Marni Renison

Runner | Media personality, hollyandmarni.com

The path to becoming a runner is sometimes a simple one: it might just be a question of saving your last shred of sanity. That’s what happened to runner and LUCYPRO Marni Renison. 5 years ago, Marni quit her job to stay home with her baby and moved cross-country—specifically from Portland, Oregon to North Carolina.

"When I got back I felt like a new person, I had a clear head from the fresh air and the time by myself. It gave me back a little bit of control in my life."

“It was a bad mom day. I didn’t know anyone and I was having a tough time, so I told my husband to take the baby, grabbed the leash and took the dog for a walk. But walking wasn’t doing it. So, I started to run. Really hard. When I got back I felt like a new person, I had a clear head from the fresh air and the time by myself. It gave me back a little bit of control in my life.” Now a regular marathoner, Marni took a few moments to chat with us about her love of running—and her favorite lucy clothes.

What made you transition from being a casual runner to a marathoner?

Dedication. Every woman I know needs something to call her own – especially if she is goal oriented. Running is my something. If a woman is running, that means that she’s taking time for herself and her own health—that’s huge. What was surprising for me was the women I met, the friends and the comraderie in the running community. I expected that my health would improve, both mentally and physically. I expected my performance to improve. But I didn’t expect the sense of community that came with running. My girlfriends are now the momentum behind me. When we chat and catch up it’s not over coffee—it’s over 8 miles of trails. Plus, it became my outlet; moms never take enough time for themselves. These women are moms that, for me, are other role models to connect with (and they’re smokin’ fast!). If I’m ever feeling guilty for taking the time to run, they’re there to let me know it’s okay and that I need it and that I’m a better mom for it.

It’s interesting: It took me five marathons before I felt confident enough to actually admit and say, “I’m a runner.” Any time we take up anything in our lives, if it’s consistent, we start to identify with it. Then, everything that comes into our lives is usually due to the identity that we’ve built for ourselves. The biggest blessing I get out of running, aside from great friends, is the opportunity to encourage other women to redefine themselves. I relate to the challenges woman face with schedules, family and fatigue. So, when I can see the light come on after talking to someone about how to get started I feel great. As though I gave them hope that running is attainable for everyone. Because it is. And that’s pretty cool.

Any advice for beginners?

Contact your local running store. You need to have professionals have to watch your gait and get you in the right shoe. A lot of beginners will buy shoes at a department store, and then come home after a 20 minute jog and say “I’ve got shin splints. I’m not a runner,” when all you need is a better pair of shoes. If you don’t have the right shoes, you’ll get an injury…even if it’s a blister. Because anything that keeps you from running is an injury. Also, try to get into the community. Join a running club, because no matter what level you are, there are runners out there on your level. It’ll help you stick to it—and you’ll make great friends.

What’s your favorite lucy style?

As a mom, I live in lucy. I’m usually going from somewhere to yoga and Pilates—both great cross training activities for runners—and lucy has the best high-quality gear for yoga and Pilates out there. Plus, it makes you feel pretty! And every mom needs to feel pretty. When it comes to running, I’ll just say this: I ran the Boston Marathon in the Impact Knee Pant, and I had no chafing whatsoever. I was warm, but not too warm and I was comfortable. And when you’re running 26.2 miles, you need to be comfortable!