In the 1980’s it was not only OK for guys to wear short shorts, it was cool! As you can see from the pictures above, even NBA giants like John Stockton and Michael Jordan wore shorts that today might be referred to as “Daisy Dukes.” In the 90s the style for mens’ shorts continued to lengthen. By the time we entered the 2000’s it was almost unacceptable for a guy to wear shorts that revealed his kneecaps.
Male Cross Country athletes have not been immune to the fashion trend, but at the highest levels, short shorts are still enjoying their heyday. Why? We believe it’s because short shorts feel faster and most runners would rather look silly while getting a huge PR than look cool and running slow. The questions for this week and this blog is, “Should male distance runners continue to ignore widely accepted fashion trends or should they conform to the long short fad and at least mix in a pair of half tights?”
(Tim)
When I was coaching in Denver in the early 2000s my high school boys loved to wear basketball shorts to practice. When they found some pictures of me in high school wearing short flag shorts, they laughed until their stomachs hurt. I tried to explain to them that when I was in school this was considered cool, and if they had been in high school in the 80s they would have worn them too. They continued to point and laugh at me so I defiantly told them, they were not fast enough to wear short shorts anyway and that if they did come to practice in short shorts I would send them home. I told them they had to EARN the right to wear short shorts. They loved this challenge and asked what they had to do. I told them that if the 4X800 relay team could average under 2:00 per leg then they could all wear flag shorts and nobody could make fun of them. Two weeks later they broke 8:00 in the 4X800 and the following took place….
Now it was my turn to laugh, but they embraced the short shorts from that point on, and other runners tried to earn the right to wear them.
(Adam)
I have spent so much of my life wearing short shorts, that I almost can’t tell the difference. I often find myself in the grocery store after a workout drawing awkward stares from the other customers. When I realize that I am shopping in shorts that have not been cool (outside the running world) in almost 20 years, I start to feel a little self conscious. Here is my theory on guys wearing short shorts:If you are running faster than 6 minutes and 30 seconds per mile, then you are allowed to wear short shorts. If you are running slower than 7 minutes a mile, then you need to have shorts that go down to just above your knees. I know I commented after the “How to Spit” blog that it is not so much how fast you run, but how good you look doing it, but when it comes to shorts, I think it is a combination of the two. In order to look good wearing short shorts you have to be running fast. When I am slow and old like Tim, then I will have to consider mixing in some longer shorts. I wish he would!
What is your opinion?
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37 Responses to “Who Wears Short Shorts?”
Brad Anderson
I wear split side shorts EVERY run. They are more comfortable. All others be damned. I don’t care what anyone says. I have kids I coach, sometimes joke about them. But I don’t care. They are the most comfortable. Running is tough enough, you may as well be comfortable doing it. I don’t think it has anything to do with how fast you are.
I tell kids I coach that once they start wearing them, they won’t want to wear anything else. When they take the plunge, the agree with me. Real men wear short shorts.
Tim
Awesome! What percentage of your runners convert and become real men?
Jones
I always wear short shorts too. I am a competitive bodybuilder and former runner/triathlete so I grew up wearing short shorts. I get a lot of stares when I walk into a store or even at the gym, but for the most part, it’s positive. More than anything else, people ask me for my training routine and how I developed my legs and glutes. If you have the body and performance, go for it.
gRace
Men should wear briefs like the women! We would get more spectators! This is definately a very sexy thought!
Tim
More spectators or less? I think this might scare them away!
pscx
Like so many things, it’s all about “context.” Splits on runners – WHILE RUNNING – are awesome. DON’T WEAR THEM TO STARBUCKS afterward. No one needs to see your gear while they’re grabbing a latte.
Tim
Ha! Tell that to Adam next time you see him wearing his Daisy Dukes and sipping a macchiato!
Rick Phelps
I think your shorts length should correspond to how fast you FEEL. I know runners who feel they are blindingly fast when doing 8:30 per mile.
