I’m made of lightweight synthetic fibers, some that can be stretched over 500% without breaking. I’m smooth, black, resistant to perspiration, and I can be found hugging the buns and thighs of the Ames High School Girls Track team at every meet. What am I? If you guessed spandex shorts, you are absolutely right. This year the track team made a little splurge on this new apparel to go along with the black and white fitted jerseys purchased last year, giving the track team a whole new look. Unfortunately, these shorts didn’t meet all of the expectations some of the track team members were hoping for. Senior Stephanie Soh was eagerly anticipating the new shorts this year, but was disappointed when she was handed her pair. “I like spandex shorts, but I wish the ones we got matched our uniforms better, and I wish they weren’t as high up on our waist. It‘d also be nice if they didn‘t ride up.” Soh said. Other runners were very pleased with the new shorts, and some even found a new confidence in their running abilities while wearing them. “I like the feel of them, and I like to think they make me go faster, so I don’t really mind wearing them,” said junior Austin Gerritson after finishing a race at the Jim Duea meet that took place on Thursday, April 15. These form fitting shorts worn with the snug jerseys don’t sound very appealing when you imagine running as fast as you can with your body jiggling back and forth while everyone watches. Many of the girls on the track team see them just like that- unappealing and a little too risky for their liking. “I don’t really like them,” said sophomore Tulika Biswas, who prefers the old shorts the team wore. “I just don’t feel comfortable in them.” Another unfortunate factor involving these shorts is that they are only worn by the varsity sprinters. This leaves the rest of the runners wearing the old, loose shorts that have pilled and faded over time, and definitely lack the muscle definition the new shorts show off so well. This has bothered some girls who feel they should be treated the same as varsity runners. “I don’t think it’s fair that only varsity gets to show off their butts. Just because they’re varsity doesn’t mean they have buns of steel,” said JV runner Jo Gruenewald as she stretched her glutes on the side of the track. “We all deserve a chance to show off our butts.” When the whole track team is working just as hard as their fellow runners, it does seem like they deserve the same new apparel as everyone else, no matter how fast they run. But at the same time, they know that a pair of spandex shorts is theirs if they can push themselves to cut a few more seconds off their time. And that might just be the motivation the team needs to have their best year yet.