Edibles for Runners

February 10, 2022

Maybe the last time you tried cannabis you were in college and someone passed you a joint. Or: maybe you’re an experienced user and know everything there is to know about weed and have experimented with the new products since Canada legalized pot on October 17, 2018. Either way, for runners, there’s a whole new slew of recreational products in the cannabis market that can either help you sleep, reduce inflammation, or just give you a buzz after your race, and help you ponder the universe while you wait for your chicken to bake (dig the pun?).

Here’s a list of some recommended legal cannabis adult-only products in the market that don’t require smoking, can be taken at a low dose, are low in calories, inexpensive, and, unlike alcohol, won’t leave you miserable the next day.

Wana Quick, Orchard Peach, 10mgTHC per package

A common concern with cannabis edibles is: when will this thing work? And then, when it does, you realize: uh, oh. It works too well. Wana Quick is fast-acting, which takes the guesswork out of the experience, and they’re also vegan and gluten-free. There’s a hybrid version of Wana Quick, a 1:1 CBD-THC ratio, which also blunts the psychoactive experience—an edible with training wheels. Each package contains two 5mg pieces, take one, let it hit you, run the bath after your workout, and see how you’ll never again reach out for your wine.

Spinach Feelz, Pineapple Starfruit, 10mgTHC, 5mgCBG

Just when you were getting your head around CBD, the non-psychoactive molecule in cannabis, CRONOS Group, the maker of the Spinach brand, introduces CBG—a new cannabis compound that creates a new cannabis category: it delivers a happy and relaxed experience. The product is a one-of-a-kind edible cannabis gummy that’s designed for the wellness market—the buzz is non-threatening, tingly, warm. Tastes good, too. We’ll write more on CBG in our next cannabis story.

TWD, Mixed Berry Soft Chews, 10mgTHC, 0-1mgCBD

These edibles, from Canopy Growth, are nice because they come in a package of five gummy pieces at 3.5mg doses. If you’re buying a 10mg package, the legal limit, most companies offer two pieces of candy at 5mg each. But 3.5mg is a nice starter dosage, and you don’t have to split a small candy with your teeth. Slightly elevate your mood without rendering yourself incapable of checking Strava, the Mixed Berry Soft Chews from Canopy are a great introduction to the company, one of the biggest in the country, who also makes drinks—which we’ll get to later. For now, try the gummy: watch how much better you stretch.

Foray, Cinnamon Bun Chocolate Square, 10mgTHC, 10mgCBD

If you haven’t checked on the flavours available in the legal cannabis market recently, prepare to have your mind blown: caramel apple, salted caramel, cinnamon bun—and these are just the ones made by Foray, which is produced by the company Auxly, having a tremendous year. Foray is designed by Auxly as an entry-level cannabis product, heavy on the flavour, heavy on the CBD. The company is innovative with taste and textures and their science-first approach has challenged preconceived notions of what an edible can be. Date night? Valentine’s Day alone? Half a piece of the Cinnamon Bun Chocolate Square will have you composing training plans by candlelight on your Instagram.

MediPharms, CBN:CBD, 1:2CBN:CBN

“Relax formula,” the name of this oil from MediPharm Labs, is produced by the company that often wins prizes for CBD of the Year. Almost a medical brand, the products from MediPharm, oils designed for sleep or else concentration, elevate the category and are right for a runner not interested in eating chocolate or candy. By using an oil through a dropper syringe, this clean application that just gets dosed under the tongue, is seamless and reliably-dosed: it’s hard to hit your run when you’re exhausted from insomnia. The nighttime formula from MediPharm mixing CBD and CBN is, for this runner, preferable to a traditional sleeping pill.

Truss, Little Victory, 2.5mgTHC, 2.5mgCBD

I said we weren’t going to get into beverages yet, but why limit ourselves in February during a pandemic? Every runner knows that it’s the little victories on our way to the big ones that help us achieve the results we want. This drink—dry grapefruit, sparkling dark cherry or else blood orange—is made with real fruit, naturally-sweetened, and fizzy, like a White Claw but minus the booze with a little bit of weed. Truss is the leader in cannabis beverages and offers lots of varieties, but the Little Victory is so sweet for runners—by celebrating tiny successes in February, we can do big things in May.

