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Top Halloween Costumes for 2016—and How to Run in Them

What costume will satisfy your desire to both have a great outfit and race well?

by Monica Grater

Last Halloween, Runner’s World got help from Spirit Halloween to bring runners the trendiest Halloween costumes. While some ideas stay hot (think presidential elections and blockbuster movies) new trends have to take over. But as a runner, you’re probably wondering how you can best celebrate the costumed season and place well if you are entered in an upcoming race filled with running goblins and ghouls.

Because of this, we picked out some timely and classic disguises that looked intriguing from Spirit Halloween for 2016. (You can be find these costumes online or at a store near you.) 

Also for the second straight year, we enlisted the help of two elite runners, who are also costume record holders, for their sage advice: Camille Herron holds the female marathon record while wearing a Spiderman costume (2:48:51) and Ian Sharman holds the male marathon record while wearing an Elvis costume (2:42:52).

We asked both to critique the costumes from a running perspective. Need more advice? Check out these 7 Keys to Racing in Costume.

Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

Suicide Squad was one of the most awaited movie releases in the summer of 2016, with Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, standing out as one of the most anticipated characters.

Should you race as the Maid of Mischief? “This looks fairly tame as a costume. My only concern with this is chafing from the shorts or tights,” Herron said. “You would probably want to wear boy shorts instead. And heaven forbid you run in those shoes.”

In other words, find some comfier shorts that still fit the character and switch out the heels for some running shoes, and you are set.

The Joker

The Joker
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

The Joker returned to the big screen as the ultimate villain in Suicide Squad—which means a different take on the legendary clown costume after too many years of people trying to look like Heath Ledger’s version from The Dark Knight.

Should you dress as the psychopathic super villain? Sharman explained how this costume poses a couple problems for racing. Carrying the cane would be an issue, along with the bulky coat that would get toasty and catch the wind.

“As fun as this may be for a couple of miles, once you start sweating—if the weather’s not perfect—it could get uncomfortable quickly,” he said. “Also, for a man unfamiliar with putting on makeup, this would require some time-consuming practice and an earlier morning start to have enough time to get that look just right.”

If you decide to go for this look, aim for a minimal wardrobe style and allow extra time to nail the makeup.

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

Don’t act like you’re surprised!

Should you race as the Democratic presidential candidate? “I laughed at this one! This costume might be a bit toasty and the skirt restrictive. You would have to make sure breathing and visibility are possible with the mask,” Herron said.

If a Hillary mask poses a visibility issue, rocking a blonde wig (secured on your head well) would be a great alternative.

If you nix the skirt and go with the oft-worn Hillary pantsuit, you might want to barnstorm around in it beforehand as much as the democratic nominee does. “You would also probably want to train in this one, and hopefully pick a cooler race—or be prepared for heat,” Herron added.

Also, expect a mixed reaction from the crowds—it might be best to run with headphones for this race.

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Donald Trump

Trump
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

It’s only fair to include both candidates, right? This costume is still yuuuuge this year.

Should you race as the Republican presidential candidate? “Running in a suit is generally tough since it’s fairly tight and can chafe, but it’s not as bulky as some costumes,” Sharman said. (For the record, the fastest marathon dressed in a suit to date is 2:58:03 by Joe Elliot.)

As for Trump’s mane? “Wigs are generally quite easy to run in, but can blow away in the wind, so it’s vital that they’re attached tightly.”

Tip: Bobby pins and hairnets can help to keep your wig from running off without you. The dress shoes just won’t do, either. Sharman suggests wearing a dark pair of running kicks instead.

Poke Ball

Poke Ball
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

Dreams came true for children of the 1990s when Pokémon came back bigger than ever with the Pokémon Go App.

Should you race as a “Gotta Catch ’Em All” Ball? “The obvious concern with this one is the skirt flying up! You would want to wear shorts or racing briefs under it,” Herron said.

Other than making sure you had briefs on under the skirt, this would be a breezy, non-restricting costume sure to help out with attaining a PR. Plus, with its popularity this year, you would have great crowd support.

Pikachu

Pikachu
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

The coveted Pokémon is rarely ever seen in the wild within the Pokémon Go App, and the only other way to obtain it is to hatch one from an egg. So, for those still salty about not having it in your Pokedex, you can at least dress up as it for Halloween.

Should you race as the most beloved Pokémon of all time? This might be the most convenient costume yet to pull off during a race. “It doesn’t get much easier than running in a T-shirt. Although, cotton T-shirts are often less comfy when you get sweaty, so apply extra anti-chafe lube under your arms and on your nipples,” Sharman said.

If you want to be a little more courageous as a Pikachu, you could also go with the full-body yellow jumpsuit, though the run won’t be as comfortable. 

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Rey

Rey
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

In the latest installment of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rey was played by Daisy Ridley, who until this breakout role was widely unknown. Star Wars costumes have been a staple Halloween costume since the first movie hit the big screen in 1977, and with new characters to portray, this year won’t be any different.

Should you race as the Jakku scavenger? Overall, Herron thought this was a pretty tame costume to race in.

“You would want to test it out and see if there's any chafing. You would also probably want to wear some briefs,” she said. “The loose ends may fly and blow in the wind, so hopefully the costume stays intact. Also, going to the bathroom may be challenging!”

Darth Vadar

Darth Vader
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

Speaking of classic Halloween costumes, it doesn’t get anymore traditional than the original Star Wars villain who wears a bulky—yet always cool looking—helmet.

Should you race as Luke Skywalker’s father? Sharman pointed out similar difficulties as the Joker costume, “but in a more fun and less obviously insane way for training runs.”

“Carrying that light saber will be awesome for a few miles, then it’ll imbalance your arms and shoulder muscle fatigue, so switch hands regularly,” he said. “The main additional challenge is that the mask makes it harder to breath as well as harder to see through the small eye slits.”

The costume would be doable without the mask, but then the illusion is broken. (Want more great Star Wars running costumes? Our RW editors tested this great themed gear.)

Ghostbuster
Photograph courtesy of Spirit Halloween

The classic movie Ghostbusters was remade in a big way and hit theaters this past summer with an almost all female cast, featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest comedic film stars like Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. Now is a great year to reignite that 1980s nostalgia. 

Should you race as somebody you’d want to call when there’s something strange in the neighborhood? “The overalls are a little bulky and heavy, which could chafe,” Sharman said.

The biggest challenge with this costume will be running with the backpack.

“It would probably need some manual adjustments to tie it on tighter, plus maybe the addition of padding in areas where it rubs. You’d definitely want to do test runs with this costume to refine anything uncomfortable about it,” he said. 
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