12K’s of the Holidays: δεκαήμερη*

*Greek to you? Day 10.

It happens to all of us: We find something that’s so delightfully game-changing, we wonder how we got along without it. Greek yogurt, the Shazam iPhone app, The POREfessional by Benefit cosmetics all did it for me. And the latest thing rocking my world is wool workout wear. Wool, you say? Yeah, I was a skeptic, too. Then I slipped on a long-sleeve wool tee, and it was love at first feel. Light, yet warm. But not stuffy. And definitely not itchy. Then I layered it under a vest and ran in the rain in it, and I was hooked. The wool tee kept me warm even when it was soaked, yet when I started sweating, I didn’t overheat.

Made me think: those sheep are onto something.

A perfect wool shirt for Baaaaaaaaadass Mother Runners.

And now we’re going to share the love: Three open-to-new-things gals will be chosen at random to win an Ibex Woolies Crew, a $69 shirt (hey: those sheep work hard!). Not only does it have all the wonderful properties of wool, but I just love its name: Woolies Crew. Makes you cozy just saying it. And then there are the original colors: the aptly named Chlorophyll will remind you that, one day, there will be green leaves on trees, even if we’re dealing with Snow–another color name–right now.

In order to enter to win, we just want to know: what do you love best about running? Is it the feeling of accomplishment of crossing a finish line? How it helped you drop some post-pregnancy poundage? The feeling of zen that fills your body after a sweat-session? Or is it the ease and accessibility of our just-get-up-and-go sport? What is it about running you *heart* so well?

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Record number of entries–439!–for the Skirt Sports Kick Start Skirt.…why are we not surprised? So much helpful running advice from everybody, but the 4 winners are:

1. Sam Rhoades: Don’t run for distance, just time. and give yourself HUGE credit EVERY TIME you go out for your run. you are doing something most people won’t even DREAM of doing!

2. Erin D.: Never back down. You can do whatever you set your mind to…just believe in yourself!

3. Casi Leahy: Running was something I thought I could never do, something I was not physically able to do, I was not a runner. It did not come easy to me and I never tried. I left it to the “runner types”–you know the thin, muscular, fast people who seemed to thrive on speed–making it all look so effortless.

I read the book “Born to Run” the summer of 2009 (the summer before I was to turn 40) and I began to think–”if they can do it–why can’t I (this mentality motivates a lot of my psyche).” Start slow. I found that incremental running alternating with walking was a great way to ease into the activity. I remember running my first 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 5 miles of uninterrupted running–each time felt like winning the lottery (I am only guessing at the feeling, since I have never actually won the lottery).

Now, I can not believe I am going to say it—I HEART RUNNING. It is still a humbling experience for me–but the effort is part of the attraction. Sign up for that 5 K and start training–goal of 30 minutes running—look at the other entrants—size, age, body type does not predict their running capabilities (I love that). If I can do it–you can too.

4. Michele: Enjoy all the small successes along the way… the great feeling of finishing your first mile & remember to give yourself a pat on the back. You are taking the plunge which takes courage… not everyone even gets that far!

Congrats! E-mail us at runmother at gmail dot com with your address and size skirt you wear (there’s a size chart right next to the style number) and put Skirt winner! in the headline. We’ll get them out to just as quick as our little elf legs can move.