The Green Organic Dutchman, Ripple, dissolvable balanced powder, 10mgTHC, 10mgCBD

This is a cool product, made organically, which is unlike 99% of the cannabis goods on the shelf. Ripple is a cannabis powder and available in different solutions, either 10mg of THC, or else a balanced mix of THC and CBD, which we recommend for an introductory hit. If you’re looking for a baby step into cannabis usage, a tiny sprinkle of Ripple added to your Thursday night cocktail, or else post-run Smoothie, transforms the experience, subtly, into a vacation from the humdrum. It also asks quickly so no annoying, heart-racing moment of, Does this thing work?

If you’re trying any of these products, obviously keep them far away from children, and please only take a little bit at first. The new cannabis products on shelves are not what you might remember from college. So seek out change, because change is good.

iRun for Fun Playlist

Ben Kaplan

February 9, 2022

Running and music, they go together perfectly and for me these are my two big loves in life. Both can take you to amazing places without having to move very far.

I, like most runners, will quickly begin to match their footfalls with the song’s pace or beat. For this reason I like to pick the music that will best suit the run I’m going to go on. This is also important to note why it’s not recommended to race with music, as the song can affect your pace. Especially for easy runs, I try to make sure the beat shifts slightly, so I don’t fall into the same trot for the entire run. Changing your pace during a run can help ward off overuse injuries and boredom.

Some of my top songs I listen to are:

Run by Daughter – This one is always on my playlist. It’s a great slow and moody song that has a great cadence to it. I find I fall into a perfect running rhythm as soon as this song comes on.

Lonely Highway Night by Matt Mays – This song has a fast-paced country beat that puts a little pep in my step and can change a bad mood to a good mood during a run. It also has the perfect beat to run to if you are looking for a zippy easy run.

The Party Line by Belle and Sebastien – I love this song because it’s so different from any other of their songs. It’s got a 70’s retro sound that puts a smile on my face.

When we smile when we run, there is no pain.

Up All Night by Beck – For the same reason I love Party Line, Up All Night has a great beat to run to. It’s consistent and matching your footfalls to the beat, will put you in a 4:40-4:50/km pace.

Quitting You (Campfire Chords) by Arkells – I like this song to slow things down a bit and change the pace of my run and enjoy listening to the songs story and forget about the run.

The Rest of My Life by Sloan – As you can see, I love my Canadian music. I can’t have a playlist without Sloan on it. This song is so Canadian but it’s a great song to run to. It changes pace and if you are like me and you follow the pace of the music, this song helps to keep you from plodding along at one pace but encourages you to change it up every verse.

Fake Empire by The National – This song starts slow and continues to build. I love running to this song because musically it’s a beautiful piece to fully listen to without any distraction and you can do that when you run.

Sun King by The Cult – The Cult delivers high energy rock ‘n’ roll. This is a great song to add to a playlist where you need to spice up your pace and hold a faster interval. Lyrically there isn’t much to listen to, so it’s a good song to get lost in the rhythm of the music.

Meet Me in The Woods by Lord Huron – I absolutely love when this song comes up in my playlist. The beat of the song is perfect for running too due to its imagery. If I’m running along the waterfront and the scenery sucks, this song lets me imagine I’m in the woods, surrounded by nature.

Title Holder by The Interrupters – This song (in fact, the album, Fight the Good Fight) is my speed workout song / album. Any ska beat music will automatically get you moving faster. I do all my super-fast running to this band, because the songs are fun, upbeat and make you want to move fast.

The Joy of Sox

Ben Kaplan

February 8, 2022

Socks in the wintertime are everything. They’re the difference between enjoying your run in frigid temperatures and being miserable. I have great socks from Decathlon, the Running Room, and Nike and, quite honestly, they have kept me on the paths in 2022. We asked readers to talk about their favourite socks and would sincerely like to encourage everyone shopping for a runner’s Valentine Day’s gift to consider the cozy winter run socks. Here are some socks for your mind.

“Dad and I love CEP long compression socks! This, pictured above, was my fiftieth marathon and I refuse to run a race without them! Dad likes to rock the single side compression.” He says, “Well, then the pair lasts twice as long.” The socks do indeed matter!”

