By Design: An Inside Look at Mirna Valerio’s Signature Sock

Somewhere in Wisconsin, sweltering inside a small, 150-degree sauna, Mirna Valerio is smiling.

Fresh off her incredible performance at Lululemon’s FURTHER event, Mirna’s body isn’t quite as happy as she is. “But that doesn’t mean I get the day off,” she jokes.

Joining us via smartphone to discuss the design of her custom Run sock, Mirna – better known as the Mirnavator – tells us that multi-tasking (aka taking meetings in the sauna) is the key to her budding success as an athlete.

“I love my sponsors,” she says sincerely, a thick bead of sweat trickling down her wet cheek, “but my body comes first.” Through the phone, we can hear the hiss and sizzle of hot steam filling the room as Mirna fiddles with her headphones in the dry, scorching air.

We asked how she felt after running 142.6 miles in six days. She responded: “Recovery is going really well. I don’t think I’ll be running anytime soon. But it’s going well!”

Running almost a marathon every day for 6 consecutive days might sound like a superhuman feat for some. But for Mirna, it’s just another day at the office… or as she prefers it, roasting in the steam room.

We caught up with Mirna, and our Product Design Manager, Jenny (who also likes to sauna but chose to take our call from the comfort of her Northfield office) to discuss their collaboration and process of designing Mirna’s new signature sock – aptly named, the MIRNAVATED.

But first, a bit of history.

When An Unstoppable Force Meets an Immovable Object

Before Mirna, the athlete – there was Mirna, the schoolteacher. She wasn’t quite known yet for her athletic prowess (although she was still competing) but she did have a knack for molding the minds of our youth. Be it teaching Spanish, Music, or lecturing on Performing Arts, Mirna found solace in the classroom.

But that was all about to change. And that is where we pick up our story.

During her tenure as an educator, Mirna Valerio was the head of equity and inclusion at her school and gave talks to businesses regarding diversity in the workplace. She was also a badass Mom (still is) and an aspiring runner with a fun personality that she unabashedly shared on social media.

One of our employees (and resident Darn Tough spokesperson) Courtney, immediately took notice and started stalking Mirna on Instagram, quickly falling in love with everything she stood for.

Courtney initially reached out to Mirna to see if she’d be willing to talk to our owner, Ric Cabot, about inclusion and diversity in the workplace – which she did. The two met (at least six feet apart, per the CDC) in 2020 on Montpelier’s statehouse lawn to discuss what could be done to improve diversity and inclusion at Darn Tough. 

She had heard Ric was “tough” (no pun intended) and that he was “from New York,” to which she smirked and replied, “Psssh, I’m from New York. Where is he from, Queens?”

Not to throw any shade on New Yorkers because we love our neighbors, but it was clear these two were destined to vibe. Looking back on that moment, Mirna recalled that it was “out of the ordinary for a brand leader of that caliber to have this type of talk.”

But success only comes to those who seek it, and it’s often at the hands – or in this case, at the feet – of someone unconventional. Someone like Ric Cabot. Nearing the end of their chat, Mirna hiked up her pant leg to show Ric that she was wearing her favorite pair of Darn Tough socks.

“You know,” Mirna hinted, “it would be cool if you guys knit a Mirnavator sock... just saying.”

And so, the seed was planted.

Ric enjoyed their talk so much that he asked Mirna to speak to Darn Tough’s Senior Leadership team, and eventually – after the curve flattened and the post-pandemic economy rebounded – offered her a contract.

Not as an in-house diversity practitioner. No, Ric offered her a contract as an athlete. First hired to talk about inclusion in the workplace, Mirna Valerio was now officially signed as a Darn Tough athlete, becoming the first plus-sized, African American woman to represent the brand.

Safe to say, Ric took her advice.

The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Fast forward to Ric in 2021 – sitting in his office, stalwart and determined to hit the ground running – when he decided to present Mirna with the opportunity of a lifetime. She was to receive her own signature Run sock.

