SkirtSports MarathonGirl Ultra Running Skirt Review

As you may recall, iRunFar recently ran a contest in which readers could win a SkirtSports MarathonGirl Ultra running short. In the blur that has been August and September, we regretfully failed to inform you who the winner was. Well, it was iRunFar reader Holly from up in Calgary, eh! Without further ado, here’s what Holly had to say about the MarathonGirl Ultra running skirt. (I think her review is particularly useful as Holly has also run the SkirtSports GymGirl Ultra skirt.) [We just added a link that'll get you 15% off your SkirtSports order!]

Holly’s SkirtSports MarathonGirl Ultra review

I was thrilled to be given an opportunity to review the SkirtSports MarathonGirl skirt. I am familiar with their GymGirl version, as I run and race in it all the time. At the same time I was incredibly nervous – I have never run in a skirt that doesn’t have built in shorts. The MarathonGirl has spanks. I tried not to think too much about my thighs getting shred to pieces, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little apprehensive for my prize to arrive. The day that my parcel was delivered I knew I was going to have to deal with my ridiculous fear, so I called some of my running friends and we made plans to head for the hills. I filled my hydration pack up with nuun, packed waaaay more runners lube than I ever have, and skirted up to meet my cohorts.

For those of you that have never run in skirts, you’re missing out (dudes, you can always tell people that you’re Scottish). There are so many advantages – they offer ample coverage without unnecessary bulk, it’s an easier place to pin your race number, they typically have more pockets, and let’s face it – the cool factor is pretty high. Skirts are hot.

A MarathonGirl Ultra clad Holly frolicking in a meadow

For someone who is usually a very solid medium, I was surprised by how “generous” this skirt was. The spanks underneath were not scandalously tight and the waistband was comfortable, if not a little loose. However, the fabric is so lightweight that the skirt stayed comfortably in place and I didn’t have to do any annoying yanking. I have had some friends experience some real issues with skirts lately, especially during fast descents, and I was incredibly impressed with how well this one stayed in place. The pictures that were taken throughout the day confirmed that nothing was inadvertently exposed when I was running either.

MarathonGirl Ultra coverage confirmed

As far as actual functionality goes, the MarathonGirl has one pocket located directly above your butt. I stashed a small tube of sunblock there and promptly forgot about it for the rest of my run. There was no awkward rubbing to be had. The fabric wicked away any moisture – particularly on my lower back where my pack hit. The spanks stayed put, too; no riding, thank goodness!

After about 15kms or so I realized that I wasn’t having any problems with chafing. To be perfectly honest, I think the spanks are actually better than the shorts. I don’t know why, but letting things move as they are supposed to without any additional fabric actually worked better for me than I ever would have thought. Who knew? This is definitely a piece of gear that I will be wearing for my endurance running events for the upcoming season.
Thanks for the great review, Holly! For any folks interested in picking up the SkirtSports MarathonGirl Ultra skirt, it retails for $64 and is available at SkirtSports.com.

[Update/Bonus! For the time being, you can help support Linda Quick's "Run 7 on 7" fundraiser for drug and alcohol treatment centers by entering "7on7" during checkout. Did we forget to mention that in addition to raising funds for Caron Treatment Centers you also get 15% off your order! We'll post more on Linda's adventure in the near future.]

Anyone have any questions about the MarathonGirl Ultra? Anyone have anything to add to the review?

Related articles:

1. Women's Trail Running Gear Design and Marketing Ladies and Gentlewomen, are trail running companies designing gear and apparel with your needs in mind or are they just throwing pink and flowers on their men’s product? Are their...
2. Skirt Chasers Rejoice! (Running Skirt Roundup & Contest!) Non-Gear Girl discusses the pros and cons of running in a skirt or skort and gives her take on five running skirt/skort designs....
3. Lululemon Sergeant Jacket Review Here at iRunFar.com we’ve been hearing more and more Lululemon Athletica running apparel. We’ve seen it on roommates, transcontinental enviro-charity runners, and fellow running club members. One of those fellow...

Filed under Apparel · Tagged with skirt

Bryon Powell is the Editor-in-Chief of iRunFar.com, which he founded five years ago. Also the author of Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, he's quickly approaching 10 years as an ultrarunner and 20 years as a trail runner. These days he calls Park City, Utah and its trails home.
All posts by Bryon Powell