[54] Abstaining from socks-talk for a while

ORN:  Way before the sun rose, I was up and running around the local track.  In total, I ran 7 1/2 miles in 1:11'41".  The FIRST plan called for a wacky interval workout.  After a 2K warm up, I ran a 1600, a 3200 (WTF?!?), and two 800s with long recoveries in between.  I cooled down with a nice, slow mile.  The 3200 was so tough I may have hallucinated my way through the last couple laps.  But as you can see here, apart from the last 800, my pacing was right where it needed to be.

1. 1600 -  7'53" actual -  7'50" target
2. 3200 - 15'54" actual - 15'52" target
3.  800 -  3'51" actual -  3'47" target
4.  800 -  3'56" actual -  3'47" target

To get me through the longer efforts, particularly the 3200, I chanted my target pace range to myself.  I don't know if helped, but it gave me something to do.  It also may have kept me from sliding off the track and into la-la land.  Toward the end of the 3200, I heard myself chanting, out loud, "Usain Bolt -- Usain Bolt -- Usain Bolt".  That's hilarious because I am light years away from his level of performance and I'm neither a sports freak nor one who invokes inspirational persons or entities during times of need.  Still, he's pretty awesome, and it helped.  This week he beat his own World Record in the 100 meters by a huge 0.11 seconds, so I've been Usain in the membrane.  [I know how lame that joke was to nine decimal places.]

 

I ran in my last pair of WrightSocks today -- the Coolmesh.  These are their lightest double-layer sock, and I was impressed.  The double-layer design is a smart one as far as reducing friction and the risk of blisters goes.  My complaints with their other double-layer models, like the Running II, have been with their thickness and how warm they get on warm days.  The Coolmesh socks had all the advantages and none of the disadvantages of those other socks.  In fact, I think I might run with this sock the rest of the week.  They might be my favorites of the bunch.  Good ventilation, snug fit, very comfortable, super dry -- this sock brought its A-game today.

 

As far as I am concerned, I am done with the WrightSock challenge on the Runners' Lounge.  Whew!  I might never mention socks in this blog again.  In summary, they seem to be a good company making good products at a good price.  Frankly, until recently, I never thought socks made that much of a difference in my running experience.  Early in my running career, I ran with whatever was on hand -- usually meaning cotton socks, but occasionally newspapers or beaver pelts.  Luckily, I never got any blisters from them though the newspaper ink made my feet dirty and the beavers were painfully reluctant to give up their pelts.  As time wore on, I got one -- then another -- pair of good but cheap running socks, and I felt a slight improvement with them.  Frankly, the improvement was so marginal, that I rarely went out and bought new pairs of running socks.  I'd wear ones that were given to me in race swag bags, or I'd get some if I had $10 left on a gift card.  But I'd never say to myself, "Aha, it's time, once again, to go to Ken Combs' and buy some running socks!  For mine are worn and need replacement." 

 

What I learned in the past couple weeks with the WrightSock challenge was that while a good or great sock may not lead to a life-changing run, a bad sock will almost certainly result in a bad run.  Whether through friction, warmth, or sogginess, bad socks can ruin a good day.  I'm a running sock consumer from now on.