I’ve been rocking my long runs & recovery for the last month, with noticeable improvements in speed, less stopping & faster recovery. My friends over a PRO Compression sent me a new pretty pair of socks that I will use all year round and especially for recovery.
Color: Marathon Berry
During summer months I won’t wear compression socks while running, it’s just too warm. So i make it a priority to wear them the day before & immediately after a long run. This method seems to do the trick. My legs are hardly tired or feeling beat up the next day. When it gets colder out, I’ll pair my compression socks with capris & create a warm running tight. Does anyone else do this??
This picture was taken October last year the day before the Chicago Marathon. And there I am sporting the very trendy capri & pro compression combo next to The Foodie Runner! Just looking at this makes me wonder when my next marathon will be!
Yesterday I did 11 miles with the last 4 miles with a faster finish (7:45-7:55 pace). When I get back from a long run I drink water, hop in the shower (i can’t stand sitting on the couch smelly & sweaty), put on comfy clothes & Pro Compression socks, more water or fruit & nuts to snack on before figuring out an actual meal.
sitting in the sun warming up & rehydrating
I also like to bundle up on the couch for a while because it takes a little time for my body temperature to return to normal.
she likes to bundle up & watch tv too!
legs up, legs tight!
We went to Denizens Brewery in the afternoon for a beer & a lunch. BBQ chicken salad & a white ipa.
Now it’s your turn up your running game! Use the code PRO15 to get 40% off of PRO Compression’s socks & sleeves. PRO Compression is giving away a free pair of Marathon Socks to one of my lovely readers! You can earn up to 3 entries to win:
I guess it’s time to reveal some proof that I did in fact play b-ball. See, here i am holding the basketball, looking not impressed way too cool…haha
And here I am shooting..Pretty sure my shot percentage is terrible. I honestly think I only made about 5/70 baskets over the hour.
And my terrible form, at least it makes a for fun action pics.
What you need to take from all these ridiculous pictures of me attempting to shoot around, is that Pro Compression’s socks kept my calves warm and loose, and my ankle felt great the entire time.. see i was even jumping!
Purple is awesome! So bright and pretty 🙂
After basketball, I ran 2 miles home. Two. Full. Miles. No pain, no stopping. I’ve been wearing my awesome Pro Compression purple marathon socks during my few runs back and I like the squeeze around my feet and ankles. I’ve never worn compression socks during runs, only here and there for recovery, but that extra sock support has been helping my comfort and confidence on the road back to racing. I don’t even need to try any other sock because the first time I put these on it just felt right you know?
peace and a sweaty two miles!
I do get a lot of strange looks when I wear my Pro Compression socks to work, but once i explain the benefits the strange looks turn into an “ah ha moment” or “why didn’t I know about this sooner?” For those of you who are new runners, crossfitters, cyclists, or just stand on your feet all day here are the basics to know about compression socks:
Pro Compression socks: “True graduated compression promotes circulation by pushing fluid up from your feet and ankles to toward your knees. This design also helps reduce swelling and inflammation while providing critical support to muscles and tendons.”
Faster recovery is super important to me right now. After taking a month off from running, i need to be sure i’m taking care of my legs, and these socks aren’t leaving my legs anytime soon.
Guess what? I want you to try a pair too! Pro Compression is being awesome and wants to give one of my super cool readers a free pair of their marathon socks! All you have to do is like their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter, then leave a comment telling me which you followed and for giggles, tell me what color you want, cause i want the blue ones next ❤
If you can’t wait to try a pair for yourself you can use this code BLG14 for 40% off a pair of their socks or sleeves at Pro’s website. And for those of you in love with their socks, sign up for their Sock of the Month Club and be the first to get info on their new monthly socks and discounts.
Obviously I’m not doing a ton of cardio while waiting for my ankle to fully heal. But I have been spending loads of time thinking about what I will do different when I return to running full time. And here’s what’s hanging at the top of my list:
Cross training. I kill it with strength training since I live at the gym, but actually doing a cardio activity besides running hasn’t been comfortable for me. I’m hoping to hit up a spin class, a yoga class or a pool 1-2x per week, and i’ll keep up with my walks.
right arm is way bigger than little lefty..oops!
Warming up. Previously my warm ups consisted of a few leg swings and half mile or so running at a slower pace. Unfortunately, a few minutes of running a tad slower wasn’t cutting it. In the future I will have to incorporate a good 10 minute pre-run warm up before I head outdoors to warm up my achilles and entire ankle. Running cold is never a good thing, especially with such tight lower legs. Looking back at my training log I can definitely say i skipped way too many warm ups.
Recovery. Fitting in foam rolling, myofascial compression techniques, and recovery foods/drinks is another facet i’ve been slacking on. I hate admitting this, but what are running blogs for other than being honest and ice cream pics?
I’ve been bad at eating a recovery snack after running. After strength training I eat every single time without hesitation. When I finish a run, i don’t have as big of an appetite, so generally I skip eating or drinking a shake (unless it’s some crazy double digit run) OR i’d just drink coffee to get a caffeine boost and go on with the day (see video above).
CLICK Espresso Protein Drink sent me a sample of their protein powders to test out. I feel like these were made for me and will solve my post-run recovery snack problem, especially when I begin to run in the early mornings.
