A short story

Being part of a group run is always a great way to share your ideas and opinions.

It’s that wonderful combination of fresh air, a varying terrain and running shoulder to shoulder that really gets your brain whirring. No idea is too mad, no opinion too far-fetched in this relaxed, easy-going atmosphere.

So, it’s no surprise that many a problem is solved mid-way through a 5km outing and equally the best ideas suddenly become oh so obvious on your favourite evening run. Which is partly how Runderwear developed a new range of running shorts. Group runs, both with the team responsible for that amazing sporting underwear range we’ve all become so acquainted with and partly on outings with regular RunTogether-type runners helped create what at first glance is just simple piece of kit, but in reality is packed with the latest technology and understanding of your sporting apparel requirements.

Your opinion counts!

"When we are developing a new product at Runderwear, local runners play a huge part in every stage of the development." says Jamie, Head of Product and Co-Founder at Runderwear. "At the ideas stage, we set up focus groups with runners to get their ideas. Then, once we have a product prototype, we get as many runners as possible to try it out.

We are all runners at Runderwear and we love running with these groups, so we can see how they move in the product and make sure that it lives up to the Runderwear promise of total chafe-free comfort. When we created our Ultra Light Running Shorts recently, it was a two-year long process with dozens of prototypes and runner feedback sessions until we got a product we could be truly proud of."

It's great to hear your opinion counts! There’s plenty of supposed key running bits of kit that appear to have been developed with some other than ease of use in mind. And what’s also great great to hear is that technology is really being put to good use in this instance, although it’s safe to say however, not so many of us, even on the longest run, have given our shorts much attention. They seem, well, so basic. How wrong that is!

Today's technology

Think about it though, legendary miler Sir Roger Bannister, the first man under four minutes for the distance did so in tight cotton shorts. Given today’s understanding of biomechanics, fluidity of movement thanks to the clothes you’re wearing and temperature management - not to mention looks(!) - Roger’s shorts wouldn’t see the light of day now.

Even the late, great Ron Hill’s freedom shorts are a bit dated these days. He used his vast knowledge of fabrics and dispensed with cotton, preferring instead man-made fabrics and created a radical split up the leg to allow you to stride out more freely. After a bit of work, and the odd race where he revealed a little more thigh than he planned to, he came up with the forerunner to what we so love today.

They may look pretty nondescript, but in fact something like the Runderwear Ultra Light Running Shorts boasts a four-way technical fabric to allow full hip flexion and ease of movement. The silicone grip panelling and anti-loss looped waistband cord tailors your shorts to your own fit, while there’s an anti-sweat back pocket to carry things like keys or gels. And there you were thinking they just fitted well.

So next time you’re heading out, remember technology plays a huge role in everything we do – even in places you didn’t imagine!