Buying a Sports Bra…For Women Who Really Need One.

Finally the prerequisite eight weeks have passed and she can run again. Her schedule has her starting on five-minute walk, five-minute run intervals. In terms of mileage, that gives her enough time to run to the bakery and eat a donut. How is this different from any other day?

Yes, running is hard and it isn’t until you’ve managed 5 km without vomiting that you feel worthy of the good stuff, the running gadgets that turn a seemingly cheap activity into an extremely poor investment because let’s be honest, like tires for a car, you depreciated four sentences ago. Of course, better maintenance means an aging body that works and looks better. For flat chested people this means softer toilet paper. For Natasha it means a good sports bra.

The most difficult aspect of running for Natasha has been finding a sports bra that provides support after several washes and doesn’t rip into her skin. Although a well-fitted bra is important for all women it is particularly challenging for the more well-endowed because factors like cup size, body circumference and torso length make finding a perfect fit more complicated. And there are a hundred different ways a sports bra can chaff you. Despite reviews on the Internet or profession bra fittings, you won’t know for sure if what you bought works until you’re bruised and hemorrhaging, when it’s unlikely the salesperson is going to take it back. You’re best chance is to know what to look for before you buy so Natasha’s going to share some tips.

1. Shoulder strap

Is the strap adjustable? A lot of back cross-over bras are not and this leads to a poor fit especially if you tend to have better posture in front of a mirror than crawling 500 metres up a hill. While you probably don’t look like Quasimodo running, it’s also unlikely that you’re sticking your chest out like a Victoria Secret model. Torso lengths vary. Make sure the strap gives you cushioning and enough adjustability so that over time as the fabric stretches you still get a good fit.

2. Seams

Check the stiffness of the edges. Areas to watch out for are around the shoulders and around the torso. If they’re paper thin they will cut like one. Zigzag seams have more of a pillow effect than straight seams.

Straight seam, sharp edges

Zigzag seam, cushioned edges

3. Elastic around the Torso

This should be wide and snug (not tight). While the over-the-shoulder boulder-holder is fighting off inertia, the elastic should be immovable because it ‘anchors’ the entire bra. Be wary of bras where the material from the cup is sewn only to the very bottom of the bra. As you run, the cup will pull on the elastic. If it’s not reinforced by two seams, the bottom of the elastic will start to turn up. Also pick a size bra that fits when using the middle closures for added room to adjust later on.

elastic is not secured to seam

4. Cup

It should lie smoothly with no wrinkles to avoid chafing. You shouldn’t be spilling out over the top (the sides are not as big a deal for vertical motion although this could suggest wrong size) and in fact some bras are made with extra support on the top of the cup to keep you ‘pinned’ down.

5. The Usual Advice

Don’t wear cotton, discard your bra as frequently as your runners, and look for breathability features. Don’t buy anything you haven’t tried unless you can return it. Ratings/reviews are only helpful in suggesting problem areas. Natasha won’t recommend a type of bra because everyone’s body is different. Judging by the lack of choice in the stores, this is something manufacturers still don’t seem to get. 

An Era of Weird Etiquette

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“What exactly did she say?”

“Sure.”

“She said sure? You mean like ‘sure I wouldn’t have it any other way’ or ‘sure if you’ve got nothing better to do’ ?”

Several months ago they were invited to a wedding. It was a very casual invite made over a few drinks. Since then she’s seen the bride and has been reminded that she is indeed invited (the invitation came somewhat as a surprise). She’s asked the bride about her wedding plans, the dress and décor, and the bride seemed surprisingly relaxed. She’s letting the mother-in-law handle the details, she said. This will be a Turkish wedding. Natasha’s excited about visiting this country but as usually there’s a snag. The wedding is in less than two months and Natasha has no idea where and when it is. This problem is not new.

Several years ago Natasha and Cam were invited to a wedding in Canada, again very casually. Two months before the wedding they received an invitation which, if you’re travelling overseas, is really pushing it. The problem again was that the invitation didn't tell them where or when the wedding started nor did it include an RSVP card. It occurred to Natasha then, as it does now, that perhaps the invite was more of a thoughtful gesture than an actual desire to have them attend.  Kind of like bumping into someone on the street and saying, ‘we should get together for coffee’ and yet knowing at the same time this will never happen. In the end the wedding was cancelled. ‘The wedding has been postponed’ she announced on FACEBOOK!

It’s a bit uncomfortable pressing the bride for details especially when you don't know if she’s deliberately avoiding them.  Natasha completely understands if she miscalculated the number of attendees and feels overwhelmed with the cost. On the other hand, she’s not going to show up and be bounced out because her name’s not on a list. She’ll give it one more week before making other plans. 

