LONGOVERDUE PRAISE FOR THE RUNNING SINGLET

In the last decade, the running singlet once reserved for amateur competitors and professional athletes - has gone mainstream, not only on race day but also on everyday runs.

Apparel brands such as Tracksmith, Rabbit and even adidas have established themselves as purveyors of the competitive runner's uniform. Tracksmith in particular has adapted 'amateur' as a keyword embedded into its brand, underscoring the word's Latin roots - amator means 'lover' - and that we're all lovers of our sport.

To celebrate the seemingly simple garment, we spoke with these brands about the singlet's timelessness, its purpose, and why it's more than a glorified tank top.

RACE DAY IS SACRED

"THERE'S A HUGE psychological component to race day and the things that we wear," said Tracksmith founder and CEO Matt Taylor on a video call with Runner's World. "There are some performance attributes that you want, but I think the primary one is you just don't want to notice it at all. That's a weird thing to say; but if you race and you never think about your singlet once, that's a great singlet." Tracksmith's Van Cortlandt Singlet was one of the first products the brand launched when it was founded in 2014. The singlet's sash is inspired by a mix of influences, shares Taylor.

The sash's storied history actually begins from a personal experience in Taylor's life. He had found his father-in-law's old high-school singlet with a sewn-on sash from the 1960s.

"It was just so beautiful, like an artifact," Taylor said.

Taylor explains how the singlet is a part of your race day ritual.

"We always talk about how race day is sacred," he said.