For the LOVE of Running!

Hello, I am on your website because my friend Dottie, who met one of your employees Nicole at a race in Palos Verdes. Yeah, Nicole! I just thought someone in the company should know how generous she was, and how many ladies are hearing about you because of it. Hooray for women helping women! Please read below!

Hi All!

Many of you know that I love to run. I am not very fast, but I do love nothing more than a good, long run. After somewhat of a devastating debut at a half ironman a few weeks ago, I decided to sign up for some races - some short, some long - just to get back out there. The Palos Verdes Half Marathon was yesterday and I had been looking forward to it all week! I went to bed at 9:30 pm on Friday night, just to make sure I was well-rested.

I got up the next morning and realized that I had left my running sneakers at the gym the day before. I had no other pair to wear and decided to throw on my flip flops and head to the race anyway thinking they would sell sneakers at the race. Maybe there will be a company offering trial pairs for people to run in. Maybe I can run barefoot . . . lots of people do that! Maybe I can run in my flip flops . . . that would be such a CA thing to do!

Well, I got to the race 15 minutes before my start time. There were no sneaker vendor in sight! There was, however, a womens athletic clothing booth so I ran over to it and asked the lady if she sold sneakers. She looked at me, then at my hot pink flip flops, and said no . . . just clothes.

Ugh!!! I really, really wanted to run! I think she could see that so she asked me what size shoe was I wearing, and once we realized we wore the same size, she took off her running shoes and said,

Can I wear your flip flops?

I almost died - but quickly tied up her laces and thanked her awkwardly . . .I mean. . . who wears a strangers sneakers?

She then said, I get it! I love to run, too!

I ran the race, laughing to myself about this insane situation, wondering if I would have run in my flip flops, and if I am slightly obsessed? At the end, I ran the 13 miles three minutes under my goal in a stranger's shoes.

Come to find out, Nicol, the sneakers real owner, is a former collegiate runner and now a fashion designer. She started a line of womens athletic wear and coaching services a few years ago. Her stuff is hip!

Since she was so generous to me, I thought I would send you all her link, since many of you are also avid runners and love to work out. Check it out at www.dirtyredgear.com

Now, lets just hope my running sneakers at the gym in the morning!

Love,

Dottie

This blog is really special because there was no hesitation to help someone's day become a little bit brighter! It makes that person feel good as well as yourself. Whenever you get a chance, make someone's day by doing something out of the ordinary. Nicole was just lucky to help a fellow runner feel that much better! I love running!

LOL! Nicol