I also swim for xtraining. It is hilarious when I see guys try to swim in those long basketball shorts. Talk about drag! Speedo’s fit the way they do for a reason.
Tim
Good point Rick! We wil have to bring this one up on the radio show! Dudes swim in basketball shorts? Wow!
Rick Phelps
They try..
Edgar Alejandro
I guess you could say some guys do go out there to swim in board shorts, i mean lane swimming not just going to the pool. I have been guilty of this but only when I have forgotten the jammers and decide to swim some lengths instead of just sitting in the hot tub, ja. But swimming in board shorts is by far not the wisest of ideas, you may think you look cool (too cool for speedos) but you definitely won’t be looking cool if you are minutes slower than that cool dude with jammers, your relay tri team can’t be happy about your swim split…
keith Conway
I used to wear short, shorts til a year ago and I now love wearing baggier knee length shorts especially with the compression liner. On long runs I would chafe with short, shorts.
Liz
I would agree with Adam about the pace requirements for wearing short shorts, except, what about the dudes that had their best running days in the 70s/80s but are still out there ‘shuffling’ along over 7:00 pace with their old tattered local 5K t-shirts and neon split shorts and mustaches? I say they earned those short shorts, forever and always!
Kyle Vines
As the creator of the famous facebook page “Distance Runners are the Sexiest. Nuff said” I would say that short shorts are not only the sexiest thing to wear but its the only thing to wear if you are a true runner. Embrace it and when people make fun of you, leave them speechless with your performance on the track
Corbin
The was I see it, we spend all our time chiseling our legs to shear perfection, and it would therefore be selfish of us to hide them from spectators during our runs.
Zach Metz
As the former proud owner of those sweet flag shorts in the picture above, i have to say that short shorts are awesome, and I loved to wear them. Like Adam I agree in the speed requirement to wear short shorts, however as I have increased in age and decreased in pace I have found a loophole. I will wear normal length shorts and then roll the waist band up while running. That way after the workout you just unroll them and look normal. The only issue that comes up is the fact that you potentially look stupid without a shirt to cover up the band, or some other strategic way to roll them up. But as you typically increase in slowness your fatness typically increases and a shirt becomes a necessity.
Timo Mostert
I refuse to call them short shorts; they are running shorts and were made for running. I can’t stand running in anything else. Besides, I’m the same age as John Stockton and still sub 7 pace on my long runs.
Half Splits and Flag Shorts Rule!
Nate Houle
Timo, I figured you shared this link because it contained mention of flag shorts. No competitive runner should be seen running in long shorts.
Aron
Here yee here yee
jason jensen
It was also a lot of fun when we (same 4 in pic + burger) took 6 of top 10 in Winter Park half Marathon the following year! most of the kiddos on team still run with the short shorts – in fact I bought some for team, and kids are asking for them!
Alas, I do not meet the speed req, but I still wear em underneath!
jason jensen
Edit* We were wearing those flag shorts during half marathon. Race director was all about it!!
Aron
My brother came over for a run and the only pair of shorts I had were these adidas high cut shorts which looked like flaps connected to the hips. When we were 120-130 we may have felt legit wearing them but when your 175-185 it is one of the funnier sights and does wonders for the “who has the largest quads in the universe” competition. Pretty funny. Incidentally, none of his teams athletes wear short shorts.
Jones
My quads measure 31 ripped inches and can squat 675 lbs for reps. I can also run the 40 yard dash in 4.5 seconds. Got a problem with my legs?
Spencer Koff
I think having it broken down by a time you need to run is ridiculous. The sport doesn’t belong to the swift. Do we need to show our times to buy racing flats too? Is just wanting to be fast or more comfortable not enough? Split side short shorts are great for ANYONE who wants to wear them.
Tim
Spencer – After further review, we have to agree with you! Long live the Split Shorts for everyone!!!
