I’ve always found socks to be one of the easiest purchases to make. Besides being moisture-wicking and getting the right size, everything else is about your preference. Just pick the texture that is most comfortable, the color that is most appealing, and the style that works best for you (hidden, comfort, thin, etc.). They are a tad expensive (don’t expect a similar price to the bulk packs of socks from Costco) but if you take care of them, they will last a long time and your feet will love you for them. My two favorite brands are Balega and Feetures but there are many good ones out there.
One other quick sock note. You may notice some runners wearing “compression” socks. I have one pair. They are expensive. I use them for either the day after a hard workout to help recovery, or for a long run when I know my legs have gone through a lot that week. You’ll see some professionals wearing them in races though many do not. Some runner friends of mine wear them all the time, some never. Given their price, I would do some research and see people’s rationale behind the choice to use them. Maybe they’re something for you.
I’ve been reviewing running food for a couple of weeks. Why and when should you use this sort of nutrition/energy?
The why is obvious. On longer runs, your body is burning fuel so you need to replenish. The when is murkier. There are recommended intervals on the packaging but ultimately it’s up to you. You don’t want to overeat, but you also don’t want to wait until it’s too late. Try a few, try some intervals, see what works.
For my first marathon, I knew I would need fuel along the way besides sports drinks. I trained with different kinds of bars and also gels. Flavor and variety (some of the “chocolate” flavors only resembled chocolate if you really focused on it) have improved considerably since the late 1990s and when you go to a store that carries these items, there may be dozens of options. Besides bars and gels, there are gummies, jelly-bean style products, waffles, etc. Some folks will spend long periods of time analyzing every last ingredient, some will go with what someone else recommends. I tend to try a bunch of different ones. My goal is to have a little energy boost, maybe some caffeine, without creating any stomach discomfort. You can start with the main brands: Gu, Honey Stinger, Hammer, or Clif, and branch out.
One of my friends eats blocks and bars for snacks, others reserve them just for long runs/endurance activities. I tend to use them for long runs/races or to reenergize quickly after a long workout. I’ll test them on three to six mile runs and once I’m pleased with one of them, I’ll use that as my go-to fuel for long runs.
(True story: on a very early morning run when it was snowy and cold, I carried a thermos of coffee and a maple-bacon flavored gel so that half-way through, I could combine a small “breakfast” with a sweeping view of the snow-swept vista. While not quite the same as bacon out of the pan with a mug of coffee, it was pretty darn good. I’ve only carried coffee on a run twice and wouldn’t recommend using it as an in-run beverage.)
Back to running food reviews. My rule is to not only have tested the gel/bar of choice prior to the long training run/race day, but to have acclimated to it and used it for several runs ahead of time.
Some races will post what types of drinks/gels/bars they’ll be handing out. In any race marathon length or less, I don’t want to carry anything more than is absolutely necessary, including gels or sports drinks. Why create the extra hassle? By researching what a race is handing out, I can use them during training runs and acclimate my body for them.
For one marathon I did several years ago, they were handing out a type of gel whose flavor I did not like. But, wanting to set a personal best, I spent the weeks leading up to it using these gels and washing them down with the race-provided brand of sports drink. I never learned to like the flavor, but I got used to them and only had to wear shorts, shirt, and shoes and I set a personal best by 5 minutes.
Last but not least, beverages. Like edibles, there are many types of sports drinks out there and like the edibles, I would try several and see what you prefer. I’ve been fortunate that Gatorade and Powerade have worked for me. They are not as expensive as some other drinks and they are available everywhere I travel so I don’t have to pack drink powder or worry about adapting to something new on the road. I’ve also used Accelerade in the past, as well as Gu and V-Fuel mixes. All of these did what I hoped they would do, which was help me sustain my run.
Be smart on all levels with what you’re taking in and how you learn to adapt to it or like it. With the dozens of available flavors and textures out there, something will work for you and heck, you might even like the taste.
That leads to my running food/beverage review of the week and I’ll do two, since this post has focused on them.
(Note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Powerade fruit punch. This is a product I like especially prior to a run/race and during the run/race. Its flavor is mild and it keeps me starting and going on all cylinders. The second review is the Strawberry Waffle by Honeystinger. Excellent flavor. Like the gingersnap waffle (see my previous review of that), I like it best either before or as a recovery snack.
Running gear next time and how to be practical about it…