Another reader said: “My favourites are Darn Tough and Icebreaker. Smartwool has declined in quality the last few years but they are a close third.”

“I absolutely love my Mizuno Breathe Thermo socks for winter running,” wrote one reader. “They stay toasty no matter what. For all other running its Smartwool socks.”

Smartwool and Darn Tough received many nods from our readers, as well as a brand I’d never heard of. Apparently the Running Room sells Feetures, and they also advertise a lot on Facebook.

This is what Feetures look like.

“I love my Feetures,” another reader said. “They are great wool socks, not too thick. Socks definitely matter. The wrong sock and I’ll have blisters on my heel and in between my toes.“

Endur received a lot of votes, a company I’m not familiar with. But one company whose socks I do love was popular amongst our readers. “Lululemon running socks have definitely lasted the longest for me. I’ve tried everything and Lulu are by far my fav. Second are Nike Elite. Both fit well and are comfortable, as long as you know your size. Pricy, but worth it.”

Reid Coolsaet, who we quote often, once told me he thought socks didn’t matter. But only on this one point I’ll challenge the Canadian Olympian. Many runners agreed with me, not Reid, and bemoaned a sock that’s not longer being made. “Ah, The Joy of Sox! I will only wear Wright Socks Silver Elite. They have discontinued the specific ones I wear. Fortunately I have a store of about 40 pairs in stock!”

How many socks do you need? Who makes the absolute best pair? Everyone has their own preference. But, I implore you, as a fellow runner, gets yourself some socks for Valentine’s Day. Before they’re all gone. “Running Room used to make the perfect double-layer sock,” wrote one reader. “Because they were double-layer, they were virtually indestructible—hence why they became discontinued.“

The Most Delicious Post-Run Eats in the World

Ben Kaplan

February 8, 2022

Runners are a diverse bunch, but take any runners anywhere in the world and you’ll generally find a consensus: there’s almost no greater pleasure in the universe than whatever it is we eat after we run. In the name of defying COVID, trucker strikes and winter, we dedicate this story to pure blissful pleasure: the foods enjoyed after a race or even a training run, the prize for crossing a finish line. Now, this weekend, some runners might be watching the Super Bowl, can we recommend some of these delicacies for the big game?

Many, many readers spoke of the blissful taste of a post-run burger and fries. “The Works Restaurant in Ottawa, burger and fries. I ate it after my 21K,” wrote one reader. While the great Heather Gardner said: “Burger and shake!” and posted, below, this satisfied photograph.

We heard runners proclaim the greatness of soft pretzels, spaghetti and meatballs—which also works the night before a run, chips, onion rings, and Kentucky fried french fries in ranch dressing, which, I don’t know exactly what that is, but I certainly want to find out—after my run. “After a race, I like to go out for a late breakfast of eggs, home fries, and toast, with coffee, of course! It never tastes better!” one runner said, and you’d be amazed how many runners eat celebratory donuts.

“Who doesn’t love a donut? I may have a whole collection of post-race donut pics.”

(Below is an example of Tina’s post-race donut picture).

It’s fun to run because, afterwards, we treat ourselves. We should be treating ourselves anyways, but the running seems to give us a license to delight. A license to eat. A license to splurge. Readers talked about going to McDonalds, to Subway, to Dairy Queen, to feasting on nachos and, in the same vein, lots of are great racers across the country proclaimed their love of post-run poutine. Here’s a call-out to a homemade recipe. “Sometimes with squeaky cheese, but sometimes I don’t have any and my poutine is still pretty good—the homemade sausage is my special touch.”

Lots of runners spoke about eating chocolate, whether it was chocolate ice cream or chocolate milk, and I love the readers who mentioned pizza, brunch, New York cheesecake, and both cinnamon buns and hot wings scored lots of votes for favourite post-race food. I think, however, if there was one winner for the most common post-race treat, it wouldn’t be a food, but a liquid. Of course that liquid was beer. “A beer after a 20K run at the nearest pub,” wrote one reader. “It’s not food, but it’s delicious.”

Maybe my favourite response was this one, but I can’t share a picture.

