Lady Runners (the more well endowed ones, please)....

FrugalMomsRock75
FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been running in the mornings, and they aren't terribly long runs. Between 3 and 4 miles, and part of that is warm up walking.

I wear a HRM with chest strap. I have the T31, I believe it is, strap from Polar that the transmitter snaps on to. I wear a very good sports bra with lots of [tight] support. I don't feel my top moving around much (at all) while I'm running, but I get home, and inevitably there are like... raw areas on the bottom sides of my girls from the chest strap and monitor rubbing it. They get worse and worse as the week goes on, and they don't heal unless I take extensive time off of running (which I don't want to do)!!

I tried using medical tape on the areas that rub, but that didn't work. Even though it's waterproof, it's not sweatproof apparently. It came off.

Any suggestions? Please? It really hurts when they're raw and I'm sweaty. :-/

Replies

  • tabbydog
    tabbydog Posts: 4,925 Member
    I put my chest strap above the girls. I put it on before the bra. I think it is more accurate there......
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Hmm. I don't have that problem (though I am well endowed). I wonder if baby powder would help?
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    I saw a bra designed on bare necessities that was designed for hrms. The brand is called PureLime, those might work for you?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I put my chest strap above the girls. I put it on before the bra. I think it is more accurate there......
    Above the girls? I've never thought about that. If actually works there?
  • thomassd1969
    thomassd1969 Posts: 564 Member
    I have the Polar ft4 and I put the strap directly below my bra strap tightly. I have not had a problem. Hope it gets better
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Google "heart rate monitor sports bra" - there are a variety of models that weave the chest strap into the chest strap of your bra so the raw edges don't dig in. :flowerforyou:
  • erikazj
    erikazj Posts: 2,365 Member
    I put mine a good inch or so below the bottom of my bra. Also - make sure you are washing the strap regularly. Mine seems to get slightly stiffer from the sweat etc, which won't help. You could try putting some (quite a lot) of vaseline or body glide on the areas of your body where the strap rubs.
  • tabbydog
    tabbydog Posts: 4,925 Member
    I put my chest strap above the girls. I put it on before the bra. I think it is more accurate there......
    Above the girls? I've never thought about that. If actually works there?

    Yes, it works there. I read somewhere that is the proper placement, although I don't remember where I read it. I think it would slide around to much below. The girls help keep if from moving around, it can't slide down! :wink:
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I put my chest strap above the girls. I put it on before the bra. I think it is more accurate there......
    Above the girls? I've never thought about that. If actually works there?

    Yes, it works there. I read somewhere that is the proper placement, although I don't remember where I read it. I think it would slide around to much below. The girls help keep if from moving around, it can't slide down! :wink:

    The polar manual states below the boobs. I've never had mine slide around at all - it should be tight. It goes right under the bottom band of my bra. I didn't realize it would work up top either, but if it works for you, great!

    For the OP, I never had an issue with rubbing either, but definitely look into the sports bras. Polar makes one with the monitor built in.
  • BetterMike
    BetterMike Posts: 131 Member
    I don't fit the criteria but....If you run the same thing (3 to 4 mile at close to same pace) couldn't you just not wear the HRM all the time and assume you're doing about the same work?

    I'm not being snarky but I would guess that if you go over your logs you'll see that the fluctuation from day to day is probably small. So, heal up and wear it again until you need to stop.
  • TXCC
    TXCC Posts: 56
    I put mine a good inch or so below the bottom of my bra. Also - make sure you are washing the strap regularly. Mine seems to get slightly stiffer from the sweat etc, which won't help.

    ^^ this^^
    I had this problem and found that keeping it clean cleared up the problem. I wipe it off after every use and spray it with lysol every couple of days.
  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
    You can buy some anti chaffing rollon. They sell it at sporting goods stores. I will get random chaffing on my longer runs and yes, I too know the pain my salty sweat can be on it. Ouch. I find that using something like that helps a whole lot.
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
    I don't fit the criteria but....If you run the same thing (3 to 4 mile at close to same pace) couldn't you just not wear the HRM all the time and assume you're doing about the same work?

    I'm not being snarky but I would guess that if you go over your logs you'll see that the fluctuation from day to day is probably small. So, heal up and wear it again until you need to stop.

    I don't always run the same route, and I don't always run the same pace. I am pretty new to running, so I use my HRM a LOT in learning to pace myself. I'd like to take off running like I'm just sprinting, but I use the HRM to watch my HR and keep my pace at one that I can maintain. Even watching it I find myself up to the high 180's low 190's if I'm not paying close enough attention. I also change the route when I feel like it too-then come home and map it on mapmyrun.com to see my pace. Perhaps just not wearing it for a couple days will be an option if I keep the same route....after I learn to pace myself. :-/



    You can buy some anti chaffing rollon. They sell it at sporting goods stores. I will get random chaffing on my longer runs and yes, I too know the pain my salty sweat can be on it. Ouch. I find that using something like that helps a whole lot.

    Thanks. I'll look for some Sports Authority later.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    You can buy some anti chaffing rollon. They sell it at sporting goods stores. I will get random chaffing on my longer runs and yes, I too know the pain my salty sweat can be on it. Ouch. I find that using something like that helps a whole lot.
    Oh. Good idea. I've used this for cycling. Good stuff.
  • BetterMike
    BetterMike Posts: 131 Member
    This may help...

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2012/08/how-to-fix-heart-rate-strap-chaffing.html
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,293 Member
    With me, it was actually my bra, not the HRM that was chafing. Now I just make sure the two don't overlap anywhere.
    The advice on not wearing the HRM makes sense too - I burn roughly the same calories on a route, no matter how fast I am going (except if I am walking). For pacing, watch your breathing, and ditch the music.

    Good luck.

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