Wednesday's Wonders

I have decided to dedicate Wednesday's to reviewing products that I have tested or want to try. The good, the bad, the awesome and the ugly. And I am so excited that I have a couple of things on the way to me in the next couple of weeks to review for you all! YIPEEE!

I finally broke down and ordered some compression socks. I had to see what the hype was about and to test for myself. I ordered mine from RunningSkirts.com.

What Running skirts says about their socks:

Compression = Happy Legs!

The moment you slip into a pair of "swift socks" you'll be saying "AAAAHHH". Treat yourself to the comfort & performance of compression socks.

So here they are! I slipped these puppies on after Monday's 10 miler and wore them from about 4 O'clock until about 9 O'clock. I don't how long is too long to wear them but they felt good! My legs were not sore (other than my hip and frankly recovery socks wont help that, maybe I need a recovery legging?). I don't generally have sore calves after long runs so the true test will be how I feel after a speed workout, that is what gets my calves a burnin'! But in all they were very comfortable and the tightness felt good!





And check out the runner chicks on the side! So cute! My calves are pretty big so the runners are just a little bit distorted but hey, I have powerful and muscular calves. What can I say?


I also broke down and ordered one of their running skirts and one of the athletic skirts. I wore the running skirt today on my 7 Mile run with Mel-Tall Mom on the Run. I figured a 7 mile run was a good distance to test it out, not too short and not too long. I was very pleasantly surprised how well it worked out for me. The size was a little...er, strange. I got a 3 (not my normal jeans size by ANY means!). The gals at running skirts.com have their own way of sizing. So this skirt was about right lengthwise but around the waist I could have stood it to be a little snugger (say what!??!). But if I went down a size I would be wearing an inappropriate booty skirt, I am certain. I have long legs y'all. But in all the size fit fine and I liked the skirt. i felt cute and not too foo foo-ey. I put my car key in the side pocket that only had a small Velcro to keep it shut. I kept reaching down to make sure it was still there, and sure enough the key remained in its little pocket the entire 7 miles.

So, here I am in my skirt and YES I am a dork and no this is not my normal way of running. I was being, well...dorky:

And here is a more normal, or less dorky (which ever you prefer) picture:

Today I looked outside and saw clouds but I also saw SUNSHINE!! It was about 54 degrees so I decided it was a good day for the skirt. I had plans to run with Mel and so I headed out to meet her on her lunch break. I arrived at her place of employment and shortly after she texted me to see about the weather, poor girl had been inside all day. I told her I was wearing a hat because it looked like it could rain but at the same time the sun was shining!!! Shortly after that I saw her prancing across the street and she met me at the car! I put in a weak attempt to stretch and loosen up while she actually stretched. Note to self: I need to work on that stretching thing.

We set out and the conversation flowed, as usual. We had no shortage of topics to talk about. She showed me her usual lunch break stomping grounds. How awesome to have such a great place to run on her lunch break! We saw a lot of other people out taking advantage of the trails. We even saw a woman running in her jeans! Seriously, is that dedication? Weirdness? I have to give her props, you don't have to have the sweetest and newest gear to run or exercise, that lady proved it. I think she may have even had sweet 80's feathered hair not tied back. But I could have totally imagined that. We ran up a big hill that made me tired. I have been slacking on the hills lately since the OKC Marathon will be flat as the plains...but I will be kicking myself for this lack of hill training when I do the Mercer Island half here in less than a month. OOOOooops.

In all it was a great run with a great friend. It is always amazing to me how fast the miles pass when you run with a partner. I may have slowed her pave by, oh ....a minute and some change per mile. But eh, what 'cha gonna do? While we were running it felt hard, not too hard, but not too easy. It wasn't the best and most speedy of my runs but I was coming off of Monday's long run and I lifted weights Tuesday. My hip held up quite well and only kind of hurt beginning around mile 5.5ish. It was nothing I couldn't deal with and I could just feel it. I was happy that it did not make me want to throw myself off a bridge for relief. Joke, joke! That would never relieve the pain! Again...joke!

Today's stats from G. Money:
Mile 1 9:13
Mile 2 9:07
Mile 3 9:17
Mile 4 9:24
Mile 5 9:09
Mile 6 9:05
Mile 7 8:39

Total time: 1:03.58
Average pace: 9:08
Calories burned: 849

And of course the post run picture!

Just as we were finishing our run, with about a quarter of a mile left, it started raining. The rain began to come down harder and harder...we finished just in the nick of time!

After our run I got to head over to Kerrie of Mom vs. Marathon's work to hand deliver her awesome prize for my Name my Garmin contest! Poor Kerrie had to run out in the pouring rain and to top it off I must have been brain dead because I parked as far away from the front door of her work as possible AND I faced my car the wrong way just to ensure that she had to run all the way out into the parking lot to get her prize AND get soaked. Sorry about that Kerrie.


Today I am grateful for:
A good day!
A good run.
I got to talk to The Hubs last night!
Clean sheets on my bed! Mmmm...bed. Maybe I'll go to bed early.