Long Hair+Long Run=Tangled Rats Nest

avaloneternal

Hi, I am a marathon runner and every time I finish a long run I am reminded why all the competitive female runners I see have short, boyish haircuts... as I spend ten minutes combing the rats nest out of my ponytail. I have tried everything from braids (too heavy and fall out because of my layers), putting elastics down every inch or so of the ponytail (still tangles, still kinda heavy)... Any long haired exercises have a solution to my hair dilemma... Basically a hairdo that does not result in bruises from beating me up as I run for 4 hours straight, but also stays untangled so I do not curse like a sailor after my shower... Hoping someone has already found a great solution.

avaloneternal

oops I meant long haired exercisers, my r key must have stuck.

jgic2009

Have you tried putting it up in a bun? I don't like to have a ponytail or braid touching my neck when I run, so that's my solution.

sillygoose1977

The same thing happens to mine when I ride. I usually put it in two dorky braids. I have layers too and the 2 braids hold it better than one.

speakz82

Pig tails. You lose about 10 years, and tend to have teenage boys staring at you...but I've found it keeps your hair ratty free.

KimertRuns13_1

Braids or a bun are the only thing I can do to keep my long hair from being such a mess when I run.

kardowling

Been there, What worked for me were French braids or one french braid. It takes a while to do but with practice goes faster. Keeps hair neat and secure. Also a little product in hair (I like Potion by Paul Sebastion) or leave in conditioner helps. I've also done a bun or a regular braid through the back of my favorite cap. Good luck. Keep Running. Ive done 3 marathons, quite a few halfs, and hope another marathon in Oct.!!

auticus

I run with long hair. When I'm playing soccer I pull it up. When I'm doing distance running I leave it down.

datguy2011

a fresh cut?

ShapeUpSidney

Hi, I am a marathon runner and every time I finish a long run I am reminded why all the competitive female runners I see have short, boyish haircuts... as I spend ten minutes combing the rats nest out of my ponytail. I have tried everything from braids (too heavy and fall out because of my layers), putting elastics down every inch or so of the ponytail (still tangles, still kinda heavy)... Any long haired exercises have a solution to my hair dilemma... Basically a hairdo that does not result in bruises from beating me up as I run for 4 hours straight, but also stays untangled so I do not curse like a sailor after my shower... Hoping someone has already found a great solution.

talk to some Army girls. I know in the army, a ballet style bun, with lots of bobby pins was pretty much my only solution

Diary_Queen

You could take it a step farther and do the two pigtails put into buns ala Princess Leia..... might get a whole other crowd stairing at you though!! I put my hair in a super high ponytail and then only pull the last time halfway through, makeshift bun sort of. My hair is in layers and I'm pretty much rat free

hahacoralk

princess laia braids- just try it, it works.

JoyfulSparkle

Hair screws, I love them! Put that mane up in a ponytail first, the instructions say not to, but do it! THen a french twist or bun thingy. Keep up the good work!

blueyeb

Pony tails keep my hair out of my face, but it's also long so it too gets matted and sweaty and it usually brings on a headache. Buns never stay in either, also give me a headache. The only style that works for me on a long run is a french braid. If it's really hot out, I will pin the long part of the braid up into and underneath the top part of the braid with bobby pins and a little hairspray. Or I will do a french braid down each side of my head and pin or braid the 2 tails together.

rml_16

I wrap mine into a tight bun on top of my head. Works great and I don't get the hair sticking to the sweat on my neck.

Emwalker3406

What I do since my hair is so long and gets in the way easy is I pull it half up( to prevent hair slipping out into my face) with a hair clip (my hair is so heavy i get headaches with a ponytail holder that high) then braid it using the pulled back part as the center section starting the braid. I then flip the braid up and fasten with a scrunchy and i don't have the pounding on my back, headache or hair in my face. I hope you find a do that works well for you.

avaloneternal

Seriously, this is why I love this site Thanks for all the feedback. Gonna test the pigtails on my long run today... Y'all rock

atsteele

Grow out the layers?

Legs_McGee

My friend that I run with all the time has long naturally curly hair that can turn into a big tangle....but at the marathon last Sunday she just tucked her ponytail against her head with strap of her visor (instead of having her ponytail sticking out the top, like usual) and miracles of miracles - her hair stayed nice and smooth. And we were running in gale force winds too.

mollb

My hair just reached the length that the half-pulled through ponytail isn't enough to adequately keep it out of the way anymore, so I'm switching to a bun. I can't stand the feeling of a ponytail on my back as I run.

MobileRanger

Had a similar problem when I am on my bike. I cut the sleave off and old short sleave shirt, took my hair and pulled it through the sleave and wore it like a do rag. Worked great for me. Also, a standard do rag works well too.

