Why Do Trail Runners Dress Like This Now? Lee Glandorf on Race Whimsy, Bandanas, and Style

Lee Glandorf is a writer, brand marketer, former Yale rower, seven-year Tracksmith veteran, and the creator of The Sweat Lookbook, a newsletter about sports and fashion through the lens of the female athlete.

In this conversation, Zoë and Brendan finally ask the question keeping them up at night: why is everyone dressed like it's 2003? (Bandanas. Oakleys. Boxy chore jackets with no discernible weatherproofing.) Lee makes the case that creative directors discovering trail running might be the unified theory of everything.

She also covers why race whimsy lets women show up sparkly and fast at the same time, why road runners are dressing like pros at 3:35 marathon pace, what happens when the internet finds a running vest with more frills than pockets, and how to have personal style without becoming a walking billboard. Also: long shorts populism. 

This episode is brought to you by Running Warehouse, which has everything you need for fall training, from grippy trail shoes to wool socks to a headlamp for when the sun decides to sleep in. Shop at runningwarehouse.com?from=ultra.