The Knicker That Gave Me My Running Back

12. Juni 2026

NIXI Body The Susie Black Leakproof Knicker — award-winning mid-rise period and bladder leak underwear, VPL-free and invisible under gym leggings

I want to talk about something that a lot of women don't talk about, because it took me two years of not talking about it to finally do something about it. And when I did, I wished I'd done it sooner.

My name is Gemma. I'm 43, I live in Glasgow, and I used to run three times a week without thinking about it. Five kilometres on a Tuesday, a longer run on Saturday, a quick one on Sunday morning before the rest of the house woke up. Running was mine. It was the thing that cleared my head, kept me sane, and made me feel like myself.

And then, gradually, I started making excuses not to go.

What Was Actually Happening

After my second child, I noticed that running had become… unreliable. Not painful, not impossible — just unpredictable in a way that made me anxious. Bladder leaks during exercise are incredibly common after childbirth, and I knew that intellectually. But knowing something is common doesn't make it feel less mortifying when you're on a public path in running leggings.

I started shortening my runs. Then I started skipping them. I told myself I was tired, that I'd go tomorrow, that I'd sort it out when I had more time. Two years passed. I hadn't sorted it out. I missed running more than I'd admitted to myself.

NIXI Body The Susie Leakproof Knicker — front view showing the mid-rise VPL-free design with comfortable waistband, styled for active wear and gym use — Mid-rise, VPL-free, and designed to disappear under gym leggings — exactly what a runner needs.

Finding the Susie

A friend mentioned period underwear in passing — she'd been using it for her cycle and loved it — and something clicked. I hadn't thought about leakproof underwear as a solution for exercise. I started looking into it properly and found the NIXI Body Susie Black Leakproof Knicker on ALTOE.

What caught my attention immediately was that it's specifically described as being loved by runners and athletes. Not just period underwear — underwear designed with active use in mind. The VPL-free mid-rise design that sits invisibly under gym leggings. The four-layer absorbent gusset that holds up to 15ml. The fact that it can replace or be worn alongside other protection. This was designed for exactly the situation I was in.

NIXI Body The Susie Leakproof Knicker absorbency detail — showing the four-layer discreet absorbent gusset that holds up to 15ml, equivalent to 2-3 tampons worth of protection — Four layers of discreet absorbency holding up to 15ml — enough protection to run without a second thought.

The First Run

I ordered a pair and wore them for the first time on a Tuesday morning — my old running day. I did five kilometres. The whole five. I didn't shorten the route, I didn't turn back early, I didn't spend the run anxious about what might happen. I just ran.

I got home and sat on the front step for a minute before going inside. I felt something I hadn't felt in two years: like myself again. Like the version of me that ran three times a week and didn't think twice about it.

NIXI Body The Susie Leakproof Knicker key features — highlighting the washable reusable design, medium absorbency for periods and bladder leaks, and comfortable mid-rise waistband — Washable, reusable, and built for real life — better for you and better for the planet.

Several Months On

I now own four pairs of the Susie. I rotate them through the week and wash them at 30 degrees as instructed — they air dry overnight without any issue. The construction has held up beautifully through repeated washing; no pilling, no loss of shape, no reduction in absorbency that I've noticed.

I'm running three times a week again. I did a 10k last month — the first race I'd entered in three years. I finished it feeling strong, and I didn't think about bladder leaks once during the entire race. That is not a small thing. That is, for me, everything.

NIXI Body The Susie Leakproof Knicker worn during an active workout — showing the back view of the mid-rise design, demonstrating how it sits invisibly under activewear — Invisible under activewear, reliable during exercise — exactly what it promises.

What I'd Say to Anyone in the Same Position

If you've been quietly stepping back from something you love because of bladder leaks — running, the gym, a fitness class, anything — please don't wait two years the way I did. This is a solvable problem. The Susie solved it for me.

It's also worth saying: this works just as well for period days. I wear it on medium flow days and it handles everything without any backup needed. It's become genuinely multi-purpose in a way I didn't expect when I first bought it.

NIXI Body The Susie Leakproof Knicker — product flat lay showing the full knicker design including the discreet gusset construction and soft nylon elastane fabric blend — Four pairs in rotation, washed at 30 degrees, air dried overnight — still performing perfectly months later.

You can find The Susie Black Leakproof Knicker by NIXI Body on ALTOE. Browse the Women's Underpants collection for more options, explore the Lingerie range, or take a look at the full Clothing and Apparel & Accessories collections. The Latest Products collection always has something new worth discovering.

Get back out there. You deserve to.

— Gemma Forsythe, Glasgow