outrunningthefork

The first time I ran a marathon I wore, I kid you not, cotton “running” tights covered by a pair of sweatpants and a short sleeved *cotton* tshirt under an old college sweatshirt. And probably cotton socks. You see, when we headed out to the starting area, it was chilly and it was raining. In LA. In March. My plan was to find my parents on the course (they were flying in that morning) and give them my outer clothes.

I never saw them. And I LOVED my sweatshirt so that wasn’t going anywhere. I ended up with bigger blisters on my feet than I’d ever seen (wet shoes/socks + cotton = ICK!) and, as many runners know, I learned in the shower that I had some pretty serious chafing under each of my arms. So severe that for almost 2 months I had scabs and the scars lasted another couple of years!

Why am I telling you this? Well…

After this first disaster I wasn’t finished with this marathon thing. Obviously. And, while I wasn’t ready to jump into running in a running bra and shorts I needed something different. I experimented for a few years and then one day, probably at a race expo, I saw a table for Skirt Sports!

WHAT? Skirts for running? That’s just crazy talk.

It had just so happened that I had recently been diagnosed with diabetes and the subsequent life-style changes had caused about a 20 pound weight loss. So I was ready for my legs to be out in the open!

I did suffer from a condition we like to call “Chub Rub” cause I guess it sounds cute – so I bought the original Gym Girl TRIKS (skirt spelled backwards – clever huh?!) but I also picked up a Marathon Girl or two.

Since then I’ve pretty much always run in skirts. I remember times when me showing up in my pink leopard spotted Marathon Girl was VERY unusual – and I was stopped many times to be asked about my skirts!

One of my most favorite marathon pictures ever is me at the NYC Marathon in my bright blue skirt

That is, until Marine Corps Marathon last year when I was out on the course in my Tantrum Lioness!!

Over the years, Nicole DeBoom has come up with a few more styles, and added in tops and capris and now, even dresses! To be honest though, the dresses were an original and are coming back in new styles this spring!!

I don’t still have all of my originals on account of that 20 pound weight loss didn’t stick around! But I definitely keep adding to my collection – super helpful now that I’m an ambassador for the company that got me to show my legs out on a run!!

And now you can show your legs – or not, if you’re a capri kind of gal – for 20% off at Skirt Sport with my discount code of ORF20 – just click below and start shopping!!

Tags: #affiliate, #ConverttoSkirt, #RealWomenMove, Ambassador