"We can all take a joke", says Danielle Hermez, with her Auckland half marathon running companions and "bridesmaids", from left, Matias Perez, Michael Walker and Christian Costa. Photo / Supplied
"We can all take a joke", says Danielle Hermez, with her Auckland half marathon running companions and "bridesmaids", from left, Matias Perez, Michael Walker and Christian Costa. Photo / Supplied
It got a good workout on the reception dance floor more than a decade ago, but Danielle Hermez's wedding dress faces its toughest test yet at today'sAuckland Marathon.
The self-proclaimed "Runaway Bride" will run 21.1km in the half marathon event while wearing her old wedding dress, an ivory-coloured "princess" style outfit with a tight-fitting bodice and poufed ruffle skirt.
Running by her side will be her three "bridesmaids", Matias Perez, Michael Walker and Christian Costa, each elegantly-attired in oyster pink slips with cowl necks and spaghetti straps.
The quartet are raising money for KidsCan charity, which helps children affected by poverty by providing food, jackets, shoes and health products to schools and early childhood centres.
Hermez, who will be running her fourth half-marathon, decided to dust off the old wedding dress after seeing a firefighter clad in full gear taking part in a previous race.
"I figured he was doing it for charity ... it was my 10 year wedding anniversary and I thought, 'There's a good way to re-use the dress'.
"[My husband] doesn't care what happens to the dress, because we're already married, and neither do I. I've worn it quite a few times for dress-up things so it's quite a multi-use dress and I'm just glad to get another use out of it."
She expected to hear a bit of chatter from the sidelines, but all in good fun.
"The boys are the ones catching all the flak [so far]. We can all take a joke. And the boys look great - they're beautiful."
While Hermez's bridesmaids' simple outfits weren't expected to cause problems, some concessions had to be made for their leader in white.
She'll carry a bouquet, but neither her original veil nor shoes would be making a return - for safety reasons she's switched to a hat and trainers.
And the skirt has been hemmed up to her shins, so she doesn't trip while pounding the asphalt alongside thousands of others.
The shoulder straps have also been "reinforced", given the most intense workout the dress had previously been subjected to was on the wedding reception dance floor, Hermez said.
She hasn't trained in the dress, but ran about 300 metres in it for a photo shoot.
"It actually felt really good. But I can imagine 21km on it's going to be a lot hotter. I'm not quite sure if I'm wanting it to rain or not, whether that will make it better or worse."
MetService is forecastingpartly cloudy weather with a high of 25C today.
Despite their unusual kit, Hermez, who ran her first full marathon two years ago, hoped she and her bridesmaids would finish within two-and-a-half hours or, at worst, under three hours.
Danielle Hermez will run Auckland Marathon's half marathon event alongside three helpers, her "bridesmaids", from left, Matias Perez, Michael Walker and Christian Costa. Photo / Supplied
In more running-friendly gear the 32-year-old would expect to complete the course in less than two hours.
"I am a little bit nervous, only because of the heat. I can run 21kms. I'm a little bit worried about chafing, but we're just gonna make it a good time and it will take as long as it takes.
"If we can get across the finish line in a good time we'll be stoked, but just raising the money is the main reason, and that's what we're in it for."
She chose KidsCan after becoming more aware of the charity's work when her son started school last year.
"He's pretty lucky - he's got shoes and a jumper and a proper lunchbox, and not every kid does. Especially with all the lockdowns, KidsCan have been helping all the families.
