Try A New Race Day ‘Do With A Double French Braid
Try something a little bit different for your next race.
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Sometimes a ponytail is good for a run. Other times, like during a big race, you want to up your mane game. French braids take a little extra effort, but they stay in place better than your basic pony, and they look cool in race-day photos too. At the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco last fall, runners lined up to get their tresses styled into creative braids by pros from Paul Mitchell. And, lucky for us, Rachel Hausman, a runner and hair stylist for Paul Mitchell, offered to tell us how a double french braid is done.
Double French Braid
Best for: Anyone with long-ish locks.
Step 1: Part your hair all the way down the middle through the nape of the neck.
Step 2: Secure one side with a hair tie.
Step 3: On the other side, where the hair is loose, start a three-strand braid up near the forehead.
Step 4: Start braiding the hair, taking the outer strand and crossing it over the center strand, and repeating on the other side. Each time, grab a little bit more hair from outside and work it into the braid. Keep braiding until you get to the nape of the neck and then secure with a hair band.
Step 5: Do the same braid on the other section of hair that you previously put into a ponytail.
Step 6: When both braids are done, get rid of the small ponytails and grab all the remaining hair into one big ponytail. For a look that will keep your neck super cool, after you make the big ponytail, twist all the hair into a bun and pin it to your head.