Running tights why wear

While it's true that you need extra warmth for winter running, you also don't want to be weighted down or get too hot during your run. Tights offer extra warmth from the length and, if constructed from a performance fabric, can help wick sweat away from skin, says Penn Medicine , so you stay warm — but not too warm — to continue training through temperatures under 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Even if it's not too cold out, running tights can pull double duty by protecting the skin on your legs from the elements. Whether it's the hot sun or whipping wind, an extra layer on your legs gives you more protection. Because avid runners hit the pavement no matter what the weather, tights are an ideal way to protect skin without having to compromise on gear. The National Ski Patrol says that long underwear is fine for layering under other pants for cold weather workouts, but garments such as tights, allow for better performance and fit.

Running tights made from compression fabrics fit like a second skin on your legs, giving you extra support and increasing circulation to the legs. ACE Fitness says compression running tights help not only with better circulation, but they help remove the metabolic waste from your muscles.

Wearing compression tights enhances overall circulation to the legs and therefore decreases energy expenditure at prolonged speeds. Long-distance runners also benefit by staving off tired runner's legs when you have longer runs or races planned, potentially giving you an extra edge.

Look out for labels which use recycled nylon, fortified with something else, or even bamboo. Watch out though because the trade-off can often be durability, because nobody wants to boast about their bamboo leggings, when sporting a car key sized hole in the crotch! Founder of Wild Running and Wild Running Events , and a regular podium-placer at trail running events around the South West, Ceri has a background in journalism.

He started and edited an outdoors supplement for a daily newspaper, has written for several national outdoors magazines and newspapers, and produces his own podcast. He can trace his interest in adventure back to when, as a slightly precocious six-year-old, he convinced his cousins and older sister to walk through the night into the centre of Newcastle in their pyjamas for a dare — an escapade that ended in a lift home in a police car.

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Thank you for signing up to Advnture. You will receive a verification email shortly. Tights offer advantages to distance and track runners during workouts and competition. Tights provide a layer of warmth for cold mornings. Performance fabric keeps out cold air and wicks sweat away from the skin.

In extremely cold temperatures, you may want to run in tights and looser running pants to provide layers of protection. Some tights have mesh panels in high sweat areas, such as behind the knees, to maximize airflow while keeping other parts of you warm.

The fabric and design of running tights minimizes skin discomfort. Baggier clothing, such as seat pants, can rub against your thighs and waist, causing irritation. Running tights hug your body with minimal seams and comfortable waistbands, keeping rashes or chafing to a minimum.