Question: What’s your favourite post-race treat?

Answer: “Beer, always—in the shower!!”

What do you eat after a run? And: what will you be eating at the Super Bowl? Share your tips in the comments and below and let’s make runner’s mouths water across the country.

The Trillium Running Podcast – Striving towards an inclusive running community

Sabrina Young

February 2, 2022

As a teacher and advocate for equity and inclusivity in the education system, I have strived to use this power and privilege to bring awareness to the injustices in our school system, dismantle them and be a part of making the world a better place.

In running, I have a place where I belong. It is a welcoming community that embraces every person, including myself.

As the host of the Trillium Running Podcast, partnering with Athletics Ontario we will strive to use the podcast platform and outlet to make our running community a better place. With the podcast, Athletics Ontario presents me with the position to speak with runners, race directors, volunteers and others in the fields of trail and road running about each individuals’ experiences in our running community. It will be an important opportunity to reach those that we are not already reaching and to listen and give voice to the underrepresented members of our community.

We will have the pleasure to interview athletes such as Canadian Olympians Reid Coolsaet and Paul Osland, endurance athlete such as Jessica Kuepfer, race directors like Jeff Rowthorn of Happy Trails Racing and Charlotte Brookes of Canada Running Series, champions of inclusivity like the multi-talented Andre Morgan and Steel Town Athletic Club founder Vincent Kuber, and everyday runners like you and me.

We strive to celebrate that everyone has a place in the Athletics community in Ontario. It is incumbent on those with power and privilege in this space to ensure that it truly is for all of us. The Trillium Running Podcast, brought to you by Athletics Ontario is our opportunity to bring our community forward. Together we will make strides towards a thriving and inclusive running community in Ontario, where all people, all speeds, all terrains and all abilities are always welcome.

Tune in every Thursday on Instagram here.

Lanni’s Laces: Puma Women’s Deviate Nitro

Ben Kaplan

February 2, 2022

The first week into the New Year meant it was time to shake off the rust of December’s Honolulu Marathon and see what, if any, juice I had back in my legs. The plan was a small fartlek or broken tempo—which, in my mind, is actually just a fartlek by a different name.

Since the marathon, I had started back with some easy run-walks and built back up to regular easy runs. I noticed that the shoes I had been wearing for the majority of the late summer and fall were now cooked.

Now, it was time to check out my options for something new on my feet.

My contract ended at the end of March 2021, which means I have been able to play around and see what has changed in the shoe world while I’ve been sidelined. What I am a bit excited about is that I started out my career unsponsored and trying out different shoe brands and models.

Being back, unsponsored, and running for fun seems like a return to home and a fresh start.

First up on my new adventure are the Puma Women’s Deviate NITRO.

Standard specs include:

8mm drop

Advanced Nitro Foam Technology

INNOPLATE Carbon fiber plate

TPU heel piece for added stability

Seamless dual-layered upper

PumaGrip full-length rubber outsole

$200

Designed to fit the profile of a woman’s foot, the Women’s Deviate NITRO is meant to be an everyday plated trainer. Not a flat, not a race shoe—but something that still lets you feel good out there for a regular run. I have read that it should run comparable to Saucony Endorphin Speed, Nike Tempo Next% and HOKA One One Carbon X in terms of wearability, however, the Deviate NITRO come in at slightly lower price point. I’ll have to check those out on this journey for a fair comparison.

Since I am just building back into any form of regular running with some light efforts, I’m typically someone who does my first few weeks of workouts in my everyday trainers. These seemed like the perfect fit (pun intended). No seriously, these shoes run true to size.

As Mother Nature would have it, my first planned runs in my Deviate NITROS were derailed by inclement weather. I live in Colorado, where the weather can be a bit temperamental in the winter. For those of you who know me, my surgical history, and my stupid left leg, you know that ever since the end of 2016, I cannot run on a treadmill. Either my left leg gets jenky, or after two to three treadmill runs I’ll end up with a stress reaction in my right femur. It’s been problematic.

That usually means that I will just skip runs on days that it’s too snowy. But because I have yet to be killed by my own curiosity, I decided to give the Pumas a try on the treadmill—hoping that the jog/walk breaks between efforts would spare me any of my usual treadmill woes.

