Lacie Whyte was competing in Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, several years ago when her mind started wandering. She wasn't thinking about any mental strategies that would aid in her finishing one of the Midwest's more challenging marathons-she was thinking about the attire the other female competitors were wearing.

"I noticed that a lot of women had homemade shirts and were marketing them so that friends and family and whoever could see them," said the 32-year-old Whyte, a runner, triathlete, and former student athlete. "It was a great form of publicity. And I started thinking about how cool it would be to have a boutique that focused on specialty-type of competition wear."

Lacie and her husband Jeff don't own a store yet (if you don't count their house), but they have made her idea a reality. Their line of clothing, called Swirl Gear, is specifically designed for women using a spray-dye design, which is similar to tie-dye. The business is making strides.

The runners and business couple started the operation out of their home and still work from there today. Their clothing line is sold in 30 stores in eight states, including Universal Sole, the Running Depot, Glen Ellyn Running Company and Dick Pond Athletics here in the Chicago area.

With Jeff holding down a "regular job," as Lacie puts it, as the general manager of a graphics company in Elk Grove Village, most of the business legwork has been her responsibility. They started in the wholesale market before obtaining an online presence at www.swirlgear.com.

"We wanted to be online to reach out to those people signing up for races and triathlons," said Whyte, who along with Jeff lived in Roscoe Village for ten years before moving to the suburbs and becoming parents. "Initially, when we started this in June of 2006, we wanted to come up with something that wasn't in the mainstream market right now, something that would stand out. We cater mostly to specialty stores and keep everything pretty close to the vest."

Swirl gear includes eight different styles of women's running shirts in their initial line of clothing. Technical jackets, hooded sweatshirts, hats and long and short-sleeved shirts will be showcased in the winter line.

Whyte estimated their startup cost at around $40,000 and mentioned they are seeking an investor, someone familiar with the endurance sports culture and environment. The products are made overseas and consist of 100 percent performance polyester.

"We had a good initial reaction and started small but we are building momentum," Lacie said. "We think our product is different, cool and the styles stand out."

Whyte played as a lefty point guard on the basketball team and also competed in softball at Glenbard West High School before a knee injury derailed her intentions to compete at a Division I school. She attended the College of Du Page and Northwestern University and worked as a recruiter and financial analyst before this venture.

"I got tired of working in a suit everyday,'' she said. "I wanted to do something different."

Jeff, who played on the Rugby team at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, met his future wife at a Chicago watering hole the night before the LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K.

"I knew Jeff through his brother Mike, as we went to high school together," Lacie said. "The next day, we ran the Shamrock Shuffle together," Lacie said. "We've been together since."

The pair has competed in half a dozen triathlons and several marathons, but with a talkative and active 3-year-old at home and growing business venture, they stick mostly with 5K and 10K races today.

Jeff, 38, said when the vision for the idea became clearer, it took a life of its own. "We thought it was a good idea and now we are at the point where hopefully at some point we can devote full-time effort with it," Jeff said. "What makes the clothing special is the look, spawned by the tie-dye. Performance-wise, it holds up with two-way stretch material. Lacie is doing most of the work now and it's a demanding job but we can see the upside to it. We enjoy that we are giving back to the athletic community."

For more information on Swirl Gear, call (773) 490-4970 or e-mail info@swirlgear.com.

Kevin Harmon is a Chicago-based health and fitness writer, personal trainer and health educator. He can be reached at kharmon43@aol.com.