The Running Thread - 2018

[LilyJC]

QOTD: Its been a while since we had a running sock discussion, so lets revisit it today. What type of sock do you run in? Which ones have you tried and found just dont work for you?

Feetures are my go-to at this point, and I alternate between the more padded vs. thinner depending on the season.

I used to love ASICS socks and have tried Balega, but for now my favorites are Feetures.

 

[MissLiss279]

ATTQOTD: I’m an Injinji sock person. They have definitely helped prevent my toe blisters. If I didn’t have issues with getting toe blisters, I like Balega socks. They’re so soft and comfy!

 

[jennamfeo]

Other than that I had to take a bottle of red wine out of the fridge the other day. I love my mother, but she doesn't understand that not all wines go in the fridge.

As the community Sommelier, I am gonna have to comment on this one. If you don't have a proper wine fridge, storing wine in a normal fridge is okay. Most people miscalculate "room temperature" for a wine as in the temperature they like their room. However, red wine should be served at 55 degrees. That is their preferred room temperature. So if you have a wine you want to serve, keep it in the fridge, then about 30 minutes before you want to open it then pull it out and let it warm up for serving. If you have an opened bottle of red wine, it is also better to keep it in the fridge if you don't plan to drink it all that evening as it will slow the oxidization that occurs in opened bottles of wine.

ATTQOTD: I bought two pairs of Feetures at an expo, I want to say at Wine and Dine, did the thing you aren't supposed to do, and ran in them during a race without ever having tried them on a run before. I loved them. They are my favorite.

 

[SarahDisney]

As the community Sommelier, I am gonna have to comment on this one. If you don't have a proper wine fridge, storing wine in a normal fridge is okay. Most people miscalculate "room temperature" for a wine as in the temperature they like their room. However, red wine should be served at 55 degrees. That is their preferred room temperature. So if you have a wine you want to serve, keep it in the fridge, then about 30 minutes before you want to open it then pull it out and let it warm up for serving. If you have an opened bottle of red wine, it is also better to keep it in the fridge if you don't plan to drink it all that evening as it will slow the oxidization that occurs in opened bottles of wine.

So, my research actually told me the opposite - leave it at room temp and then put it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving to get it to the right temperature (I think I saw 60-65 for a Syrah, which is what this was).
Didn't know about keeping it in the fridge after opening, though. Will have to tell my mom she was right about that one.

ATTQOTD: I buy my socks at Kohls. I think the ones I wear most often are Champion.
I do have a pair of Feetures wool socks that I like for cold weather runs, but for most runs, the cheap socks work fine for me.

 

[Bree]

ATTQOTD: I wear Balega socks. I have a huge issue with toe seams and these are the ones that bother me the least. They say they are seam free, but I can still feel where the toe is attached to the rest of the sock. The Silver & Women's Enduro are my favorites.

 

[cburnett11]

ATTQOTD: I run in Swiftwick Aspire. I also pretty much wear them to work and for everything. I like that they are thin. However, after an especially hard workout, race, or long run, I'll put on a pair of Balega Hidden Comfort and walk around on clouds.

 

[mrsg00fy]

ATTQOTD: Balegas all the way. I had blister issues wearing cheap socks and refused to spend the extra money on good socks.

Once I got tired of the constant blisters I tried balega there was no turning back. I’ve not had a blister in the four years since I switched to balega. And they last a long time.

 

[FFigawi]

Sounded like the folks doing the Galveston 70.3 had a rough time on the last half of the bike course.

Great tailwind on the way out, though One of my friends averaged over 20 for the first half.

QOTD: Its been a while since we had a running sock discussion, so lets revisit it today. What type of sock do you run in? Which ones have you tried and found just dont work for you?

I run in Asics Kayano socks. They're not easy to find all the time, so I stock up on them whenever I find them. I like how they're fairly well cushioned but also not too thick.

So, my research actually told me the opposite - leave it at room temp and then put it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving to get it to the right temperature (I think I saw 60-65 for a Syrah, which is what this was).
Didn't know about keeping it in the fridge after opening, though. Will have to tell my mom she was right about that one.

The problem with all the advice which talks about keeping wine at room temperature is that room temperature now is a far cry from when this saying first became popular. Room, or cellar, temperature in France is intended to be in the 55-60 range, not up around 70 where many rooms are now kept these days. A dedicated wine cellar is the best option, followed by the fridge, and then room temperature. A red wine suffers more from being kept too warm than too cold.

 

[NurseRunner]

I’m big on the swift wick maxus for cushion. But I am such a bad overpronator that they work well with my super supportive shoes. Now if I could just get faster...

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: Its been a while since we had a running sock discussion, so lets revisit it today. What type of sock do you run in? Which ones have you tried and found just dont work for you?

Under Armour, they work well for me and I have never had a problem with them.

