There's a lot of big, consequential decisions that go into running races of any distance. Factoring in comfort, performance, and weather conditions, makes trusting your kit paramount to a successful race day. Thankfully, for Founder Mary, and Marketing Manager Naomi (me), they were covered on this front. Trusting in the best-selling Dream Spins was perhaps the easier decision of the day, thanks to the many reasons you'll read below.
First up, Mary shares her story to the start line of her race.
It’s end of Jan 2026 and I’ve suddenly had an email saying I’m part of the Tommy’s team for the London Landmarks Half Marathon. Panic sets in. I am not a runner! And then the organiser in me steps in. First stop - buy new running trainers with insoles to reduce injury risk. Second stop - sign up to running classes at the gym (this was a very good move!) Third stop- work out practice outdoor running routes, ranging from 5km to 15km - and start scheduling some “easy”(?? No run is easy..) and some long runs outdoors alongside the gym classes.
Last stop… what to wear?? Mid April, London, likely morning…. Shorts? Leggings? T shirt?? Long sleeve top?? I did think about the tiny, loose little shorts that pro runners seem to wear… but surely too cold… and would they stay put?? It didn’t take me long to settle on my trusty
ILU Dream Spin Leggings. I know they’re warm enough for cold days, but not too thick and hot. They’re high waisted and stay put. They’re sweat wicking. The waistband doesn’t cut in and I know they don’t leave me with any chafing. Plus the pattern round the hips is super flattering. Classic black with the grey marl contrast.
For the top- this may surprise people, but I found T shirts too cold. I realised I get hot when running but I also get cold very quickly. So I settled for the
ILU Sculpt Me Top. It’s a long sleeved sweat wicking, luxe feel, with super gorgeous floral pattern down the arms. I love its length and the wide waistband which keeps it in place. I wore it over my run bra with the soft but supportive
Motivate Me Vest (another favourite) under. No T. It worked for me. The sweat wicking structure kept me from overheating, but the weight and the long sleeves kept me warm enough. Win win!!
Lastly. Socks. A shoutout here to
HEXXEE socks, which I wore throughout. No blisters. No discomfort. Supportive and sweat wicking. And funky!!
Now, Naomi's start line to finish line story.
I knew that approaching my first marathon would take a lot of energy, a lot of training, fuelling, confidence building and trust in my body. Having taken on half marathons in the past, I had a taste of the demands endurance races bring, and so the decision to trust in my Dream Spin Leggings was an easy one on an anything-but-easy day.
There is so much to factor in to the kit decision. How does it feel to put on? How will the leggings feel at 10, 20, 26.2 miles in? Because I was in it for the long-haul (literally) I knew the Dream Spins would serve me well, to calm my nerves in any way by knowing I could comfortably make it through the miles boards without chafing, constant hoiking up (IYKYK) or stifling hot, was a comfort I was grateful for on the start line and throughout Brighton Marathon.
I'm a big planner, running nerd and over thinker, so to have one decision amongst many others a solid yes in my mind really took some weight off the occasion. And on the run? I didn't have to adjust them once. I didn't overheat, thanks to the breathable, sweat wicking fabric that in the gusty breeze along the seafront, kept my protected from the elements and not frozen when the sun dipped. I had the confidence in my silhouette, because there were a lot of amazing supporters lining the course.
I now know what a marathon feels like to achieve, if I could bottle it up, I would! I now know that when you run a marathon or any distance, you don't hugely want to feel your leggings, because you want them to fit so well and so smoothly that they aren't a second thought!
I wore our
Navy Dream Spin Leggings in ML, we just have a few XS and more ML in stock, so if you have a Spring or Summer race around the corner, take it from me, Dream Spins make for dreamy runs you'll cherish and want to take on again (maybe next year).
