Over the past few years I have trained for and ran four half marathons and one full marathon. That, combined with working as a health and fitness writer, means that I’ve tried out a hell of a lot of activewear.
I tend to prefer running in shorts (yes, even in the wind and rain during fall and winter). But the issue I find with running shorts time and time again is how much they ride up.
Some shorts are more problematic than others. I have run half marathons in cycling shorts and find myself pulling the length down the entire time I’m running. While I find that floaty shorts are a little too floaty, meaning that my thighs chafe together.
But I’ve finally found the perfect running shorts that don’t ride up too much, actually stick to my legs and are flattering too. The shorts are designed by a small woman-owned brand and ship worldwide. They quickly became my favourite shorts and I dread the day they’re in the laundry basket…
The Best Running Shorts
The shorts in question are from the brand, Chica, created by British runner, Maggie Klein.
If you’re a regular runner or know a thing or two about the online running community, you may have seen Maggie. She has been creating content for longer than her brand has been around, focusing on running at a slower pace and speaking about representation across activewear.
And since she launched the brand, you may have also seen these flashy shorts about as they are loved by a lot of runners across the board too. I’ve seen them gracing my Instagram feed across a lot of creators I follow. And it makes sense — because they actually tackle a lot of the issues female runners face.
Chica — Feel Good Short V1
Buy here from Chica for $66.20
There are several reasons why I’ve fallen in love with the shorts. Firstly, they come with two layers — a skintight cycling short-type of layer as well as a flowier layer over the top that looks fashionable and is functional.
And the best bit is, the tighter layer of the shorts have silicone grip dots that stop them from riding up, stopping thighs from chafing.
The shorts are a nice length too, with a 7″ inseam which is especially great to reduce any issues with riding up.
And just to add to the aforementioned benefits, these shorts come with an adjustable elastic cord and a lot of pockets which, until a few years ago, was basically nonexistent in women’s activewear. Let’s not forget that women need to carry round keys, headphones and cash too!
I have the ‘fresh bloom’ colour (pictured above) which has a lavender-coloured skintight layer and green layer over the top which also has reflective qualities for nighttime running. But, you can also get the shorts in other colours, including black, white and pink.
I think I’ve found my new race outfit…
