Wear a skirt when you run? Really?

This photo was taken at the Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon Meet Up on January 18th, 2013...

aren't these girls adorable in their cute running skirts?  Most of the skirts in this photo are from a company 

called www.team-sparkle.com .

 

When I first went out shopping for shoes and clothes that would be good for running I noticed them... skirts for girls to run in.  Really - I thought... they looked a little like what I remember girls wearing for playing tennis.  Now... these aren't prairie skirts like Laura Ingalls would wear but cute fitted or flowy skirts made short and appropriate to run in. (With appropriate undergarments of course).  Either they come with built in compression shorts or you wear a pair you already own. 

I thought the skirts were interesting the first time I saw them in a running store.  I thought they were really cute but couldn't imagine that I would have the guts to wear one out in public.   I am not a person who really likes wearing dresses anyway.   I did think that they might be a good alternative though to the "Dairy Queen Dipped" look that most spandex pants or shorts gave me... so I filed it away for the future.   Maybe someday... when I am a real runner. 

When I began to do some local races here in Washington State I cannot recall seeing very many women wearing any of these skirts...especially the sparkly ones... So I didn't give it much thought that I would be purchasing one (or more than one) any time soon. 

BUT... I did notice A LOT of women (and some men) wearing them in photos from many of the runDisney races at Disneyland and Disney World.  I was intrigued.  Especially because I had the Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon 2013 in front of me.  The other thing I noticed was the costumes at the runDisney events.  I decided that I wasn't brave enough to try a costume this year but maybe... someday.  Now... about these skirts?

Kelly (from according to kelly), Tara Gidus (runDisney's Official Dietician) and famous actor/guy Sean Astin @ the Neverland 5K on January 19th, 2013 @ Disneyland

(totally borrowed this picture from Kelly's blog - hope that is okay)  I know Tara isn't wearing a skirt but Sean is!

The first event I attended at the FABULOUS Disneyland Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon Weekend was the runDisney Meet Up.  In the skirt wearing world I was WAY OUTNUMBERED!  In fact I felt like I forgot to put part of my outfit on.   Just look at this photo below... look at all the cute skirtness (yes... I made up that word) in this photo!  Now... not everyone is wearing a skirt BUT who is scoring high on the cuteness meter?  Yes... the gals wearing those adorable skirts!  I am one of the girls not wearing a skirt - far right holding the water bottle and wearing sunglasses towards the back.  Yep - that is me... wishing I had one of those skirts.

 

 

 

I will mention also the number of skirts I saw at the actual Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon races... off the charts!  Both the 5K and the 1/2 marathon were loaded with skirt wearing people!  Okay... maybe I will reconsider the running skirt.

 

 

Photo courtesy of runDisney - Do you see lots of skirts? 

 (not to mention the tutus but that is another post)

 

I took this photo while running down Main Street USA during the Half... yep- skirts everywhere. 

Sorry it is a little blurry - I was running.

 

All of this to say I am convinced that the running skirts are cute and practical now.  I think they may make your runs go well too.  I think I have heard that many runners have made PRs (that is personal record for you non-runner types) while wearing running skirts... but this is just a rumor.   I loved the way the sparkle skirts looked at Disneyland... so fun and sparkly! The skirts from Team Sparkle are very reasonably priced and they make skirts for young girls too!  Bonus for my 6 year old daughter who has a birthday coming up!

 

I also love the skirts made by Running Skirts and others I have seen from Nike and Lulumelon although a little more pricey than the sparkle counterparts! 

 

So today I ordered one... I ordered a skirt to run in!  I also ordered one for my daughter for her 7th birthday!  So I will be showing up at some local Washington races wearing a skirt... there you go... you have been warned!  You will have to leave a comment if you want to know which skirt I decided on for me and my daughter.  Nope - they don't match but they are from the same company.  I am so excited to wear it!  Maybe a PR is in my future!

 

 

Here are some links to a few blogs and articles I found about wearing running skirts and their popularity.  Love it!

 







http://www.embarrassmentofriches.net/2012/03/running-in-skirts.html

http://www.runnersworld.com/running-apparel/rise-skirt-culture?page=single

http://classymommy.com/fashion-friday-team-sparkle-running-skirts/

http://www.according-to-kelly.com/2013/02/neverland-5k-running-with-sean-astin/