Sports bra nightmare
pobalita
Posts: 741 Member
I'm running my first marathon this weekend and I have major bra problem. Over the past few months as my runs have got longer and longer, I have been very careful about using the clothing that is going to work best for the marathon. I thought I had it all down. I wore the exact same outfit for my 18-mile run, 20-mile run, and a couple half marathons and had no problem with chafing, etc.
Last weekend I ran a half marathon as my final training run. I wore the exact same bra as I wore before, used BodyGlide like before. When I took the bra off after the race, the area where the lower band came across the front of my chest was bleeding and raw. The area is about half an inch wide and three inches long. I was hoping that it would heal before Saturday but there's just no way. It is sore and itchy and the scabs crack when I move. I have no idea why my bra suddenly turned on me - maybe my pace was a little faster or maybe I sweated more since the race started later than most.
I am concerned that the area will rub and bleed during the marathon. Does anyone have any idea how to deal with this? I just want to finish the marathon. I thought about moleskin but the idea of getting it off....ouch.
Edited to ask: Should I risk getting a new bra? I know the "nothing new" rule.
Last weekend I ran a half marathon as my final training run. I wore the exact same bra as I wore before, used BodyGlide like before. When I took the bra off after the race, the area where the lower band came across the front of my chest was bleeding and raw. The area is about half an inch wide and three inches long. I was hoping that it would heal before Saturday but there's just no way. It is sore and itchy and the scabs crack when I move. I have no idea why my bra suddenly turned on me - maybe my pace was a little faster or maybe I sweated more since the race started later than most.
I am concerned that the area will rub and bleed during the marathon. Does anyone have any idea how to deal with this? I just want to finish the marathon. I thought about moleskin but the idea of getting it off....ouch.
Edited to ask: Should I risk getting a new bra? I know the "nothing new" rule.
0
Replies
-
That sounds really horrible!! What about wrapping something like an ace bandage around your ribcage, if you do it tight it shouldn't shift and then nothing would rub?0
-
I always wear a compression shirt as a base layer for marathons, can you wear something like that under the sports bra?0
-
I really should not answer because I am not 100 percent certain. But, my wife gets that chafing a lot. I believe she puts bandaids over the sore areas, or, when the area is too big for a bandaid, waterproof first-aid tape.0
-
I used to have that problem until I found Lanacane anti-chafe. It is in a yellow tube and you can get it at Wal Mart and Walgreens. It doesn't sweat off like Body-Glide and I cannot survive running in the Summer months without it! Can't hurt to give it a try!0
-
All I can say is I love my Moving Comfort Maia bra- super comfortable, and I have never had a chafing problem- even after 12 hours. Internal underwire (like two bras) allows the chest band to be supportive but not tight to the point of pain. Good luck with the marathon!0
-
What material and style is your current bra?
I've never had a chaffing issue, but I am also a 32B and those things don't move around much.0 -
OUCH! What a nightmare.
I think as much as it will hurt to get it off, taping something over might be your best bet. :frown: At least it will keep it covered and nothing will be able to rub against it during the marathon. Waterproof tape, KT Tape (this will be really hard to take off), ect. Bandaids might not stay on through sweat and rubbing against bra. Maybe put some gauze under the tape to keep glue off your injury so it hurts a little less to take off?
I am guess that wearing a diffrent bra won't make much of a difference now that the damage is already done unless you have a bra that doesn't touch/cover the area that got hurt.
Good luck with the marathon.0 -
Don't get a new bra for the marathon. I really don't think it's a wise idea. I'm a 32E and I know it takes forever for me to get a new bra to a comfortable place. You may not like it, but a sports tape/ seal skin is probably the best idea. After that, give it a few days to rest and heal and after that, see if you can try some of the above listed ideas.
Good luck this weekend!0 -
Seems like the gauze/tape idea already floated might be your best bet; that's probably what I'd go with. I get bad chafing on my longest runs right in the middle of my chest from my heart rate monitor, but it's usually healed enough by the following weekend for me to be OK. The resulting wound I get doesn't sound as big as what you're dealing with, though :-(. Poor you! NOT what you want leading into a marathon. Sorry. Hopefully you can come up with something that protects the area but doesn't also annoy the crap out of you while you're running!0
-
Thanks for such great advice everyone. I think I will go with some type of cloth tape (instead of moleskin which I think would cause too much friction) with bodyglide over it since I think I can tape it so the tape won't rub off or become a problem itself. I know it's going to hurt when I take it off, but I think it will be less painful during the marathon.
On the bright side, it's looking a lot better this morning and the edges are healing well.0 -
I've got permanent scarring from that rubbage. I use Vaseline under it now.0
-
vaseline makes tiny little travel sized containers. I keep one in my race belt for all my long distance runs. I was glad to have it when I blister threatened at mile 15 of my marathon!0
-
I'm running my first marathon this weekend and I have major bra problem. Over the past few months as my runs have got longer and longer, I have been very careful about using the clothing that is going to work best for the marathon. I thought I had it all down. I wore the exact same outfit for my 18-mile run, 20-mile run, and a couple half marathons and had no problem with chafing, etc.
Last weekend I ran a half marathon as my final training run. I wore the exact same bra as I wore before, used BodyGlide like before. When I took the bra off after the race, the area where the lower band came across the front of my chest was bleeding and raw. The area is about half an inch wide and three inches long.
On a similar note a HRM strap I've been using for months rubbed me raw just as you described last weekend. I had a 2 inch long gash that was bleeding when I was done but it was only about 1/4 inch wide. I think the higher temps and the extra sweating are making it move around a lot more. This was just a 12 mile run and I've done much longer runs with no issues. Good luck. I at least have the luxury of not wearing it for a week while it heals.
I guess the solution is to wear bodyglide in the area?0
