Eat Drink Run Woman

Musings from a Seattle personal chef with a fitness problem

Archive for August, 2009


Published August 17th, 2009

WRIGHTSOCK Challenge, test 2

Socks have it tough.  When they work well, there’s not much to say about ’em.  When they don’t?  Well, you can bet there’ll be a LOT of gripin’ going on.  Fortunately I’ve been experiencing the former with my WRIGHTSOCKS, but that means this post will be brief.

Last Thursday I tested the SLXs on a 20-mile long run.  While I normally lube up the ol’ feet with Body Glide, I decided to forego it in order to truly test the WRIGHTSOCK mettle.  Thank goodness I had absolutely no issues — no blisters, not even any hot spots.  Like a few of the other pairs, these socks “hug” your arches, which I really like.  They’re medium weight, which are good for both warm and cool climates.

Next up were the SLRs.  Frankly, I didn’t see much of a difference between them and the SLXs, other than they’re all white whereas the SLXs are grey and white with a red stripe.  The SLRs are touted as having more cushion, but I didn’t really notice.  I wore these for my half marathon run on Saturday and really liked them.  Again, I’d wear them year-round.

For my 7-mile trail run on Sunday I tried out the Running IIs.  Whereas the SLRs and SLXs are single-layered, the Running IIs are double-layered.  By the time I hit the trail the temp was in the 70s and my feet did get pretty hot and sweaty.  However, that was due more to the trail running shoes I was testing, which are coated in Goretex.  Once I switched to my regular, breathable trail shoes my feet were quite comfortable.  That said, I probably will save these for cooler weather.

So there  you have it — another successful test.  I have one more pair to try, then I’ll be wearing each pair several more times.  My tootsies are lovin’ it!

Published August 12th, 2009

WRIGHTSOCK Challenge, test 1

Last night I was a product-testing fool.  Just before I headed out on my run I swigged a glass of POM pomegranate juice (more on that in a later post), threw on a pair of my new WRIGHTSOCK Cushioned DLX double-layer socks and slipped my feet into a pair of trail running shoes I’m testing (not sure if I can talk about the specifics yet).  My plan was to run about four miles along the “trails” in Woodland Park near my house, then change into regular running shoes for an easy loop around Greenlake with friends.  Since I’d be running on a couple of different terrains, I brought along another pair of WRIGHTSOCKS — the ultra-thin SLTs.

The DLXs are indeed cushy, however, since they’re double-layered I found the inside layer creased a bit when I put my shoe on.  But once smoothed out it stayed that way.  They were extremely comfortable and I had no issues with them, however, I’ll be saving them for cooler weather as my feet got quite hot (the shoes contributed to that as they were pretty darn heavy).

I had stored my regular running shoes and the SLTs in my friends car, and when I switched out the trail runners and DLXs with them it felt like I had lost about five pounds.  The socks lived up to their ultra-thin name as I could barely tell I had any on.  While I didn’t have any issues with these either, I prefer a slightly thicker sock, as well as one that goes above the ankle (even though I still manage to get rocks and dirt in my shoes with the latter style).

Tomorrow will be an even better test, as I’ll be heading out on a 20-mile run.  Not sure which socks I’ll choose to wear, but that’s part of the fun!

Published August 11th, 2009

Sock it to me

wrightsocWhen I first began running I gave little thought to my running gear. I’d wear cheap cotton shorts and socks, an old cotton t-shirt and shoes from the discount mart down the street. Eventually I started wearing race shirts, but they were still cotton as this the B.T.W. era (before technical wear). As I entered my second running phase in 2005 I replaced my cotton gear with technical fabrics, plus I got myself fitted for better shoes at my local running store. But my socks? They were still the $9.99/6-pair special at Costco.

Then I got into long distance running.

Sure, I balked when I saw many of the blister-free, moisture wicking socks were $8-$12 a pop. But as someone who stands on her tootsies all day, I knew I had to take care of ’em. I think the first pair of technical socks I bought were the Injinji toe socks. Yeah, they’re goofy looking and take some getting used to, but they work. I’ve then tried several other brands — Brooks, Asics, New Balance and Feetures — with mixed results. I don’t even know the brand of my favorite socks, just that they have cute blue & yellow forget-me-nots on them. They were the ones I wore when I BQ’d, and of course they were the ones I wore when running the 113th Boston Marathon (the blue & yellow matched the Boston colors; it was meant to be!) Alas, not clipping my toenails have done a job on them and I’ll have to throw them out.

Fortunately, thanks to the folks at WRIGHTSOCK, I now have plenty of replacements.

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Published August 7th, 2009

Baby’s first DNF(s)

It’s said bad things can happen to good people.  But why, oh why, did it have to happen to me?  After all, I consider myself an ambassador of the running community.  I train well, backing off when I’m on the verge of injury.  I serve as a mentor to new runners, encouraging them to challenge themselves and do their best.  I thank all the volunteers and spectators who come to cheer us on.  I discretely launch my snot rockets.  I don’t pee in people’s yards (okay, so just once).

So how could such tragedy befall me?

Oh, who am I kidding?  Even though I technically DNF’d from the Crescent Forest Marathon, I don’t consider it a “real” DNF.  It’s not like I had been training for this race for months; rather, I decided about three days prior I’d run it.  In addition, we didn’t shell out a ton in race fees — it was free, although we did pony up $20 as a donation.  But considering I started the race fully intent on finishing it, I suppose it counts.

Knowing I’d be in need of some serious recovery time after my Monster Month, I vowed not to run any marathons in July and August.  My resolve was short-lived, as I was soon signing up for the Wild Thing Summer Fling that required each participant to wear a dress on their first 2.6-mile lap around Lake Padden (extra points for wearing red lipstick).  Eager to run his first double, my darling signed up for Crescent Forest the day before.  While tempted to run the entire thing, I decided I’d run just a couple of laps (the course is four laps) and then cheer my darling on.  But as the weekend neared I began jonesing for another double (call me a masochist), so I emailed the race director to let him know I’d be joining in on the fun.

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