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: SmartWool is my go-to for socks! Haven't bothered with anything else because SmartWool treats me so well. Perfect for scorching summer heat and humidity, AND for chilly winter days. Only wish I'd known of them back when I was skiing.

 

[BikeFan]

ATTQOTD: I go through socks pretty quickly, but have been happy with generic cotton ankle socks 99% of the time - they're soft, cheap, and keep my toes warm. Cotton retains water though, so if it's raining or the kind of race where I expect to get my feet wet, such as a trail race with stream crossings, I'll grab some of my tech socks that I know from experience will dry quickly.

Socks are one of those things I didn't really think about until I did my first trail ultra, had to cross multiple streams, and spent the rest of the day running in wet feet. I got several of the worst blisters I've ever had as a result. Since then, I've learned that the right socks can make all the difference between happy feet and miserable feet, especially the longer you go. This is why it's probably a good idea to do a few training runs in the rain, to know what gear works in those conditions. You may have to race in the rain one of these days, and you'll want to be prepared for that situation.

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: Currently have sofsole and under armor socks in the rotation. The socks that have the extra padding in the toe and heel areas tend to aggravate my feet.

Ran the Rock n Roll Raleigh half marathon yesterday. I really didn’t need have any goals going into the race except to beat my time from last year. In all honesty, I hadn’t been looking forward to this race at all. I didn’t enjoy the race last year and I think the only reason I signed up for it again was that the price was pretty reasonable.

The good: Really good weather to run in. Chilly/windy at the start but was nice once we started moving. They changed the course from last year. Downtown Raleigh is very hilly but I appreciated them trying to not make it as miserable for everyone. The course support was good. Plenty of water stations and bands/music along the course. Finish line atmosphere was cool and they give you a ton of stuff after you cross the finish line (bottled water, Gatorade, chocolate milk, pretzels, cheese its, a granola bar, and a banana). I had to start turning things down after a minute because I couldn’t hold it all. Because I knew the race was going to be hilly, I didn’t glance at my watch until around mile 8 and saw I was doing pretty good. Because the harder hills were behind me at that point, I picked up the pace and ended up finishing in 2:12 which was just under three minutes faster than last year!

The meh/bad: There were what felt like a lot less vendors than last year so I was in and out of the expo pretty quickly. One thing that I really didn’t enjoy was having to be parked by 5:30 that morning for a 7:00 start. I totally understand why they recommend it due to a lot of road closures for the race but it’s just a long time to sit and wait and not fall back asleep in the car. Thankfully got a good spot pretty close to the start and finish and just hung out in my car. Rock n roll gives you a corral placement but it didn’t seem to matter too much as I saw a lot of people just trying to get closer to the start and sneak their way in from the sidewalks.

I would recommend this race to anyone if you don’t mind a very hilly run but from what I heard, this is the last year Rock n Roll will be in Raleigh. The marathon was taken away after last year and only the one mile, 5k, and half were left. This is the last longer disntance race for me until the fall so it was nice to finish on a positive note!

 

[AZMermaid]

The Balegas I have are too thick for me. I tend to like my Feetures, but I got a blister this weekend. I have a couple pair of Wrights which I like, but I miss the slight support of the other socks. So I am following. I have an issue in my toes where they get painful and numb so I am always on the hunt for the perfect socks. So far, Feetures are the best for me but don't totally solve the problem.

 

[PCFriar80]

QOTD: Its been a while since we had a running sock discussion, so lets revisit it today. What type of sock do you run in? Which ones have you tried and found just dont work for you?

"Thirty 48" Ultralight Running Socks for longer runs and Under Armor socks for shorter runs [4 miles or less]. I've never really had a sock that didn't work for me or should I say "hosed" me.

 

[run.minnie.miles]

ATTQOTD:
I don't really have a specific sock preference, but none of mine are overly expensive. I like them to have the heel tab on the back though.

 

[Princess KP]

ATTQOTD: Lululemon Light Speed Sock Silver. They are thin yet durable, snug and doesn't slip like other socks.

 

[gjramsey]

ATTQOTD: Hmmm, I think I run in most types of running socks. Currently have Injinji, Wrightsock, swiftwick, balega, and a couple of others. I usually grab whatever is on top in the running sock drawer....

 

[apdebord]

ATTQOTD: I wear Balegas, but sometimes Feetures. I wear them inside out becuase the "seamless seam" is still there and this has helped tremendously. Everyone I know swears by Injinji, but my toes are too small for them! They just flop around everywhere.

Everything on this board is so timely...my husband and his friend did some trail miles Saturday at False Cape State Park in Virginia Beach and ended up running a few with wild horses. They paid close attention to where they were stepping...

 

[cavepig]

I wear Injinji toe socks. My toe on each foot next to my pinky to curls/bends funny so without the toe socks they would get smashed causing blisters/burning feeling.