running week
By Arielle Avila, a writer at the Strategist covering wardrobe basics and personal care. She joined the Strategist in 2020 as a junior writer. Previously, she wrote about style at Texas Monthly.
Photo: Arielle Avila
The Strategist happens to be full of runners, so this week, we hit the ground running (literally), testing tons of running gear and interviewing experts to give every kind of runner all the intel they might need. Welcome toRunning Week.
The only sport I’ve seriously pursued is running. But every time I’d start a consistent routine, I’d get shin splints after about a week. They were so painful I could barely flex my toes without a sharp pang shooting up my leg. I’ve tried massaging them out, too, but even pressing on the tops of my calves would hurt. I’d simply have to wait it out, and the entire process was discouraging as a newbie.
Two years ago, I picked running back up again. This time, I started out jogging very slowly, which helped keep any pain at bay. Then, last fall, I decided to train for my first half-marathon. That meant longer runs and picking up the pace. Instead of light one- to two-mile jogs I was used to, my training plan had me clocking in at least ten miles a week. Unsurprisingly, my shin splints came back. They were so bad at the beginning of the year that I took an entire week off, because I could barely make it half a mile before those sharp pains returned.
Around this time, I was also researching compression socks for a story. After talking to a running coach about the benefits for athletes, I decided to try out a pair for myself. He explained to me that after high-intensity and long workouts, there’s a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles that causes soreness. Compression socks stimulate blood flow and oxygen to release that buildup. I went with the ones from Bombas because I was already a fan of the its cushiony running socks, and the brand offers socks with a moderate compression level (20 to 30 mmHg), which is ideal for recovery.
After one of my Sunday long runs, I did my typical post-run routine: shower, electrolytes, stretching, and vegging out for a couple of hours. I also shimmied on the compression socks. They’re designed to be tightest around the ankles, with some compression around the calves, too. Thankfully, the pressure on my calves wasn’t so much that it exacerbated the pain like when I’d tried massage guns or tennis balls in the past. Instead, it felt like my calf muscles were hugged tightly without feeling too constrictive. I kept the socks on for the rest of the afternoon —about four hours — and took them off right before bed. The next morning, the best way I can describe how my legs felt was refreshed. Sure, there was still some soreness, but not as much as I was used to after a long run.
The next day, on my easy run, I was able to run pain-free. That’s when I realized the compression socks were actually helping me recover faster. Usually, it would take me at the very least two days to get back on my feet post-long run. And even then, I would expect shin splints at some point during my easy run. The socks quickly became a must in my recovery tool kit. After every long run (and even some of my shorter runs), I would slip them on for a couple of hours for relief. Because of my Bombas, I was able to stay on track with my training schedule and finish my first half-marathon feeling strong.
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