In there past we all wore white cotton t-shirts, cotton vests and a sweatshirt when we went to do our running training.

Things have come a long way since then. Vests and short- and long-sleeved t-shirts are much more orientated towards the needs of runners now. Primarily they are lights (particularly when wet), better fitting and sometimes even have some added extras, such as pockets for Ipods or build in bras for support for women.

You can buy t-shirts with no sleeves, short sleeves, 3/4 sleeves and long sleeves. Rather than being a very simple cut, they are now cut to the needs of the different shapes of men and women. You can even get some shirts which contain fibres which will help maintain body heat, fight static electricity and reduce body odour!

Of course, in cold weather, you may be looking for a thermal type of top. Again this have advanced in recent years, as with warmth you still want to be able to wick away moisture from your skin to avoid chaffing.

Probably the best innovation has been in the material used. Many running shirts vests are now made from wicking material - this means that the moisture from you skin (yes some of us do sweat!) is drawn away from you body and evaporates rather than just weighing down the top and causing chaffing.

So - when looking for a running top think about the following

A lightweight, breathable, wicking material is useful. It should fit well and might have any of the extras mentionned above. In addition, if you run at night, some reflective strips on the top might be useful.

It is also possible to get tops made out of compression material, which are designed to help reduce the onset of fatigue, by enhancing the transportation of lactic acid away from muscles.

If you are going to be running early in the morning or late at night a vest or shirt with some reflective properties is a good idea - these are easily available.