Gear Check: Sports Bras

This is the first edition of a segment where I would like to go over essential gear for the geek girl runner. Or namely just me. It is totally biased, but not yet based on any sponsorship. If you want to sponsor me, I'm not saying no. Just don't be Pepsi or the Dallas Mavericks or any of those shows with a vampire. I hate teen vampire shows. Also, I can't be sponsored by new episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. It's pointless without Christopher Meloni and you know it and now he's on that vampire show on HBO so thanks, I've got to watch that now.

If you are a woman with a larger bust size, you may have noticed that there is a dearth in the world of sports bras. From what I've seen at the start line of many races, a lot of runners are not. In fact, I think what may be keeping a lot of women with larger cup sizes from running is the lack of a sufficiently supportive sports bra.  If you're not, you're thinking, what, I see those everywhere? My current bra size is a 38 F. If you're thinking0 not unreasonably- why don't I just lose some weight and reduce the size, that doesn't help me. No, really, all I've managed to do is get rid of the fat around them so that the underwire of my bra is now hitting rib. I'm actually starting to see some ribs and giant breasts, only made to appear larger by the fact that there is not much left around them.

If you do not have your 38 F bust under control, we are talking serious problems, people. Pain, sweat, nasty under the boob rashes- no, cards on the table, people! If you have a smaller bust and fall in the normal range for sports bras, well, good for you. No, really. Count yourself lucky that you can buy two for twenty dollar sports bras. I sadly cannot. Nike and Adidas only seem to go up to a C or D cup. The really expensive Under Armour Bras only go up to like a 40 D. I did attempt to try one of those on and could only get it over one breast. So, clearly that was not going to work.

Enter the Internet! For a lot of my running gear research, I go to Zappos. It's particularly good for bras because you can filter by size instead of clicking on a bra only to find out that the bra doesn't come in your size. They also have a special section for running where they've put all their running gear into one area for you. This is how I found my current bra: SHOCK ABSORBER D+ MAX SUPPORT SPORTS BRA N109

You're really forced to take stock when the company that makes your bra is called Shock Absorber. So, a  few reasons why this bra is great. One, it has all that moisture wicking jock stuff. Two, it keeps the girls up and back and trust me, they are not going anywhere. Three, padded straps so no digging into your shoulders. Mine was $59 and they do have some more expensive models and some that are meant to be specifically for running. That may seem like a lot of money, but face it, it's about what any quality bra for anything DDD cup or over costs and it beats having the girls out of control. In other words, money well spent. If Shock Absorber wants to sponsor me, I'm all ears. I also wouldn't mind a trip to the factory in England like when pro athletes go to the Nike Campus to be analyzed. If that trip was during the Olympics so be it, but I will settle for any date where either the Doctor Who Experience is open or where David Tennant is performing in live theater. I think he's doing a movie in Poland this summer so, fall? BBC America had that come up on my Facebook News Feed, I don't actually make a habit of keeping track of the whereabouts of David Tennant.

The Shock Absorber Website

Other sponsorships I would accept: Freebirds, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, BBC America, Spurs Sports and Entertainment, Bare Escentuals, Philosophy, Sephora. I would add Victoria's Secret, but since they don't make a bra my size, eh. Other sponsors may contact me and I will consider your proposal.