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Compression socks = revelation

Ok, so I was bored and I just wanted to share my experience with everyone. As i like stories, i shall tell this as a story, are we sitting comfortably?



I went into my local tri shop a few months ago and was having a conversation about compression stuff with a guy who ran the shop. The guy said that although all the 2XU full body stuff was great he strongly suggested I get the 1000 mile compression socks, ah well I've never had problems with me calves, so i think i'll give those a miss thanks.



2 weeks later I started training with the local running club, and based on the fact that I'm not bad over 5k I decided to go with the fast group. Now, the 1st session was ok, intervals of course, but not too bad. I found out that all the people I was running with had done a race 2 days before, hence the easy session. Next session we did a 20k interval session, 1 min on 1 min off! Now i have never done intervals for that far before, and I now understood the meaning of pain. In particular my calves we burning. Cue 2 days of agony as I could barely walk, let alone train, thanks to my calves.



A week later I went running with the club again, this time we did another long interval session, about 20k again, 4 lamp posts on 2 lamp posts off (who the hell came up with the lamp posts idea, they weren't uniformly spaced! ahhh!).

Cue the calf pain again, bugger.



So I went back into the tri shop, I'll have those compression socks please. And wow. No calf pain since, at all. even after a 10k hill session, nothing! As a result I have been able to train longer, harder and have been fresh for training the next day, my 5k time has come down from approx 16:30ish, to a PB on the track last week of 14:45.



I just wanted to share that with everyone, sorry it was so long winded. But for £12 i can't think of another piece of equipment I own that has had such a huge affect on my training! If you are doing any kind of interval/hill work, these things are amazing!





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Comments

  • BEEFBEEF Posts: 43
    Hi Tommi,



    I have to agree that all of the compression garments I have tried work incredibly well.



    Despite being a Tri-newbie I have used Canterbury compression socks and leggings for over a year now.



    Routine: after any cardio session (spinner, bike, run) I always hop into a cold bath for 10 ins followed by compression garment.



    Next day....... no DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)



    LOVING IT despite looking silly in tights!!! [:D][:D]
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    I keep getting calf twinges - were they 2xu and where did you get them? - £12.99 sounds a bit of a bargain?



    Before anyone else asks - can you get them in red?
  • No there not 2XU, altho they probably do them! They are 1000 mile ones, this company really know their socks. A friend of mine got the skins ones, costing about 30 and she didn't like them at all, so she got the 1000 mile ones and loves them!



    I got them from triangle in leeds, but the 1000 mile stuff is sold in most running shops in the country, including up and running. I don't know if they come in red, but if you are size large, then they have a red stripe across the toes!
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    Actually how do you size these things?



    I'm 5.9/5.10 and wouldn't say i've huge calves - 13.5-14 inched round at the main bit - is that a small then?
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    Sorry - found them on wiggle sizes are based on shoe size.
  • [toPh][toPh] Posts: 244
    I currently have sore calves and shins after upping my running distance recently in preparation for a half marathon this coming weekend.

    Would these help calm that down at all?
  • Thats sounds very much like the situation I was in mate, with a sharp increase in training, so i think they might help.



    If I am doing a steady session i wear them straight after the training, for at least 3-4 hours. If i am doing intervals or hill work, where I expect to be on the forefoot I wear them during the session.
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    Mine are now ordered - thanks for the recommendation.
  • triadtriad Posts: 62
    My wife jumped all over the PC as I read out your story TommiTri, as she suffers from calve problems post running. I'll keep you posted as to her success with our recent purchase.
  • I suffered from calf problems a lot when I started. I bought the Linebreak calf guards and they were fantastic. Since then I've used several linebreak products and found them all to be great. The recovery tights are a good purchase as well.



    I used the Nike compression socks for all my London marathon training and in the race this year. They were also excellent.
  • Tommi - if only they could help me get my 5k run down to that time of 14: 45 as well!!
  • julesojuleso Posts: 279
    Psst legalbeagle, I get the feeling that TommiTri is not like the rest of us........there must be some sort of magic in legs that can go so quickly (42kph cruising on the bike?!!). I'm wondering if I can get some of this magic from Wiggle. They're usually pretty good.
  • oh, you're making me blush! I did come into tri from a background in running, and 5k is my race, which is why I am finding it a little difficult to get up to the longer distances as I find it hard to slow down, so blow up half way through!

    Oh and the bike, I was putting in a fair amount of effort to be going along at 42, however the guy who overtook me on the felt B2 was definitely cruising!



    On the socks, I am glad some others have found compression socks as good as I have, and I really hope you guys that have ordered them find them helpful.

    I am always slightly reserved when recommending things, especially training aids to other people as everyone is different and some people may not get the benefit I did!

  • Cheers for the nudge in the right direction Tommitri - I have been meaning to get me some of these for a while so have just Wiggled some up.



    I've been dead happy with the two sets of compression tights I own so sure I'll have a similarly happy experience with the socks (and hopefully slash some time off my PBs this winter with these plus your half marathon of lamposts routine).
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    Wiggle duly delivered yesterday.



    Went out walking covering 25% and 40% gradient hills which had been causing me calf problems.



    Put the socks on last night for 3 or 4 hours as mentioned - woke up this morning good as gold.



    Result.
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    However..during a conversation about compression goodies, how they work, if they work, how best to get the best for you etc etc, we came up with the use of medical compression socks. Cheap, avail on prescription if you can persuade your doc, if not then avail to but in 3 grades & the clincher for me thin enough to wear under other socks if the color doesn't match..I think you can get black/dark ones, but I have white ones in my head which does not look good with a suit, decent pair of trousers well anything really since it is no longer 1985...
  • Tommi we have now sold out of the said socks, please call in for your commision, regards the 1000mile sock shop. Lol only kidding.



    These socks sound great, I too get stiff calfs when hill runnning. Do you wear them after a run or actually on a run? how far up your leg ddo they go? ie do they look daft with shorts on?

    Thanks.
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    They come up all the way to the knee.



    I think in answer to do they look good? I think some will think they do and some won't. I think they'll look ok - my missus thinks otherwise!
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    But how do they look on your missus....??
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    Reminds me of a certain Britney Spears music video!



    Ooops...
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Sadly that was where my mind was heading....
  • I bet that thought rapidly drains away when you faced with a chunky set of calves that lead to a hairy set of knees!!!!
  • hound dog,

    If I am doing a high intensity session such as hill climbs or intervals when I know I am going to be more on the forefoot and using the calves a bit more I wear them during and after as well.

    If its a long steady session I tend to just wear them after.
  • hurrah! Always looking on Wiggle for something I might not have realised I desperately need!!!



    The order is in, especially as I did Bristol Half yesterday and am struggling to walk!!!

    Do they do one for your hips!!! :))



    Cheers
  • A question based on the thread below - do you wear the compression socks during exercise or afterwards or both?

    Thanks!
  • [toPh][toPh] Posts: 244
    Ok my chalf and shin are still aching from the half marathon on sunday, 1000 mile compression socks arrived today and are now on, will see how I get on with them
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    How's everyone getting on with these?



    I haven't used them to tun in but use them after a run and seem to do the trick.



    Still need to stretch though.



    Anyone using anything for quads?
  • good stuff mate, I will be wearing mine for my race tomorrow, if only to combat the stinging nettles!
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    What race are you doing?



  • its the round leicester relay. Each team has about 15 people in it, with a 10k leg each, going in a big circle through the country round leicester, should be fun!

    The only problem is the routes are not fixed, so you can take shortcuts across fields, hence the need for some stinging nettle protection!
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