At least it’s not the weirdest invitation. She once received an email invite to a wedding that was only for fifty people. Like a giveaway, only the first 50 to reply got to go.

Yes, My Hands Need to be Flat.

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks Natasha is ‘easy-going’. For her, life is too short to pass the time without plans; her body too precious to consume bitter wine sold off the bottom shelf and food so varied it would be a sin not to spend time making a great meal when she  doesn't really enjoy cooking at all. Her fastidiousness extends to her sleeping habits.

It’s not enough to have a bed and clean sheets (yes, they need to be clean). To be ‘tucked in’ means an ergonomic pillow to support her head, a pillow to support her knees, it must be completely dark, her shoulders and ears need to be covered and her hands need to be flat, if possible some sort of weight should be on her, like an arm, leg or alien life form. Obviously she’s adapted to sleeping without some of these items but to reach an optimum REM state, it’s best to have them all. And Cam loves accommodating her. Right honey?

In the winter sleep comes easy. Now that the sun is rising earlier, she’s like a little kid who can’t wait to get up. Cam loves this too. Especially because the pollen levels outside are now high and all the energy she has, has been bottled up in the apartment and bouncing off the walls for several weeks now. It’s a good time to make plans for the summer. Camping, road trips, hiking and some out-of-country excursions that are oh so easy to do in Europe. Her first trip will be to Serbia to visit her friend Kat. Hoping she has some fresh sheets.

How about you? What are your plans this summer?

Tablets are for Commandments

Against all good sense, least of all because she’s already got thirty waiting on a shelf at home, she went to a second hand book sale last weekend….twice. She loves books like Carrie Bradshaw loves shoes so it’s unfortunately she’s a slow reader. There is some debate about the livelihood of paper books and she wouldn't want to live in a world where bookstores no longer exist, but she also doesn’t think she’ll have too. 

proceeds go to the local library

Natasha owns an e-reader and she uses it regularly. She finds it more convenient to carry around, she likes being able to read in the dark and most of all she loves being able to  instantly buy anything recommended to her instead of waiting till the next trip to the bookstore. There are, however, some draw backs. 

For example, as a cookbook the electronic medium is not desirable. Not only are pictures uninspiring and small but the logistics of flipping pages from say the index back to the recipe is a nightmare with lemon juice, onions and basil logged into your nails. She’s also noticed that with her Kobo Glo instructional books with tables and figures have very poor resolution and in some cases are unreadable. And, of course, there’s something to be said about the artistry of a book cover, how it stirs imagination even before it is read, and the traditions behind storytelling. While I may have outgrown picture books, my nieces haven’t and I long for the day I can take them to a bookstore and let them pick whatever they want. I have fond memories of sitting in a circle at a library book reading that could never be replaced by a kindle. 

Long live paper books! Rejoice the e-reader! Praise a time in history when there are both!

Up Close and Weird

She read somewhere that things you don’t like about yourself can be reflected in people around you. In other words, habits you find annoying in others are usually habits you find annoying in yourself. Like being late, impatient or disorganized. They call it mirroring. Natasha met a woman the other day who apparently does that.

They were sitting next to each other in a restaurant. This was part of an expat group that meets once a week for advice, company and support. It was Natasha’s first time and she came out of curiosity and boredom. Always a dangerous game when you’re dealing with strangers.

Anyway, this woman politely asked Natasha: where are you from, what do you do, how long have you been here? It turned out she was retired, from Spain and spoke perfect English. In her 60’s, petite frame with short, wild black hair, she also seemed to have a hearing impairment. She was positioned so far into Natasha’s comfort zone, Natasha spent most of the conversation recoiled, chin in neck, eyes wandering, struggling to find somewhere to focus. At two feet it’s possible to see a person as a whole. Up close, eyes must find somewhere to land.

“It’s cool outside.” Those are heavy eyebrows. “But it’s great for a run.” You might want to see a dentist. “I’ll need to buy some shorts.” And blow your nose. “Which I’ll end up getting at Manor.” Is that melanoma? “But they probably (she nodded) …won’t have (she shook her head)…my size (she shrugged)…although (she grinned)…I have (she held her breath)… lost (hands in the air)… weight.”(she claps).

Lady, what the hell are you doing?

Natasha sat back and saw a gapping mouth, lips in suspension and a tilted head. It seemed, in an effort to be agreeable, this woman was trying to anticipate the next thing and mood Natasha would have.

“Um…maybe you should say something.”

It’s one thing to be agreeable, it makes for easy chitchat, but it’s rare to have someone mime your emotions. At least, she hopes that's what she was doing. Later Natasha will spend a few hours in front of a bathroom mirror, making sure she doesn’t look like that.