My first run was a 20 min jog warm up, 10 sets of 1 min run/1 min jog/walk and then a 20 min cool down. The left leg held up, my legs were more lively than I expected and the shoes were actually a lot of fun to run in.

I like shoes that are/feel cushiony, but not chunky or heavy. I’m small—so I can get away with lighter weight trainers and also can sneak around using those trainers for low-grade workouts.

The full Nitro foam midsole keeps the shoes light, but responsive. The carbon fiber plate was not that obviously felt during the easy run minutes, but I could feel it show up when my pace began to pick up. On my next run, the weather cleared, and I was able to run outside. Just an easy 12km, but with some slick spots of ice to navigate. I had zero concerns or issues running on those slick spots—my foot felt secure in the shoe, and the soles felt secure on the ground.

And then—she snowed again. This time, right when I was ready to be brave and try a broken down tempo (aka moderate fartlek with longer “on” sections). Since I handled the treadmill well the first go around, I figured why not try my luck again? I completed my standard 20 min warm up jog, and then rolled into six sets of 5-minute tempo/threshold with 1-minute walk break, and a 20 minute cool down. I certainly enjoyed testing the shoes out for some longer interval work, and again felt the aid of the carbon plate when my pace increased.

My hip though, was not impressed with my effort and I have decided that my dances with the treadmill this winter will be no more.

The true test of the breathability of the shoes came when I skipped town and went to Phoenix for the long weekend—and some warm weather runs. There, I got to test them out on my favourite run loop—the Papago Park 5km loop. This loop is undulating and mostly loose gravel. True to form, the Deviate Nitros felt secure on my feet, responsive—even on loose dirt, and were not chewed up by the change in surface.

Overall, I have worked my way up to regular running mileage, tested out the shoes with some basic workouts, put in some medium-long run miles and they have held up for each run. These shoes remind me of the good old days where I had to do my warm-up, workout, and cool down all in one shoe to save on time during my lunch break from court.

If you cannot tell—my reviews are going to be more of a run blog with a shoe focus.

I’m not sure where any of these shoes might take me. But I’m excited to share the path with all of you.

Lanni Marchant is a two-time Olympian and one-time fastest female Canadian marathon runner of all-time. If you’ve tried running in the Puma Women’s Deviate NITRO or else have a shoe review you want to share with Lanni Marchant, put your comments down below. To follow Marchant on Instagram, go to @lannimarchant.

The Joy iRun Club: Healthy Habits

Ben Kaplan

February 2, 2022

As we run into to February I hope you’ve had an opportunity to think about your routines within, and outside of, running. Perhaps you’ve even completed some of our challenges! The second half of this month’s series is going to build on the same theme of routine by touching on sustainable habits and building a foundation for long-term running success.

Tying back to the first article, the greatest predictor of long-term success is consistency over time, so the biggest take away from this article is going to be developing habits and building foundations that are sustainable over the long term. We’ve all felt that excitement of starting something new, diving in head-first and investing significant time and effort, only to burn ourselves out and lose interest. To use a baseball analogy, running is a sport that rewards getting on base consistently rather than trying to hit a home run every time you step up to the plate.

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” Colin Powell

Sustainable Habits

In the first installment of this series I noted that “we’ve probably all felt the disappointment of not meeting our own expectations when the day-to-day grind of pursuing our best intentions becomes overwhelming.” We tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in the short term and underestimate what we can in the long term. Is setting a goal to run every single day of the week sustainable? Perhaps in the short-term for some, but over a long enough period of time that may become unbearable. I often take a step back when writing training for athletes to ask myself “Is what we’re doing today sustainable for years to come?” and “Does this workload make sense given the athlete’s training history?”

Starting small and building momentum over time is a far better approach than going ‘all-in’ on day one. Is your goal to run your first marathon in the spring, your first 5k? Perhaps the first habit to develop is consistently running 4 days per week. Eventually you will get to those speed workouts and long runs, but for now we just need to develop the sustainable habit of running regularly at an easy effort over reasonable distances.

