Sparkle Skirts review and other ramblings.

I used to love the heat.  I always seemed to be cold.  If the temperature dropped much past 75 degrees I was cold.  Than came menopause and hot flashes.  Now I long to be cold.  Anyway, I digress.

Last week I went out for a run.  I was trying to up my weekly mileage so I decided to stretch my run out a little and run 3.1 miles.  Not really a big deal since I frequently run 5k races.  It was a somewhat warm day (but not hot) and it was bright and sunny.

My neck cooler from the fair.

Early on I was struggling with my run.  I pushed on and completed my planned run.  Thankfully my run ended in a local park right under the shade of a tree.  I quickly sat down on a rock and kept telling myself "don't throw up, don't throw up".  I also felt a wee bit woozy.  I had a mild case of heat illness.  Not fun.

This got me to thinking of what I can do to stay cooler while I run.  I already use a neck cooler I got at the L.A. County Fair years ago,  but clearly I needed to do more.

Finishing the L.A. Marathon in my CW-X pants.

 I started to wonder if my trusty CW-X Stabilyx compression pants might be working against me.  I've had them since 2005.  I wore them on my long runs while training for the Los Angeles Marathon.  I wore them in the marathon.  They've been my go-to running pants for a long time. I know they're made with coolmax that is supposed to help you stay cool, but I was beginning to wonder if they were actually holding heat in.

Perhaps I'd be cooler if I ran, gasp, bare legged.  Let me just say, I hate my legs.  I was born from German peasant stock and I have sturdy, tree trunk, like legs.  It doesn't matter how much or how little I weigh my legs are ALWAYS disproportionally large and I ALWAYS have had the dreaded runners 'chub rub' at the top of my thighs.  So I have (almost) always run in some kind of running tights/pants. I'm just not comfortable exposing my legs to the world.  I hate they way they look.

"Disco" Sparkle Skirt (from their Website)

In an effort to not over heat again this summer I decided to give Sparkle Skirts a try.  I've been looking at them off and on for a while. (Ever since I saw them at the Tinkerbell Half Marathon expo in January).  They are a bit expensive, so I always decided against buying one.  Well, my mild episode of heat illness has changed my mind.  I need something I can run in that will allow heat to dissipate off more of my body while I run. I looked at a lot of other options but in the end I went with Sparkle Skirt.  They are really cute and they have great pockets on them.  Plus they have built in running shorts that are guaranteed not to ride up that will (hopefully) prevent 'chub rub.'  I bought the "Disco" skirt.  I figured it will go with any of my running shirts.

The skirt arrived and I have now had two runs in my new skirt.  I love, love, love it.  It is cool, comfortable and cute.  The shorts are fabulous, and as promised they don't ride up.  They protect my tender inner thighs from 'chub rub'  The pockets in them are great.  I was concerned that my inhaler and keys would jiggle or feel bulky when I ran.  Not a problem at all.  In fact I forgot I had them with me.  The front pocket is just the right size to hold my iPhone 5.  If I could afford to own one in every color I would.   Ladies do yourself a favor, indulge a little and treat yourself to s Sparkle Tech Skirt!

It's here!  My first Sparkle Tech Skirt.