Ginger Pellerin
What I wear really matters! I often joke that I should own stock in your company! Thanks for making such awesome clothes and for keeping me feeling girly!
I've always been known to have a somewhat hybrid personality: part tom-boy athlete, part girly girl. My running crew consisting of all men who playfully make light of the fact that I often come dressed for runs in a skirt and as much pink as possible, all while keeping up with the very "dude-like" conversations that we have. What can I say? I have to stay in touch with my feminine side. And what better way to do that than to wear a Skirt! Especially since my Skirt Sports clothes are both athletic and feminine, and even more important, light and comfortable.. Having lived in Boulder, CO (where Skirt Sports is based) I was ecstatic when the "Gym Girl" and "Marathon Girl" skirts became available and have since developed a soft addiction to shopping on the site since. I honestly believe that running in a skirt boosts my mood and confidence level while training. And that was all too important while training for my last race.
Shortly after running the Marine Corp Marathon in 2007 (which I ran in the Snowflake Marathon Girl) I acquired carbon monoxide poisoning in my home due to a woodstove leak. The months to come were very trying and my health plummeted. I suffered from weakness and fatigue, low-grade fevers, ringing in ears and several infections that were left undiagnosed. It was a long 10 months before my health took a turn for the better. Unfortunately, six months later bad luck struck again when I suffered a back injury consisting of two disc bulges and a disc herniation. Already discouraged from my months of previous illness, I was filled with fear and discouraged that I would never be able to run again.
Thanks to a great chiropractor and over a year of treatment, I was finally able to begin training again in June of 2010. It was a slow progression but I was just happy to run again and determined to make a come-back. It had always been a goal of mine to qualify for the Boston Marathon before I turned 35. Due to the unfortunate circumstances regarding my health that opportunity had passed. So what got me motivated? Well, it might sound silly, but having been voted "best dressed" in both high school and grad school (real prestigious I know, ha!) I jumped at the fashion opportunity and found joy in dressing up in all of my Skirt Sports items for my runs. As I began to recover further, I decided to sign up for a marathon with my running buds.
I thought, "no way I can pull off a Boston Qualifier in less than 12 weeks" but I was just grateful to be running again. Thanks to the support of my running family and my empowering Skirt Sports wardrobe, I flourished more than I thought possible.
On 3/20/2011 I finished the Yeungling Shamrock Marathon in 3:30:22 - almost 15 minutes below the necessary qualifying time and an astounding 27 minutes faster than the Marine Corp. Marathon. Not only did I kick butt, I kicked butt in a dress! Thank you Skirt Sports!
Karen Falat
What I wear is who I am.
I was tired. Absolutely exhausted. Not physically but mentally. I had three boys ages 5 and under. I had quit my job to become a stay at home mom. I moved to a new town. And I had had it. I had lost it and lost me. So I placed dinner in the oven, told my husband I would be back in an hour and took off.
And I ran.
With every step I left a little of the stress behind. I left a little of mom/wife/daughter/friend on the pavement behind me, and ran a little more towards Karen.
I ran track in high school and earlier. Never liked it. But this, this was different. This was soul freeing. This was therapeutic. This, unlike the rest of my day, was about me- who I am and who I could become. From that day forward I have run at least 4 days a week without fail. My longest has been 20 miles, my typical is 12. I am training for my first full marathon, hopefully the Nike women's, in October.
Finding Skirt Sports completed the 360 back to me. In each of my pregnancy's I gained 100-130 pounds. I lost it each time but each time left its own emotional scar on me. Running in tanks, in shorts, fulfilled a function. Covered a need. But when I dared, when I felt confident enough, sassy enough, ME enough, to don a skirt- A SKIRT- while running-I was reintroduced to myself. It meant that not only could I go the distance- that I was strong, I was a mom, a wife, a friend and an athlete...but I was also a woman. It reminded me that I still got it, and that I was never, ever looking back.
Thanks for helping me get my mojo back, putting a little more swagger in my step and helping me to be authentically me.
Erica Hunter
What I wear does matter! Being fairly new to running I find that I prefer wear shorts as opposed to pants or capris. I can't wear just any type of shorts however; I have to wear the bike short style. I am about half way through my journey to lose 65 lbs. which means my thighs still rub together, so shorter shorts are not my friend. I made a resolution to run a race a month in 2011, with the underlying resolution to lose 65 lbs as well.
I spent a great deal of time finding the right shoes, iPod, running apps, energy gels/bars, but I was lacking in the clothes department. Like most newbies I wore the standard bike shorts and t-shirt or long pants and sweatshirt. I have found that wearing these things I spend a lot of time worrying about a lot more than just my running. Where do I put my keys, iPod and gels? Are my shorts crawling in areas where they shouldn't? Can people see where I am sweating and think I wet myself? How bad are my thighs going to rub and will I have to walk like a duck after my run? I also found that some of the clothes I opted to wear felt confining or uncomfortable. My running skirts have eliminated all of that and I am once again focused on what is important... RUNNING.
