favorite friday … wigwam socks + giveaway

When I first started running I went on the hunt for “the perfect sock”. I tried everything from adidas to asics to thorlo to champion to gold toe and then finally i stumbled across the brand wigwam while at REI. I put on a pair and fell in love, ran a half marathon in them, but wanted a little more cushion and bought a pair of IronMan Flash Pro. Ever since I have been a loyal Wigwam sock wearer and with a sticker price of $12.00 a pop they’re pricey but well worth it. These socks are comfortable, durable, breathable, not too thin and not too thick, and just an all around awesome sock. The best part? I have never ever ever blistered with them, even in the rain and well… no blisters is a big thing for me!

Since these bad boys are so pricey I threw them on my birthday wish list and well, one of my twitter followers bought me a pair of wigwams! YAY! …I did not get my normal Flash Pros, but a pair of Ironman Tail Wind Pro socks (in pink!). I had never even seen or heard of this sock in the Wigwam line and I could not wait to get them on my feet and hit the road for a run and well… I was impressed. They had just the right amount of cushion in the right spots and unlike the Flash Pro socks I couldn’t even tell I had on socks (meaning, they were a little thinner and softer in all the right areas). They kept my feet cool in the heat and that is one of my #1 goals when choosing a sock. The only thing I would change is that the ankle is cut a little higher than I like… but that is such a small dumb detail that who cares?!

So which was my favorite out of the two?! That is a hard question since they both have their pros but I think I am gonna have to say the Tail Wind Pro Socks. I say this because I ran in them one day in 85+ degree weather and then in my Flash Pros the next day and my feet felt so much hotter in the Flash Pros – in fact it felt as if my foot was in a sauna. So, I am not saying that the Flash Pros have been replaced because that is far from the truth… but I am thinking Flash Pros in the cooler temps and Tail Winds in the summers. And because I love you all and not a lot of people know about this wonderful brand… I am going to be giving away 1 pair of them to try for yourself!

So I know you want to win and I am making it simple by only having two ways to enter. This is how you can score a free pair of rocking socks (remember 1 comment per entry)…

1. Publicly follow my blog
2. Lastly, tell me why you want these socks as creatively as possible!

oh. and it ends next friday.

Happy entering and I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Good luck to everyone racing!!

Racevine - the runner's need to know database.

We all know that when I stumble across something awesome I just have to share with my fellow runners and well, I stumbled again. Recently I was looking for course and elevation maps and race reviews and stumbled across this page called Racevine. Basically it is a huge database of a bunch of races (everything from 5ks to Ironmans) in which people like you and me can go in and put in honest reviews of how a race went. The main idea behind the site is for real runners to put their honest review of races they have participated in to help other runners prepare for that same race or decide if they want to add it to their race calendar. You can rate how clearly the race was marked, if there were enough water stops, port-a-potties, shuttles etc. If you have ANY questions before race morning (which many people do) ... this is like the mecca of race knowledge. It can also help you plan out your race schedule... Looking for a race in Michigan in May? ...Racevine will give you all sorts of options. Are you going to be in California for a month but want to run a 10k. Racevine will clue you in on events in the area. I am the runner who wants NO surprises on race day. I want to know that there are oranges at mile 19 and that if you're not there in 3 hours you're not gonna get one. And well Racevine will tell me just that.

Well, Racevine is doing a little competition to add reviews to their already extensive database. Between March 10th and April 7th, if you contribute a review on Racevine you are automatically eligible to win some goodies. They have teamed up with some AWESOME partners and here is what’s up for grabs:

To help you get into more races they’re giving away FREE entries into the TriFREAKS triathlon series, See Jane Half Marathon, ZOOMA Colorado Half Marathon, Richmond Multisports series and the Estes Park Marathon. And to help you prepare, train and complete those races, they’re giving away schwag and other cool stuff from Lululemon Athletica, City Running Tours, Enduro Shark, XOOD, Fluid, Soigneur, TRX, Brooke Benlifer – RD, and Ellasport.

Happy reviewing, learning and hopefully winning!