That’s when our resident sock-designer-in-chief, Jenny, and her brilliant team were tasked with their next assignment. They were to create a custom Run sock with Mirna – which is something they’ve done for other athletes. But according to Jenny, this opportunity was different.

“Mirna was a gift for us. She had a vision from day one and allowed us to get inside her head to better understand her sense of style.”

Early in the design process, Mirna brought in visual aids to show the team precisely what that vision was, including a painting by Rachel Pohl. As the story goes, Mirna stripped the colorful canvas straight off her living room wall and brought it to the Mill the next day.

“I’ll tell you,” Jenny said, “nobody’s ever done that before.”

Pohl’s vibrant and abstract painting style incorporates various mountain landscapes and deep colors – like saturated teals, purples, and corals. This piece was a huge jumping off point for Jenny and her team, as they “knew it had a lot of personal meaning to Mirna.”

Mirna also brought in a box of discarded strips of purple paper because she loved that particular hue – and because that’s just who Mirna is. “Her sense of style matches her energy,” explained Jenny, “and all the substance she provided really helped us nail down the design of her sock.”

Mirna also had great things to say about Jenny’s expertise when it came to designing socks: “Jenny is so intuitive – she and the rest of the team read my mind throughout the design process and helped turn my vision into a reality.”

We later asked Jenny what it’s like working with professional athletes and managing the subsequent pressure involved with delivering a product that not only fits the athlete’s needs, but also the customer’s: “Mirna’s humility made it easy to work with her. She’s easy to talk to, authentic, and unafraid. It gave our team the confidence to design something that she, as well as our loyal customers, could stand behind.” “

We’ve yet to produce our best sock,” Jenny said with conviction, “and the Product team takes that to heart. We’re always looking for ways to improve and get better, and working with Mirna reminded us that we’re getting closer every day.”

Come Alive Outside: How Mirna’s Sock Gives Back

It’s our pleasure to announce that Mirna’s new signature Run sock is the latest addition to our Knit to Give collection, where 5% of all sales get donated to charity.

In this case, 5% of all sales from the MIRNAVATED Run sock will go directly to supporting a charity that’s close to Mirna’s heart – the Vermont based association, Come Alive Outside.

Founded in 2014, Come Alive Outside is a nonprofit that connects individuals, families, and communities to the health and wellness benefits of outdoor spaces where they live, work, and play.

As children today spend more time with their faces cemented to screens, Come Alive Outside’s mission is to create awareness, intention, and opportunity for people to live healthier lives outside.

Executive Director, Arwen Turner, is a close friend of Mirna’s and a fellow advocate for helping people feel comfortable getting outside, even if they don’t yet have a reason to. Darn Tough is proud to partner with Mirna and Come Alive Outside to help kids do just that – get outside and do what they love, regardless of looks or limitations.

In dedicating sales of this sock to helping children overcome said adversity, Mirna’s message is clear: “Everyone’s an athlete, or at least they can be. They just need the proper tools, resources, and guidance. And I’m prepared to give that to them.”

Breaking Barriers, One Step at a Time

When it comes to breaking boundaries and reshaping the mold of what professional runners are “supposed” to look like, Mirna has shattered them all. And we’re excited to be a part of her journey. Mirna earning her first pro-model running sock isn’t our doing – not by any means. But we’re just glad she chose us to help see her vision through.

But more than that, she’s created a safe and inclusive playing ground for folks who feel they’re on the fringes, or seemingly stuck on the outside looking in. Sure, it’s just socks. But everyone needs them, the same way everyone needs to get outside and live life to the fullest.

An accomplished runner with 11 marathons, 16 ultras, and countless other races of varying lengths under her belt, Mirna could care less about what place she finishes in – to her, finishing is good enough. And that’s the message she aspires to deliver to athletes facing any form of self-doubt or insecurity.

“Go forth unapologetically,” she says, “and do good every step of the way.”