Runner disaster stories: Wardrobe malfunction

If you run long enough, you will do something stupid or encounter some sort of running mishap. In this series, I’ll try to make you feel better about your own mistakes and occasional bouts of misery by sharing others tales of woe! Such as the previous post ‘The unfortunate incident of the improvised gel pouch”

Today’s tale comes from Sheila and will remind female runners of the benefits of modern running gear!

The wardrobe malfunction

It was a very hot day and I was getting ready for a 10km race. I was picking out my race outfit. This was in the late 80s before Lululemon and general availability of sports bras. My old cotton bra was more breathable and also had a few holes to let the breezes so it seemed a better idea than the nylon one. I selected shorts and a suitable cotton race T shirt and headed out for the race.

At first, it seemed I had made the right decision. Unfortunately, as I ran, gradually the fastener at the back seemed to be getting looser and looser. The course was 5 km out and 5 km back. Shortly after the turnaround the fastener broke completely. The straps started to slip down my arms, poking out of the shirt sleeves, so I had to push them back up onto my shoulders.  Eventually the chest strap and cups themselves slipped far enough that everything under the shirt was loose and bouncing. The kilometers passed as the shoulder straps and I continued our endless game of slide down the shoulders and push them back up again. With great relief, I spotted the finish line. What better way to ensure I didn’t cross the finish with bra straps around my elbows: I crossed the finish line with my arms triumphantly raised above my head.

Who is Sheila?

Well among other things she’s my mom and she was quite the trailblazer in women’s road running. While these days there will often be multiple women competing for the podium in the 60+, 70, and 80+ age groups. When she was running, more than once race organizers had to add an age group because they did not expect any women her age in the race. She qualified for and ran her first Boston marathon the year she turned 65. In her own words:

I started racing when I turned 40, after three years of competitive orienteering convinced me I could run, though not as fast as eldest daughter Judy or my six-foot husband Tim. I have always liked exercise and the outdoors.

One of my favourite running memories is the Boston marathon. The hills did not seem alarming to a woman trained in Fredericton (note from Susan: Fredericton is a river valley and has no shortage of long, steep hills). The cheering students could have been my own (note from Susan: she taught at St Thomas University for over 20 years). Another favorite memory was having almost the whole family running a 10km in Montreal to celebrate my 70^th birthday in 2008, finishing in the Olympic Stadium . Alas, Tim’s knee problems meant he could only meet us at the finish.

If you run or jog you may enjoy my other running related posts which include everything from a fun runners quiz, to practical tips, gear reviews, and race reports.

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