How cold do you wear shorts??

Riders wrote:

Usually I wear shorts into the 30s but do some wear shorts colder than that? As I get ready to run this morning the temp is 23 degrees and wind out of the northwest at 8 mph. I guess I will put some tights on and a windbreaker over my t shirt.

It may come as a bit of a shock, but up to around the late 60’s in Britain, it was unheard of to run in anything other than shorts in all conditions. There simply wasn’t anything else to wear, even had we wished to run in bottoms. I forget who, but around that time, someone imported lightweight cotton, couldn’t call them tights as they were not actually tight, but a lot lighter than the alternative - thick, heavy cotton tracksuit bottoms. The first few runners that dared to wear these lightweights had to have thick skins as bloody pansies was the mildest of the names called out to them from other runners.

Guys who are anti-shorts-over-tights,

Do you where anything UNDER the tights? Maybe I just have really cheap tights but I don't think just tights with nothing underneath would work very well. Traditionally I wear a very small pair of shorts under my tights because I think shorts over tights looks dumb and since junior high the only think I like on my nuts when I'm running is the lining in my running shorts as well as the occasional sock but shorts under tights probably looks dumb too.

Under 35F - sporthills and wind briefs

35F to 42F longer shorts and wind briefs

42F to 60F - running shorts

60F to 75F - racing splits

over 75F - Tarahumara loin cloth and 5 fingers

Inexperiencedtightswearer wrote:

Guys who are anti-shorts-over-tights,

Do you where anything UNDER the tights? Maybe I just have really cheap tights but I don't think just tights with nothing underneath would work very well. .

I wear underwear under my tights. I agree with you, I don't think it would work well either.

I do think running short lining is more comfortable but never tired them under tights, thought they would get too bunched up...maybe I will try it out though.

If i wear running pants, I have shorts on also. I usually wear those when warming up and will be switching to shorts or if my tights are in the wash.

I never thought I'd see the day where I would agree with Lance. It is true, we all can find common ground! What's next, I'll agree with Uncle B on something? That might be a stretch.

A real man wrote:

Lexmark wrote:

Shorts over tights is an abomination. You look like an insecure prick. Like someone else said, it's a completely HS move.

For real men, tights are an abomination. They look fine on the ladies, though.

You're a distance runner... you gave up your athletic masculinity when you chose sports...

Personally I don't care. I wear whatever is clean. I've worn tights when it's 105, I've worn shorts when it's 25. The metro-sexuality in this thread is not surprising to me.

P.S. shorts over tights does look incredibly stupid

Stan Eldon started selling a running bottom that wasn't a tight but was flexible and not baggy sometime around the mid to late 60s. A few years later Ron Hill started selling essentially the same thing as the Trackster. A few years after that Jim Hill started selling the same item in the US.

about 40 is the most i'll wear shorts to run..depending on weather conditions too..if its too windy and cloudy, or drizzling, then I go with tights..full tights when its under 40 or race day..

Seriously, all of you are wimps. I live in a warm, sub-tropical climate and when it does get cold here (a handful of days here are sub freezing), I will still stick to shorts. Free ballin', nonetheless.

Back in the early 80's when Hind came out with the first running tights it was common for runners to wear shorts over their tights. Alberto Salazar wore shorts over his tights in the 1983 World XC Championships.

When I put them on they are at room temperature

Hmmm... let's see what our Olympic Qualifiers wear training in Michigan..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4jvlE8cjow

no shorts...

Hmmm... let's see what our Olympic Qualifiers wear training in Michigan..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4jvlE8cjow

no shorts...

My threshold is about 30 degrees. I'm finding my tolerance for cold has grown stronger as I've got older for some reason.

And tights, well, I'm still a pants guy. Not sure if I ever could do the tights.

two questions for the letsrun crowd:

what do you wear, if anything, under running tights?

is it douchey to wear compression shorts while shirtless?

In Syracuse we wear shorts when it's not snowing. That's why we don't own shorts. :0 harharhar

I wear shorts until I feel like it's cold enough for tights. Some days that is 45 degrees, other days it's around 30. Some days I will wear tights and shorts, other days I won't. I don't really care whether or not it's "fashionable" because I'm not a joke. I go with what I feel will be most comfortable and efficient, like a real runner should. Anyone who would do workouts in pants or would refuse to wear shorts over tights on 2.5-3 hr. long runs in the wind and snow because they are concerned with their "look" is an insecure lady.

bolo wrote:

Tights are acceptable for serious runners (i.e. college runners not including 16min 5k wannabes, or a serious road racer). Otherwise you people training to break 16min for 5k, no tights.

Also I guarantee that you people ragging on tights are all hobby joggers so stfu because I don't give a $hit what you have to say about running.

Are you kidding?! You think breaking 16min is easy?! No one on my HS XC team could break 16min. Sub 16 usually won big invitationals. Sub 16 is VERY good.

It's so strange to me to see you guys ragging on guys wearing shorts over tights. No, I am not in HS, I am 30 years old and run with a lot of runners in NY. I've never ever ever gotten any negative feedback about wearing my running shorts over my tights. It's a) warmer for my junk and b) looks better than wearing just tights. I feel like solely wearing running tights are like wearing a speedo; no one wants to see my balls/junk outline esp if I'm stopping at the deli for a Gatorade or something afterwards. I certainly don't.