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.

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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.