Building Foundation

Now that we’ve covered establishing routines and thinking about sustainable habits, the first purpose of training, regardless of goal race distance, is to build a foundation. Before we can think about those 30km long runs or fast track sessions, we need to prepare the body and mind so we can complete them successfully. Some would call this ‘base training’, but what I really mean is setting an absolute baseline weekly training load (frequency x duration x intensity) that develops all aspects of running. I would almost consider this to be “pre” base training!

To start, I’d recommend figuring out how many runs per week are sustainable for an indeterminate amount of time. For example, if you think that this would be 4 runs per week, ask yourself if you can manage 4 runs per week for the next 6 months (rather than the next few weeks). Then, the distance of these runs should be reflective of current fitness and shouldn’t leave you so fatigued that you’ll need to take extra time to recover. For some, this could mean four 30-minute runs per week. For others, this could be a lot more. Remember, we’re only looking to set a foundation that we can sustainably build upon over time.

Activity Suggestion

Our challenge to you this week is reflective. Think about your relationship with running so far in 2022 – is what you are doing sustainable over months or years? Are you building a foundation for continued enjoyment and success in the sport or are you burning the candle at both ends without realizing it? I regularly find taking a step back to look at long-term sustainability to be helpful in guiding athletes along the path to reaching their potential. Running is a sport that really rewards training over prolonged periods of time so keeping that in mind is important.

I was a big jerk yesterday on the path.

Ben Kaplan

February 2, 2022

It’s true. I was running a speed session last Friday and the path hadn’t been properly cleared, and so there was only one pathway for pedestrians. The workout called for 3-minutes at tempo pace between two minutes of leisurely running and I was having a week—dry January, COVID, winter, etcetera. If you were jogging in the opposite direction, or else walking along the path during my three-minute go-time, I would’ve forced you out of the way. I wasn’t stopping and I wasn’t ceding my ground. And you know what? I’d done this before.

I try not to do speedwork on crowded sidewalks. I’m not an animal. But I have. I have been running quickly along College Street and barely missed running into a pedestrian. I think I’ve done that to mothers pushing strollers and grandmothers out for a breath of fresh air. If it sounds like I’m proud of this, I’m not. It’s humiliating. I’m always on about people who don’t properly control their dogs or else races where participants have to stop for a light. I complain more than Goerge Costanza. So I thought it might make sense to look at my own behaviour. Once at the track, at the beginning of COVID, a woman complained I was getting too close to her. Was I? I don’t think so. It was a track, but still: you have to listen to what the universe says.

Other runners have also acknowledged recent times when they were big jerks. “Running with my group they were doing a 30K LSD, they didn’t know I was only doing 21 that day. The guy that usually leads the pack hates when anyone is staying with him. At 16K I moved up the pace for my final 5, he stayed with me or a little ahead, so I kept increasing my pace until my final K when I got into my closing sprint mode. Sure enough he kept moving up. I surprised him when I bailed at 21.”

That’s a big one. Racing on a training day when it’s supposed to be a slow run. Another jerky thing to do is to run together with your partner until the very end, and then speed up toward the finish line: if only you know that you’re racing. Jerk! “When my husband who doesn’t run, says he will go for a 5km with me but he’s quite fast on the shorter distance (annoying because he never runs!), so I pretend to check my Garmin and tell him we still have a bit to go… I lie about the distance until he looks like he can’t sprint the finish so I can “win.” I’m a jerk. Also, he doesn’t know we are racing.”

A lot of runners talked about interacting with civilians. I know we all hate when we’re running on a sidewalk or path and someone is looking down at their phone. Pick your head up! Most of us make way for the phone-looker. One runner did not. “I shoulder checked the clown walking towards me with his face buried in his phone. The guy behind me laughed. He was flabbergasted, but when the fellow behind me started to laugh there wasn’t much he could do.”

iRun doesn’t endorse shoulder-checking civilians. (Look at Lanni Marchant, pictured above, Lanni shoulder-checking someone on their phone will send them to the ICU). This will not give runners a good name. Once, I was in my running clothes, all florescent yellows, and the garbage man hadn’t picked up our trash and so I brought it to the building across the street, to dump my garbage. The super of the building came out and caught me, and I was in all bright yellow clothing. Not a good look for our sport.

