So I have been wanting a running skort for a while but don’t like just buying things for the sake of it and had a perfectly decently pair of running shorts… however, that doesn’t stop me looking 😜 I found it hard to find many running skorts and I have to say that most of what I did see weren’t very inspiring (or were more than I would want to pay!). And then I stumbled upon Flanci while searching for ‘colourful running skorts’ in Google and I immediately fell in love with their colourful and fun designs. I kept going back to have a little look!
I have been trying to increase my running distances but must admit the next step to a 50 mile run felt somewhat daunting (we won’t mention the 100 mile race I am signed up to later this year!) so I decided a little incentive was in order – if I completed my 50 mile run I would treat myself to a Flanci Skort.
So at the beginning of April I plotted my route (a 50 mile loop from home including Dunning, Loch Leven and Glenfarg), collected all my kit together and planned my food and hydration (everything had to be carried!). I set off aware I was feeling a bit defeatist about the run but stubborn enough to get out and go anyway. I have to say it was hard, I struggled most of the way with talking myself out of it, that I couldn’t do it and I wasn’t ready. I was unsure what pace to run at and my legs hurt! At about 38 miles I sent Iain a message saying I was struggling, hoping he would come and rescue me! He was very encouraging and told me I could do it and to have some food/drink and walk a bit (but no offer of that car ride home). So I had a little sit in a convenient bus shelter and gave myself a little talking to and walk/ran the rest of the way. 50 miles completed in 11 hrs 5 min. Not fast but reasonable for me and a first attempt. And I had earnt my skort 😃.
Mid 50 mile run selfie!
And then I had the tricky decision of which pattern to choose. With so many great designs it was really hard to decide on the right one. The whole family got involved, but all had different favourites! In the end I went for the orange ‘trailblazer’ flames design – picked for its bright fun colours and nice undershorts (and its name!). I then struggled with knowing what size to get. I have changed shape a lot over the last year with increased exercise and am now very much between a size 10 and 12 in clothing, with a 30” waist. Flanci do have a very good size guide which I used – I came out very much between a small and medium but at the bottom it suggests that if you are between sizes to get the bigger size, so I went for the medium.
Flanci Trailblazer skort
The website is nice and easy to use and my new skort arrived without delay. Initial impressions were good – it looked as good as it did on the website and is well made with a super thigh pocket in the shorts and zip pocket on the back. My only slight negative was with its weight – it is quite a sturdy fabric so with the extra skirt layer was heavier than I expected!
On trying the skort on I found it on the looser side of comfortable but I was too impatient to send it back and swap for the smaller size! The length of the shorts is great – 7.5” inside leg so a longer leg short which I prefer. The outer skirt allows just the smallest amount of the undershort to be visible. The thigh pocket was the perfect size for my phone and the zip pocket on the back is ideal for gels, snacks, keys etc. It also has a long drawstring on the waist which did make the skort feel more secure when I used it.
I have now used the skort on numerous runs of varying length (4 miles to 26 miles) and terrain and varied weather conditions. Overall there is still lots I love about this skort but I do have a few niggles and one bigger downside. The skort is comfortable to run in but I do think I should have got the smaller size. I do not agree with the comment on the sizing guide to get in the bigger size if between sizes – I would suggest going with the smaller size as there is plenty of stretch in the fabric. However I stuck with the medium and because of this I do find the legs are on the looser side (however this hasn’t caused any chafing even on longer distances). The drawstring is useful in making the skort feel more secure but is a major pain on those longer runs when a wee stop is required! Again if I had gone for the smaller size I don’t think I would need to use the drawstring at all. Also because of the looser fit I do find the legs ride up slightly (but again I only think this is a problem because I went for the larger size). If I bought another skort I would definitely get the smaller size but saying that I am quite happily running in the medium with a looser fit!
I absolutely love the thigh pocket for carrying my phone. It is secure, comfortable and easy to access – all running bottoms should have one! The back pocket is useful for keys or a gel and has plenty of space (haven’t tried my phone in it as I love the thigh pocket so much!)
Thigh pocket 😍 
Zip rear pocket
And so to my big negative – it is not good in the rain 😭 I was caught in a downpour just after half way on my last marathon run. The skort got soaked, became heavy and stuck to my legs. This wouldn’t have been too bad if it had dried quickly but it didn’t! The shorts and skirt section were still wet when I got home and it was not pleasant! I have had many wet runs in shorts and tights and never had such a horrible feeling of heavy wet fabric around my legs. How it compares to other skorts I don’t know. It may just be the extra layer of fabric that is the problem but I expect it is partly because the fabric is a heavy weight fabric. For me this now means I won’t me able to use the skort for any of my ultras races where there is a chance of rain in the forecast. I am gutted about this as it looks so good.
Overall, I think this skort looks great but the performance in rain would put me off getting another. I would however try the shorts and maybe even legging (they do a tall option) as I love the colours and patterns. They can’t help but make you smile. If you are looking for new running clothes and like bright colours Flanci is well worth a look.
Happy running everyone!
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