When I hit my 20 lbs. lost mark I rewarded myself with my first Skirt Sport running skirt. I wore it in my third race of 2011 and fell in love. I was so comfortable while running that I made a new P.R. in the race. I believe it was because I was focused on my running and not all of those other things I normally focus on. I decided I would reward myself again with another skirt when I hit 25 lbs. lost; which I did and wore the newest skirt in a 2nd race in March where I placed second in my age division. Next goal is a new skirt for hitting 35 lbs. lost; which should happen in about 3 weeks, just in time for my April 23rd race. My reward when I hit my 65 lbs. lost goal will be a Skirt Sport dress.
My running skirts not only have helped me while running but have also given me rewards to work toward for making myself physically better. Who would have thought?
Taryn Young
I absolutely love Skirt Sports and am glad I have this opportunity to tell you about it.
When I was 25, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Eight months after I finished my treatment of surgery, chemo and radiation, I completed my first sprint triathlon. As I crossed the finish line, I decided I would never celebrate the anniversary of my cancer, but would celebrate each year as a survivor by completing a triathlon that benefits breast cancer. I decided there would be no excuses. If I was alive, I would participate.
In the years that followed, I completed triathlons pregnant, nursing, right after having a baby and with up to three children in tow. I discovered Skirt Sports the first year you were a sponsor of the Denver Tri for the Cure. I purchased my first Wonder Girl tank that year along with the race belt skirt. Your clothing line transformed my triathlon experience. For once I looked as great as I felt. The styles were flattering on me, even with post-baby weight and I was so much more confident in the race belt skirt than I had ever been in those awful plain bike shorts.
In the summer I practically live in my Happy Hour and Gym Girl skirts. They are cute enough to wear into the school when I pick my daughter up from preschool and allow us to head straight to the park where I bike pulling both a trail-a-bike and bike trailer. As a mother of three active little ones, I need a wardrobe that is comfortable, flattering and allows me to go from our daily routine to my workouts without changing. Skirt Sports fits that bill.
This year marks my 10th year as a cancer survivor and to celebrate I am doing my first Olympic distance triathlon - the Boulder Peak. As usual, I will be dressed from head to toe in my Skirt Sports attire and feeling great about how I look as I participate.
Joanne Davis
I have been wearing Skirt Sports clothing for several years now so every race I go to, I have a piece of clothing with me. My fondest memory is in 2009 at the World Championship Ironman where my boyfriend and I were blessed to both qualify and compete. We never race together but when we found each other on the marathon, we stayed together. I was wearing a black Skirt Sports running skirt. To my surprise, he proposed at the finish line of the World Championships. It was so awesome!! I'm attaching a few photos of this memorable occasion. I have worn a Skirt Sports skirt in every Ironman that I've competed. Love your products!!!
Julie Cusano
I don't have a typical runner's tall, lean body and I'm ok with that. But I'm not okay with trying to find something to wear that's comfortable while running. Excuse me, but I have thighs that rub together and a "healthy" sized badonkadonk!! I've been very athletic my whole life but avoided running "miles" when possible because I just couldn't do it comfortably. If I did run I did it in spandex shorts. As I started to approach 30 I realized I no longer had the hard body I did at 23 and I just didn't feel it appropriate for me to continue to jiggle along in public in skin-tight shorts. Since running is such an easy sport to do anywhere, and my career had me on the road, I figured it was time I outfitted myself with "proper" running shorts. And so began my search for fit and comfort.
The "famous name brand" running shorts have short inseams and are cut for women with no butt. I have owned several pair. But I always end up with the same results - the shorts ride up and bunch in the crotch, I suffer from terrible "road rash" from my rubbing inner thighs and I threaten passers-by with the possibility of seeing "crack" because the shorts end up riding sooo low to accommodate the size of my rear!!! I spend the whole run tugging down at the inseam only to reach around and pull them back up over my rear. And thus repeat this process over and over until I stop my run because I was tired of the hassle of the shorts. This is not what I consider a fun, relaxing way to stay healthy. This is more like the torture that I have perceived it to be my whole life.
A few years ago I had decided to go for my ultimate torture and train for a half marathon. Around the same time I found Skirt Sports. I will be honest and admit they caught my eye because I appreciated having a little skirt to cover my butt! How ingenious!! I bought a pair of the Gym Girl Ultra's with the shorties. The description said they wouldn't ride. I was skeptical. Descriptions can say lots of things - doesn't mean they're always true. But I figured I'd give it a shot just like I'd given many pairs of shorts a fighting chance. Plus I needed something to "work" for a whole 13.1 miles that didn't require me tugging at the inseam through a whole race!
We all know how this story ends. The shorties DID NOT ride - that's what I call truth in advertising. I now own several pair and it's all I run in. I exhort their virtues where ever I am, whether running or not!! Oh - and I ran that half marathon!! All decked out in Skirt Sports apparel (most of it a Christmas gift from dad!!) Now to see how Skirt Sports holds up while cycling.