First, i noticed how quickly the powder mixed and it mixed well. No random chunks of powder hanging out and no chalky strange texture or bad aftertaste. I’m picky with protein powders and this is smooth like coffee and the flavor is awesome. No joke, the mocha was delicious and something I can picture having every day. I also had the decaf mocha and was surprised how much I liked it. I’m sorry but normally decaf is a big fat no-thank-you…what? It’s not coffee!
I have caramel & vanilla latte left to try and I can’t wait! At 120 calories, 1.5g fat, 15g protein, this makes me happy. Check out all the vitamins and minerals…
Here’s the fun part, CLICK is going to give one of my readers the 4-pack sampler pack of CLICK Espresso Protein with the CLICK shaker bottle! All you have to do is like CLICK on Facebook or Twitter and then leave a comment telling me which page you followed and which flavor you’d like to try most! The giveaway will end Friday, June 13th at 12 midnight!
Also-If you want to buy the sample pack Click here <—see what I did there? eh?
Workout Recap
Monday:2.4m walk/run, 30 min chest/biceps, 10 abs
Tuesday:25 min legs/hamstrings, lower back
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 20 min triceps, 10 lower back
Friday: 2m elliptical, 2mile run
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 50 minutes of basketball (don’t worry there are pictures), 2.4m run–don’t worry i will recap this 🙂
I get questions, funny looks and jokes made about my compression socks and tights and I even know a few runners who know nothing about compression. Sometimes I forget the normal person isn’t reading running blogs or stalking following elite runners all the live long day and so yeah, compression can be a foreign concept.
me and my Pro’s (compression socks)
Running is high impact sport (duh!). During marathon training there’s obviously a ton of impact happening. Legs go through wear and tear, muscle soreness, and muscle tightness. The name of the game when running high mileage is recovery. If you recover properly you can run 5-6 days a week without getting injured, walking around on sore legs constantly or being exhausted every day. Let’s start with the basics of injury prevention & recovery with a little bit of RICE, which is a bit more familiar to everyone.
Rest: I get about 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Crazy for some, i know, but if I don’t get at least 7, i’m a monster and will need a nap anyway. Speaking of naps, i take those when needed as well. Resting gives your body time to repair damaged muscle tissue and restore glycogen (energy stores). This is why i take 1-2 days completely off from running each week! It is VERY important to take a full rest day to stay healthy and uninjured.
Ice: Using ice on sore body parts helps fight inflammation. Another thing that will help are the foods you eat. You can eat anti-inflammatory foods, such as fruits (especially berries), vegetables (tomatoes, greens) and diets high in omega-3 fatty acids (think fish). I like to try using ice and food intake before I take actual NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen etc) for pain/inflammation.
Compression: The man of the hour, the main squeeze—sorry i can’t help myself! Alright, alright. The idea behind compression is to increase blood flow to repair damaged muscles while eliminating metabolic waste. Which basically means faster muscle recovery. (Foam rolling is also a type of compression!)
Elevation: I don’t have a lot of personal experience using elevation. Except for one day i was locked out of the apartment and put my feet up a wall for 30 minutes. I thought it helped with recovery and I should experiment with this a little more. Competitor.com says “elevation provides relief comparable to compression.” I guess the only downside is that you’re stuck in one place for a while. But i guess you’re stuck in one place with rest, ice and foam rolling.. looks like compression gear is the only stuff you can move around in eh??
I’ve had such good results with compression socks, it got me thinking about the rest of my leg. What about the quads & hammies?? Those are places I’m often sore, especially after hill and speed work. The idea of full leg compression really stood out to me and it kinda fell into my lap that McDavid Compression was at the Rock N’ Roll Expo a few weeks ago. They were one of the few brands I found that carried full leg compression tights!
We geeked out for an embarrassingly long time on running and compression. I felt like I made a few friends that day. They generously gave me a pair of women’s compression tights to try out and report on.
First, I loved the design. They are subtle with color and design yet still unique enough to grab attention. I get compliments on them all the time! Where the hexagon pattern sits (shins, inner thigh & knees) the compression is a little less intense, which is awesome because i can move freely in them.
horizontal stripes are just sunlight coming through the blinds!
I wore them before the USA 1/2 marathon and immediately after I got home that day. This are skintight, yet easy to get on and slid right under my jeans when we headed out for post race lunch & drinks.
shhh, i’m secretly compressing!
The BIGGEST notable difference from this race to others: I could walk up and down the stairs normally. <–If you run marathons you know what a BIG deal this is. No crawling or sideways walking for me!! I’m attributing that directly to the full leg compressing because after races, especially hilly races my quads are normally TRASHED. McDavid tights worked a small miracle that day.
The one and only thing I don’t like about the tights—they are opaque. You can hold them up to the light and see right through. So if I leave the house, i need to throw on a pair of shorts over. It’s funny because the one thing I don’t like directly influences the thing I love, which is their breathability. I was afraid these would be too warm to wear while working or working out, but they breath really nice and I never felt too warm, even with a pair of jeans or shorts over.
Nike Pro shorties covering the booty
Other than the opaque quality, these are pretty cool and seem to do their job for recovery. I’ve wanted to try full leg compression for a while now and this just gets me more and more excited to run high mileage and keep experimenting with compression. McDavid even has full upper body compression shirts & shorts! If you Crossfit, swim, or do any other heavier upper body workouts this might be a neat item to try.
What are you best tips or methods for recovering & staying healthy?
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