Sierra Stevens
I think that it is okay for guys to wear short shorts. Why can’t they? I mean girls wear them right? So guys should too. Besides, they’ll do it anyways if they think that they will run faster
Mike
Been wearing split shorts since the early 80s, and can’t bear to wear anything longer. Swimming. cycling, triathlon and running have made my legs look good, and I’ll be d*mned if I’m going to hide them. My wife catches flack from all of her friends (who don’t have the guts to talk to me about them); she tells them they’re jealous of my legs and they either can shut up and train or they can just shut up.
Lew
Hey Mike, I’ll bet alot of your wife’s complaining friends are overweight and wish they trained. It’s funny how people shred you when they should be looking at themselves. How come what you wear is bothering them? Hmm… I wear split leg shorts and damn the torpedos! Full steam ahead!!!
Mckenze
There was this guy who was on the team when I ran in high school and he had this theory that “the shorter the shorts, the more intense the runner.” Yeah… that is FAR from true. My opinion, split shorts are ok for practice and racing but I don’t think guys should wear them around in public. Then even then, I also think it’s only really ok that the guys wear short shorts when they are actually good. The guys who aren’t so good just look funny when they are running in short shorts at practice and getting owned by all these other people…
Erik
Short splitshorts are the only thing to wear for running if you are serious. I´ve used short splis since the 80s when they were in fashion. But over the years it has becom increasingly difficult to get them, but I´ve found the place. If you go to soark.com they have 80s style nylon splits. Extremely comfortable – have run 10 marathons in them.
Nathan
I think the whole trend of men wearing extremely baggy “shorts” that are almost the length of “capris” is absurd. The point of shorts is comfort, freedom of movement, cooling, and perhaps to show off nice legs. When did it happen that for men to want any of the above outside of actual sports, is wrong? Yes some men have unattractive legs–but so do plenty of women. Men, for the most part, actually have more muscular, leaner legs than women–and if leg hair upsets people, men can and do shave their legs with increasing frequency. We live in a culture that seems to presume men have gross bodies that should be hidden.
Ken
This summer, when the temperatures at 6am were over 85 with high humidity and dew point in the mid 70′s, I decided that even though I’m not nearly fast enough to wear split shorts that the weather was dictating that the only way to get any running in was to wear the minimum possible. Once fall comes I’ll consider going make to the more modest running togs.
Anonymous
I always were short running shorts and a tank top even if it is 4o degrees, I always have and am comfortable with it. I go to class that w
Luke
I agree with lots of the comments here. I’m not competitive, not very fast either … but I enjoy running for fitness and I am most comfortable in short split shorts. Getting from my house to the park attracts some stares, but once in the park, it doesn’t seem to attract so much attention.
California Runner & Swimmer
I absolutely hate the look and feel of the Down-To-The-Knee style in men’s athletic wear. Same goes for “Boardie” shorts and “Jammer” swim suits. They distort the shape and form of your body and look deformed.
I believe the long & baggy style originated in the early 90s with NBA star Michael Jordan, then the anti-gay establishment promoted the stereotype that men who wore short shorts and speedo swim trunks were a signaling for a hook up.
However I don’t want the style for men’s athletic wear determined only by the NBA (or a bunch of bigots) and I hate wearing what resemble pajama bottoms for running and swimming.
The bottom line (no pun intended):
Bring back the pre 90s short look ASAP!!!
Kevin Snyder
Thank you for your unique and creative point of view. I’m sure we’re all improved by your sharing.
Col
In searching for a pair of shorts, I came across your blog. I’ve worn split style running shorts since the late 80′s. Split shorts have been been around for purchase in one form or the other. We are seeing more shorter shorts now then five years ago. More high school students are wearing the splits again. The women have opted for the Nike Tempo’s, not really split or the short tights. I remember in high school in the late 80′s, the girls wore the split running shorts as well as the guys. It does not matter if your really fast or not to wear the shorts. I don’t like the weight of the material of the longer shorts on the thigh.