Running in the Smartwool PhD Run Short...

I lift. I squat.  I have a booty and I have thick, awesome, thighs. Why awesome? Because they are muscular. Because I can squat 115. Because I can run a marathon with them. I'm embracing my thunder thighs and bubble butt. They're kinda awesome.

But.

Running shorts to me have long been a necessary evil. I love shorts. I love when short weather finally arrives, and I can toss the tights aside. After all, rainy runs are way more fun when you can enjoy the puddle stomping, right?

My legs, however, do not love shorts. For the past year, I've owned exclusively Nike and Under Armour running shorts. My Nike shorts would slide up my hips, creeping toward my belly button, no matter how tight I tied them. Runs are less fun when you're constantly stopping to re-tie your shorts. Or worse, trying to tie them while running. If I could get them to stay put on my waist, my thighs were regularly eating the material.  and, if I could avoid everything else, my bubble butt risked becoming uncovered if I got moving.

My run routine:  Run, tug shorts down, run, run, pull material out of thighs, run, run, come dangerously close to inappropriate as shorts hike up waist and thighs eat the little bit of material left, run.

Ugh.

I was reluctant to buy pricier shorts though, because why spend the money on a 'quality' pair of shorts only to have the same problem??

Along came Smartwool. I freaking LOVE their socks!   So, I joined their Fan Field Tester program, and received a few coupons for $20 off a $75 purchase. After poking around, drooling, and making a giant wish list, I decided to give the PhD Run Short a try.

I was happy from the start! The internal brief is sooo comfy! It is form-fitting, and elastic enough to conform to your form. It fit me very well, and the wool material continues up through the waistband, so all main next-to-skin points are Merino wool. The tie is stretchy, which gave me hope.  So, on they go for a 3 mile run.   At about 1/4 mile in, I instinctively glanced down. At this point, my Nike shorts are already riding up my waist. It took me a moment to realize the Smartwool shorts hand't moved.  And they didn't move. All 3 miles.  Not once did I have to re-tie, tug them down my waist, or tug material out from between my thighs!   I DID have to glance down and make sure I was still wearing them because the ventilation is that good.

I took them on a 4 miler a few days later and had the same wonderful experience. I put them on and didn't think about them again. Amazing!

Finally, this morning, I took them out for 3 miles in 94% humidity. This was the first time I had any awareness of my shorts. I was literally dripping sweat. I actually took my top off and ran in my sports bra for the first time in my life during the last mile of my run, that's how humid it was.  The Merino wool did its job beautifully. The brief and waistband wicked perfectly. I know it was only 3 miles, but no "swamp ass" feeling while running in that humidity? Whoa! The short material did stick to my legs a bit with all that moisture, which made it the first time I noticed my shorts. But, what I also noticed is that it would stick and release. I never had to tug the material off my thigh because it would let go on its own.

Shorts NOT being eaten by my thighs...

Shorts covering my bum!

I am 100% pleased with these shorts. They fit my athletic frame, and they perform exactly how I want them to perform.  They come in limited, but fun colors. They have one external pocket, but it does zip, so your small items will still be secure. They state that they have reflectivity, but  have yet to test it.   I hope they get more colors.. and that I get a second job, because I want about 10 more pairs of these shorts!!  I don't ever want to run in my other shorts again!

Fun stripes on the side... time to buy more shorts!!