I had worn my new running skirt(what my review is of) to dinner to show Maggie so all I had to do was throw on my new vibrams(I'll review these later) and head out the door. I was very nervous because it has been a while and I wasn't sure how I was going to do. I am starting a new plan but it starts out the same as my old with 1/1 intervals during my first few workouts. About 3 intervals in, I was shocked at how short a minute felt. I felt great after ever run interval and it was much easier than I expected. Of course my lungs protested some but my body felt good. I didn't start feeling tired until my 8th or 9th interval. When I finished up I checked my phone to submit my workout and saw that my average pace was 14:43. That is including my walking. I have never seen it less than 16:00 when I include the walking intervals. I was SHOCKED. I got home and checked my pace graph and all 3 of my first intervals were under a 10 minute mile. I really couldn't believe it. I know that as I add more time and distance my pace will slow back down but knowing that I am capable of a faster pace even this early in the game is very encouraging. My biggest problem right now is still the heat. It is KILLING me. Hopefully I can start forcing myself to get up and run in the early mornings since I know it will feel much better.
Now for the review. At the end of my workout I realized I had not noticed my skirt the entire run. That is a GREAT thing. That means it was comfortable and didn't ride up my legs. I told you a while back that I really liked the Old navy skirt that I picked up but hated the shorts underneath because they wouldn't stay down. I've had so many problems finding a skirt that works for me until now. I had read many reviews and such about SparkleSkirts and I looked at the skirts online but I was afraid to order one because of not knowing how it would fit. I was encouraged that they actually carry plus size skirts but still really wanted to try one on before buying. I had decided that I would just wait until the Princess next year since I knew they were at the expo this year. I signed up for their email newsletter anyway and boy am I glad I did.
In June, I received a newsletter talking about a new limited edition skirt they were making for the 4th. It is red, white and blue and I loved it. I like their actual sparkly skirts but for every day training, I really wanted something "calmer." Well, the Kaboom skirt has a fun pattern and lots of color but isn't sequined so it is a little more understated. I read on to find out that they were going to have them on hand at the Peachtree Road Race Expo the weekend before the 4th. this just happened to be during the time we would be in Georgia visiting family. We decided to plan a day in Atl so that I could go to the expo and we could go to a Braves game. We finally found their booth at the expo and I met Leah, the owner of SparkleSkirts. She was very sweet and very helpful and loved my shirt.(it has the 13.1 picture from the side on it) They had the skirt I wanted in the size I needed and I was able to try it on. It fit GREAT.
It has an awesome pocket on the waistband with a zipper that is plenty big enough for my phone. I have a Droid X so it is a very large phone and there is still room to spare. I had my phone in there on my run tonight and I almost forgot it was there. It was so comfy and fit great up against my body, no bouncing at all. The tech shorts underneath are AMAZING. They have bands around the bottom of each leg that help hold them in place. Each leg also has a large pocket on the side that would be great for gels or chews or anything you needed to carry during your run. I also like the fact the the shorts and skirt are longer than most. The skirt is made much fuller than most running skirts so it hides all of the trouble areas that some running skirts seem to highlight. It was light and comfy and a great investment. When I first saw how much the skirts were, I was a little apprehensive though they are about average for a running skirt, around $62, or you can buy them without the shorts underneath and wear your own for around $30. I was seriously considering the just skirt because I am cheap and hate to spend money but I am so glad I opted for the SparkleTech because it really is a great skirt.
Here is a pic from the newsletter to show you the skirt and the pockets on the legs.
I LOVE the peacock pattern in the SparkleTech. I saw the black and white version at the expo and really liked it but I did not see the color version until just now on-line. I think it is super cute. I will definitely be purchasing more in the future as my size goes down and I have to replace the one I have now. Leah told me about an awesome fabric she found that she wants to make skirts for the Tink with and I hope she does. I will definitely have to have one for that race.
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