“One time I was running on the sidewalk approaching a couple from behind. I started saying “behind you,” and they didn’t move or acknowledge me. Then I said “behind you” again, still wouldn’t move. Maybe they were so engrossed in their conversation, they weren’t paying attention to me. Then when I got right up behind them I yelled: “HEY! MOVE IT!” Scared the living CENSORED out of them, they jumped onto the grass.”

Of course, as runners, we share the road with other people. We share it with other runners, with cars, with people eating their dinners and talking on their phones. I’m sure my neighbours don’t love it when, in the summer, and their enjoying a meal on the patio, I come cruising by, shirtless, dripping sweat like a faucet while they try and enjoy their Chardonnay. Well, it happens. “One time I was running a half marathon and a fellow decided to pass me (hey, no biggie, I’m slow). BUT HE GOBBED a SNOT ROCKET as he passed. To me, that felt like it was done on purpose so I ran quite hard to catch up to him and wiped my sleeve on him and said don’t ever do that again. Use your manners buddy! I still gag when I think about that memory.”

Snot rockets are a common occurrence on the race path, nobody’s favourite cup of tea. Same with spitting in general. Look, it happens. But: yuck. There’s one other big one that all runners will acknowledge but only few are brave enough to admit. And I dare say no one among us hasn’t at one point been involved in something similar. Have a good day everybody, mine your manners, as least as much as humanly possible, and we’ll just leave it at this: “I remember farting while at the front of a group going through a tunnel,” shared one reader: “That was a jerk move, but funny as hell!!!!!”

The Benefits of Double Layer Socks

Sabrina Young

January 26, 2022

What Are Double Layer Socks?

As you might expect from the name, double-layer socks feature two layers of socks in one package. Instead of having to put two socks on to prevent blisters or hotspots, double layer socks have two layers built into them, giving wearers all the advantages of wearing two pairs of socks without the hassle, bulkiness, and potential discomfort of putting on two pairs.

Double-layer socks from Wrightsock come with an inside sock designed to provide your foot with a flat, smooth surface and fit snugly. Wrightsock makes these socks with a hydrophobic, undyed yarn to wick away moisture and give your feet a protective barrier. Alongside the inner barrier, double layer socks have an outer layer that interacts with the inner sock to remove friction. By having two layers, these socks absorb the excess friction hiking and running generate.

Benefits of Double Layer Socks

Double-layer socks come with many advantages for everyone, from daily walkers and joggers to avid hikers and runners. Due to their unique design, you can better prevent blisters, wick away moisture, and receive several customization options.

Learn more about the primary advantages of double-layer socks below:

1. Prevents Blisters

One of the biggest benefits of purchasing double-layer socks is their ability to prevent blisters. Since they feature a snug inner surface and protective, hydrophobic layer, they reduce excessive heat and moisture. Since heat and moisture are the two main causes of blisters, these socks excel at preventing them.

Essentially, the two layers help to absorb friction and allow the body’s natural cooling processes to evaporate moisture. As a result, double-layer socks can be a much better option for blister prevention than single-layer socks. They’re especially useful for activities where you’ll generate more friction and sweat, such as hiking and jogging.

2. Wicks Away Moisture

When moisture builds up in your shoes, it can weaken the skin, causing blisters and sores. Besides raising the risk of blisters, wet socks can be very uncomfortable and foster bacteria, leading to athlete’s foot or rashes. For long, cold hikes, wet socks can even cause frostbite. Since jogging and hiking create a great deal of sweat, it’s critical you have a pair of socks that wick away moisture.

Double-layer socks wick away moisture by using a hydrophobic outer layer. This layer moves moisture away from the skin and gives it the chance to absorb instead of pooling inside your sock and shoe. Due to the moisture-wicking properties of two-layer socks, you can run, hike, jog or walk without worrying about your feet getting wet.

3. Offers Customization

Whether you need double-layer hiking socks or double-layer running socks, Wrightsock’s selection of two-layer socks has you covered. Due to our wide inventory of socks, you can find one in the weight you prefer. For example, our lightweight socks, such as our Cool Mesh II, are perfect for people who want to stay cool and who enjoy a tighter fit.

