Fitting Debate: Is Long Hair or Short Hair Better...for Running?

Two years ago, I posted briefly about the fitting debate of short vs. long hair with regards to fashion. I received comments then that I should keep my hair long. One comment I remember someone sharing was, "longer hair makes you look younger, shorter hair makes you look older."

At that point, I decided to keep the hair long.  

Yesterday, I went in for a haircut armed with a few pictures from Pinterest, and I told my stylist Nikol to “Chop it off!”

Keep reading folks…no sneak peeks!

The last time I had short hair was the summer of 2007- seven years ago!  I chopped it off in the summer, and then a month later, Dustin proposed to me. 

Here's a pic from the night we got engaged!

Like many brides-to-be, I wanted long hair again for my wedding. The short style lasted less than a hot minute.  I spent the next nine months of wedding planning trying desperately to grow my hair out again as quickly as possible.

By the way- there are no tricks to make your hair grow faster. Those vitamins that are supposed to work miracles? Nope. Didn’t do much for me….

By the time my wedding rolled around, my hair had barely made its way to my shoulders. I ended up using extensions (<--Sunny's on Lyndale is where its at!) on the big day to get the voluminous bun that I was looking for, and it worked out just fine..(Well, until that wedding night when Dustin had to help me take out all the fake hair!)

After that, I just kept growing my hair long, alternating between bangs and no bangs, but no other drastic changes in style.  BORING.

 

BANGS and NO BANGS...

It was time for a change....

Before:

After!

Though this new look is nothing funky or unique, it’s a change, and that’s what I wanted.

And curly...

Side note...I had close to 7 inches cut off and Kol put it in a pony tail for me to donate. Apparently, you need ten inches to donate to Locks of Love so that was out, though I wasn't sure about that organization anyways after reading this article.  It seems like both Wigs For Kids and Beautiful Lengths have good reputations, but I would need twelve and eight inches respectively...Ah! I really should have waited for one more inch! So what should I do with my hair?? 

Now, you’re probably thinking, what does a short vs. long hair debate have to do with a fitness/running blog? Probably not much...I’m stretching it on this one, trying to make it work.

Here goes...Which is better for working out/running- short or long hair?

Long Hair Pros/Cons:

The good...

• Easy to pull back into a pony tail for runs
• Traditionally more “feminine” on what may be an otherwise athletic looking body of a runner (i.e….me and my man arms!)
• Flexibility to vary how you wear it for running- french braid, ponytail, side braids…

The bad...

• Can easily get tangled into a gnarly mess on hot runs
• Takes a long time to blow-dry when you’re crunched for time after a morning workout (For tips on getting ready quickly, check out THIS POST!)
• Frozen braids impossible to untangle after winter runs
• Sweat spraying off your hair onto your fellow runners (most likely will still be an issue for me with short hair…what can I say, I'm a sweater.)

SWEATY PONYTAIL!!!

Short Hair Pros/Cons:

The good....

• Faster blow-dry post-run
• Simple styling post-run
• Less hair- less weight- run faster!! Right? Right…?

The bad...

• Can’t just pull it back into a ponytail when wet
• Can’t pull it back into a ponytail for running. 

...I think hats will help for running. And headbands.  I have a feeling clips and bobby pins will be my new best friends. and fortunately I already have a solid collection of BIC bands.

What do YOU think? What is the “better” style for running- long or short?

Do you have any tips or tricks of the trade to help me with the shorter ‘do?

Fresh New Fit (for me): Bangs....

By Cool J

Happy Sunday blog community!
After a busy weekend with my sister visiting last weekend, the D-man and I were happy to take it easy this weekend, so we didn't make a ton of social plans. Of course, we ran with the Calhoun Beach Running Club Saturday morning (in the fun, sloshy rain). Then I headed to NE Mpls for a haircut at Salon Stella. I had been debating something drastic..maybe a pixie cut like Anne Hathaway's?

...but I was talked out of it by multiple parties. Instead, I went with bangs and a trim.

Bangs are a very easy way to switch up your hairstyle without making a long term commitment, (such as the one that would have come with a pixie cut!) Unless you have frequent bang trims, bangs will grow out quickly, so if you don't like them, you won't have to wait too long before they're gone.

However, they do give you a fresh new look when you're in need of a change. 

{Matilda has been all about the photo-bombing these days!}

{Tilda isn't sure what to think of the bangs...she looks skeptical} 

Are you considering a drastic hairstyle change? My hairdresser's advice to me was to ensure that I consider a few things...

1) Short hair means a lot more maintenance in terms of frequent haircuts. I'd have to come in every 1-2 months to maintain. Did I want to make that type of commitment?

2) Did I really want a pixie cut, or was I just in a rut in my style routine? Did I just need something different? 

3) The "growing out" stage could be long, and not always pretty. Did I think I'd want the pixie cut just for a short time, and have to move right into that awkward stage, or would I keep it for awhile?

3) Lastly, she suggested that we work into the shorter hairstyle, rather than jump into potential "I hate my hair" territory right away.

So, bangs and a trim instead this time around! 

I'm off to see Anna Karenina with some book club friends. We didn't read the book, but hey, it's based on a book...why not have a book club outing to see it? 

*Anyone see this movie yet? What did you think? 

Fitting Debate: Short vs. Long Hair

By Jessie

Short or long? That is my current hair debate. I chopped my hair in 2007, right before I got engaged. Of course, I then wanted it long again right away to be able to wear a traditional updo for the wedding, so I have been growing it since then. As I prepared for my upcoming hair appointment, I was strongly considering whether to go short again.

In theory, short hair sounds like it should be less maintenance. But in my experience, long hair is easier. Bic bands ,  headbands, and ponytails are easy options when you're short on time. With short hair, you always have to style it. You can't just throw it back and go. It's a part of your whole look, and it's difficult to vary that look with a short style.

My short hair in 2007....

My long hair...

LL has varied her look as well. She had a very chic short 'do in 2008 at my wedding, 

but she also rocks her long locks quite well.

I decided to ease into the option of short hair this time around.

Here are the "before and after pics"

Granted, it was only 3-4 inches, but I'm easing into it, remember?

I plan to schedule another appointment for late spring. 

Until then, I will continue to browse celebrity pictures and try to determine if short or long is the answer. I feel that there must be the perfect, "wake-up-and-go" haircut out there. Is it a bob? A pixie cut?

Til then, I'll keep stocking up on BIC bands to prepare for the inevitable bad hair day.

How about a seasonal Gingerbread BIC band?

FYI, in the "before and after" pics, the sweater is from Anthropologie. 

The necklace is an LL Original- Contact her if you're interested in something similar!