Keiora

I absolutely understand... I not only have long hair but it's super curly sooooo EXTRA knots... What i do is two french braids then I take the hang-y down tails and just tie them together in a couple of knots at the back of my neck... Works for me anyway. XD

atsteele

Oh and Mane and Tail Conditioner. Use with the Mane and Tail Shampoo or not. You can use it as a rinse-out or as a leave-in conditioner (middle and end of hair only). I really think it helps with the tangles when you use a small amount as a leave-in conditioner.

theresmynapkin

Bumping this... Hope no one minds.

Some of these seem so time consuming and (for me) frustrating. How does anyone get their bun to stay? my buns fall out if I'm just walking around through my daily activities. Forget about running! And I'm really not very talented at braiding either...
Perhaps by bumping this there will be more suggestions that arise??

Btw my hair is also curly, and about three inches away from being to my butt... Needless to say I feel like crying after my run & shower. Cutting it is not an option. It's my security blanket

kristinegift

Some of these seem so time consuming and (for me) frustrating. How does anyone get their bun to stay? my buns fall out if I'm just walking around through my daily activities. Forget about running! And I'm really not very talented at braiding either...
Perhaps by bumping this there will be more suggestions that arise??

I have some no-slip hair bands that I use to pull my hair into a pony tail and then I use a regular hair band to wrap it around and tie it up like a bun. It sometimes looks sort of crazy by the time I'm done running, but no hair falls out and it's not super tangled when I get done.

trout3063

So I tried something new today...I brushed my hair post run, but before i got in the shower. Then I was able to brush it MUCH easier post washing! Not sure if it was a fluke or my run today didn't get my hair as tangled as other runs...but I'm going to try this again on my longer runs coming up...then the rats from the run are brushed out when my hair isn't as wet, and the act of washing it doesn't typically rat it up the same.

Hope this helps too!

Sondras09

Bumping this... Hope no one minds.

Some of these seem so time consuming and (for me) frustrating. How does anyone get their bun to stay? my buns fall out if I'm just walking around through my daily activities. Forget about running! And I'm really not very talented at braiding either...
Perhaps by bumping this there will be more suggestions that arise??

Btw my hair is also curly, and about three inches away from being to my butt... Needless to say I feel like crying after my run & shower. Cutting it is not an option. It's my security blanket

Try the bun sock method. Its how i wore my hair (as do most females) all through basic training. It holds your hair well. Especially if you use a hair tie not bobby pins.

Wendy__D

Bumping this... Hope no one minds.

Some of these seem so time consuming and (for me) frustrating. How does anyone get their bun to stay? my buns fall out if I'm just walking around through my daily activities. Forget about running! And I'm really not very talented at braiding either...
Perhaps by bumping this there will be more suggestions that arise??

Btw my hair is also curly, and about three inches away from being to my butt... Needless to say I feel like crying after my run & shower. Cutting it is not an option. It's my security blanket

For me the doing multiple elastics works better than braiding and it's quicker too. I know it didn't work for the OP, but maybe it would for you? I do a small pony tail at the top of my head since around my face it's most likely to pull free, another "halfsie" pony tail, one at the nape of my neck, and another one or two with what's left. My hair isn't as long as yours though. I'd say an elastic every 2-3" would be good though.

Zoeeee_xx

I do a really high pony tail and then make it into a messy bun and use hair pins for the bits that dont go in my bobble. I use about 3-4 bobbles to make it feel secure. Easy to brush out afterwards too.

GabrielleZelda

The absolute BEST hairstyle I have found that WORKS every single time, is a very tight, pinned, knotted bun.

Here are the steps!
- tie your hair in a high ponytail
- Split in two and twist the two strands together, like a two stranded braid
- Then wrap the twisted ponytail in a circle to form the bun
- Finally take some bobby pins and stick in half a dozen or so.
(for an intense workout I usually add a head band as well in case a few strands come out, but they usually dont)

It actually looks pretty cute for day-to-day, too, if you add some hairspray - but that's another matter!

this REALLY stays in place all day regardless of the activity - even in the rain!

kunibob

Not sure what you define as long (my hair is tailbone length, so my definition is a bit skewed :P), but if it's long enough, I find that a bun with a hair stick holds, and because the hair stick pins it to my head, I don't get a headache. Sometimes it slips out, but usually it holds pretty well. For me, it has to be a hair stick -- elastics do not hold my hair at all, and I get headaches and bouncing from elastics.

At races, I generally put my hair into two braids and then put that into a ponytail. The braids keep my hair from matting, and the ponytail keeps them from feeling too heavy or flopping around.