You can also select midweight socks if you like a little bit more weight but don’t want to switch shoe sizes. Some of our top options include Running II and Escape double-layer socks. These socks are a great choice for new wearers of performance socks, and they excel at wicking away moisture.

Finally, if you need to fill out your shoes or want more cushioning, our heavyweight options are perfect. These socks feature a terry looped design for more cushioning and volume, and they come with a more substantial yarn.

Choose Wrightsock for Your Next Pair of Double Layer Socks

With all of the benefits of double-layer socks, you might be interested in adding a pair (or two!) into your wardrobe. At Wrightsock, we’re ready to set you up with a perfect pair of two-layer socks for your needs. Whether you need a new pair of double-layer socks for running or hiking, we’ve got you covered. Our double-layer socks give you the performance of two socks but the feel of only one.

Browse our selection of double-layer socks today. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Take Some Olive Oil on Your Run

Ben Kaplan

January 25, 2022

I’m guessing you’ve never paid much attention to olive oil. You see it on the bottom shelves of the grocery store next to mustard, vinegar and other condiment staples. And truthfully, I never used to either. Still, after tasting a properly produced one many years ago in Tuscany, I went down a rabbit hole. Today, as a certified expert taster, international contest judge and producer of the award-winning documentary “Obsessed With Olive Oil,” I hope you’ll take a quick moment to join me down one of the many rabbit holes of olive oil.

For one, the health benefits are immense, and its production’s art and craft can be as incredible as any wine, beer, or cheese obsession that you may have taken pleasure in investing in. But to keep it simple, it’s the product of fresh fruit, so it needs to smell good and taste clean; it should remind you of freshness, green and vegetables. It needs to be bitter and peppery, letting you know that its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances are present. For a runner, these benefits of olive oil make it great to stock on your shelf.

It is challenging to understand how it was possible that 3,000 years ago, olive oil was already widely used by athletes to improve their performance when science had not yet discovered all of its remarkable properties. Undoubtedly a happy intuition and gift from mother nature who already knew that olive oil is in its composition and fatty acid content closest to mother’s milk.

The ancient athletes used it extensively by consuming and applying it directly to their bodies to prolong their sports efforts. Olive oil, indeed, was one of the original medical salves. Today, countless medical studies have confirmed all the insights into the usefulness of olive oil in activities that require the maintenance of a tremendous physical effort. Like, say, running.

Its high-caloric content (900 calories per 100ml) guarantees a high level of “ready to use” energy and important reserve, essential in endurance sports such as long-distance running. Its predominant monounsaturated fatty acid composition (the “good” fat) alongside the right amount in quality and quantity carbohydrates and proteins build a great diet to maintain long-term health and performance.

Like I said, I went down an olive oil rabbit hole. But I think you too will find that consumption of olive oil gives strength and protection to the muscles and psychophysical well-being. Its vitamin E and polyphenols contents help protect our cells from oxidative stress. This help is welcomed by the body of a marathon runner who, during a long run, requires a substantial increase in oxygen consumption by the muscles and has to cope with an excessive formation of free radicals.

Hydroxytyrosol is a polyphenol naturally present in quality extra virgin olive oil. Its antioxidant characteristics have proven to be ten times more effective than green tea. Its concentration will vary depending on the latitude and altitude of the olive’s origin, the harvest, extraction, transport, and storage methods. Another hidden treasure of extra virgin olive oil, of great benefit for athletes, is Oleocanthal, which is “Nature’s Ibuprofen.” It has a profile and power of action similar to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, perfect for limiting and naturally alleviating the appearance of inflammation and muscle pain.

All of this is to say: consuming good olive oil is essential, but not all olive oils are created equal.

So how do you find and recognize an excellent extra-virgin olive oil? Again, think fresh, green, bitter and peppery. And unlike wine or cheese, vintage is not an asset.

To follow Fil’s new harvest olive oil production in Tuscany, please click here: Abandoned Grove. To go down an olive oil passion rabbit hole, click here: Obsessed with Olive Oil

If buying from a store, ask to taste to ensure fresh, green, bitter and peppery. If tasting is not an option, bring home, taste and return or exchange if it doesn’t meet the standards!

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