sexualized. When I put my bun huggers on 7 years later, I feel powerful. I feel ready to race. 

I understand not every woman feels comfortable in the briefs, especially at the high school level when they're young and just getting the hang of running. Instead of banning them, however, the choice should simply be up to them! I have teammates that love the bun huggers and others that prefer spandex shorts. Whatever the bottom, it should be the choice of the runner, NOT Karen from Sayville. I will keep racing in my bun huggers, thank you very much.