Yes, you read the title correctly.
No, I didn’t mean to write ‘sports psychology.’
This is one of those blog entries that is incredibly important and one of which I have invested a huge amount of time, effort and research into.
It has been discussed in a wide number of places in recent weeks – with the onset of the very cold weather, do you still wear shorts, or do you opt for longer running tights or something similar.
I have been out running in the early mornings on the seafront here and though we’ve had no snow, the sand has been crunchy underfoot, pools of water are iced up and it is cold, espeiclaly with the sea winds hammering in to the shore. The rest of the UK has been much colder though and some parts have snow. Enough to build miniature snowmen!
I have been wearing a base layer, a pretty thick mid layer and a running jacket. I also wear a buff around my neck and a hat to keep my head warm as my hair is thinning. My ears appreciate that too. I will wear gloves on occasion, but pretty much always end up taking them off after about a mile, and I think that is a key piece of advice to give anyone setting out on their run – think about how warm you’ll feel in a mile’s time rather than how cold you are right now.
However, I always wear shorts. I never wear tights – three quarter length or full leg length. I just won’t do it. In fact, I can’t. Mentally, I can’t.
Shorts represent an attitude, a psychological stance, a way of life. Yes, wearing shorts in a mindset. In particular, wearing shorts regardless of how cold it is.
A bit like that Newcastle United football fan.
Regardless of the weather, he takes his shirt off at the games. I can assure you it gets colder up there than it does down here too. I suspect this particular chap is not much of a runner though, so he does not even get to warm himself up by running. Big assumption I know, I am just guessing. His mindset and attitude is all he needs to keep himself warm.
It is the same mindset, I guess, as those famous Geordie girls who wear very short skirts in the middle of winter, as featured in this Daily Mail article a few years back.
When I’m out running, shorts make me feel like a runner. When my running shorts go on, my running mindset clicks in. Plus, my legs are famous for resembling those huge legs of ham you see dangling from the ceiling in a traditional Spanish tapas bar. I have thighs that Stuart Pearce would be proud of. They do not look good in running tights. Plus my legs are really hairy and despite my fair hair colour, the hairs on my legs poke through the tights and look even more weird. I’m just not designed for them.
The discussions are ensuing on twitter, on Facebook groups and everywhere.
Shorts psychology rules the day though. A highly evolved evidence based psychological professional has no place saying such a thing, but running in shorts makes me feel like a proper runner. A running man. I’m going to apply for the North Pole marathon and I’m going to run it in shorts just to prove a point.
Thanks for reading, like I said, this was important. Remember, shorts is an attitude.
*Takes tongue out of cheek and goes about day*
