When I started running I was aware that something sporty in the bra department would be necessary to keep my chest from giving black eyes to passers by. I owned 2 “sports bras” one came from Primark and was about as useful as chocolate fireguard in the bounce stopping department (and chocolate fireguards are even less useful as sports bras than they are as fireguards) and a Nike crop top type job that I bought when I joined a gym when I was 19, which is, erm, a very long time ago now.

So I binned the Primark one and went with the Nike crop top, which did a very good job considering it was over 10 years old. Possibly because I was significantly smaller at 19 than I am now so its compression properties were enhanced by being far too small for me. Eventually, though, it was obvious I was going to have to spend money on a proper sports bra. So I did some research and found that the Shock Absorber ultimate run bra was by far the best running bra. It’s not cheap, but I bit the bullet and forked out the £37.

First comment on this bra is that its sizing runs very small. And I mean very small. As I sit here currently I am wearing a Triumph bra in a size 32DD, in Bravissimo I have been measured as a 30E. So I took a 32DD into the changing room to try on and the band barely went round the sides of my chest, there was no way I could get them to meet. I ended up buying a 36D and it’s still a bit of a struggle to get done up, you can see in the picture below it’s on the loosest clip! It also has a clip in the centre back which you would need to a be a a Yoga master to get done up on your own. My advice is to leave it done up, put it on over your head and then do up the back strap.

Once you manage to get into it then it’s a great sports bra. I have no bouncing issues at all and both me and passers by are black eye free thanks to its “infinity-8” support system, whatever that is. It’s very obviously a bra, not a crop top, so I don’t think I’d feel comfortable running in it during the summer without something over the top, though it does helpfully have reflective strips, should you want to wear it alone and have reflective boobs. It’s coverage is more bra than crop top so it doesn’t poke out of the top of vests, so it’s fine to wear under lighter layers in Summer. It’s also not too compressing, so you don’t get that completely flat chested look, or end up with your boobs under your arms.

The only slight problem I have had is that occasionally the band starts to fold up a little after I’ve been wearing it a while. It hasn’t caused me any problems, but is a bit irritating and I have to straighten it out. It doesn’t do it every time, so maybe I just need to be a bit more careful that it’s on straight when I put it on!

So, now I’ve told you what size to buy and how to get into it I shall share a tip that could have saved me £20. One word. eBay.

Once I’d established that it was a good bra I wanted another, so I had a look on eBay and it’s available brand new from several sellers for under £20. I bought from pureseductionuk who sell lots of lingerie. It’s an authentic bra, brand new and tagged, and it only cost 17.95 + £1 p&p.

A bargain when you consider all the research and complicated fabrics it’s made of.

When I started running I was aware that something sporty in the bra department would be necessary to keep my chest from giving black eyes to passers by. I owned 2 “sports bras” one came from Primark and was about as useful as chocolate fireguard in the bounce stopping department (and chocolate fireguards are even less useful as sports bras than they are as fireguards) and a Nike crop top type job that I bought when I joined a gym when I was 19, which is, erm, a very long time ago now.

So I binned the Primark one and went with the Nike crop top, which did a very good job considering it was over 10 years old. Possibly because I was significantly smaller at 19 than I am now so its compression properties were enhanced by being far too small for me. Eventually, though, it was obvious I was going to have to spend money on a proper sports bra. So I did some research and found that the Shock Absorber ultimate run bra was by far the best running bra. It’s not cheap, but I bit the bullet and forked out the £37.

First comment on this bra is that its sizing runs very small. And I mean very small. As I sit here currently I am wearing a Triumph bra in a size 32DD, in Bravissimo I have been measured as a 30E. So I took a 32DD into the changing room to try on and the band barely went round the sides of my chest, there was no way I could get them to meet. I ended up buying a 36D and it’s still a bit of a struggle to get done up, you can see in the picture below it’s on the loosest clip! It also has a clip in the centre back which you would need to a be a a Yoga master to get done up on your own. My advice is to leave it done up, put it on over your head and then do up the back strap.

Once you manage to get into it then it’s a great sports bra. I have no bouncing issues at all and both me and passers by are black eye free thanks to its “infinity-8” support system, whatever that is. It’s very obviously a bra, not a crop top, so I don’t think I’d feel comfortable running in it during the summer without something over the top, though it does helpfully have reflective strips, should you want to wear it alone and have reflective boobs. It’s coverage is more bra than crop top so it doesn’t poke out of the top of vests, so it’s fine to wear under lighter layers in Summer. It’s also not too compressing, so you don’t get that completely flat chested look, or end up with your boobs under your arms.

The only slight problem I have had is that occasionally the band starts to fold up a little after I’ve been wearing it a while. It hasn’t caused me any problems, but is a bit irritating and I have to straighten it out. It doesn’t do it every time, so maybe I just need to be a bit more careful that it’s on straight when I put it on!

So, now I’ve told you what size to buy and how to get into it I shall share a tip that could have saved me £20. One word. eBay.

Once I’d established that it was a good bra I wanted another, so I had a look on eBay and it’s available brand new from several sellers for under £20. I bought from pureseductionuk who sell lots of lingerie. It’s an authentic bra, brand new and tagged, and it only cost 17.95 + £1 p&p.

A bargain when you consider all the research and complicated fabrics it’s made of.