Santa Sok & Hill Repeat, Repeat, Times Three

I have been waiting and waiting for the arrival of my Fitsok package, and yesterday, it finally came in all its glory. As if I haven't been given enough already, with a singlet, multiple pairs of socks, Gu chomps, and a fitted Fitsok shirt. Yesterday added to my Fitsok love. The package came, including more winter running socks, two sweatbands, and my favorite item, Fitsok arm warmers!



There are so many reasons I love Fitsok. As a distance runner, socks matter, a great deal. People often use the phrase, "A happy wife is a happy life." I would venture to say "Happy feet is a happy runner". Truly, finding the right running sock can be quite the task. If the socks are too thin, your foot slides around in your shoe, and it can mess with your knee as your foot hits the pavement. But if your socks are too thick, your shoes can become too tight, as your feet swell from running. There is a fine line between too thin and too think. I have tried a few different brands of socks. I am a "Life-er" with Fitsok. My favorite race sock is the Fitsok F4. It has unique anatomical left/right foot fitting that provides an exact fit. They are breathable and moisture-wicking. And don't worry, they are labeled with an L/R so you know which sock goes on which foot. The F4 is my race sock of choice. However, when it comes to running outside in the winter tundra of Minnesota I go for the ISW. The ISW is made of Isolwool which provides a unique blend of temperature regulation and moisture control. Prior to wearing Fitsok, I would wear two pairs of socks, and they would end up rubbing, and causing blisters. With the ISW, it's all I need and it's perfect. A week ago, on an 11.5 mile run, I stepped in the middle of a giant puddle halfway through the run. I was concerned about blisters forming as I ran with wet socks the rest of the way. I was pleasantly surprised to discover I had no blisters from the run!

So yes, the socks are awesome, and comfortable, and everything a runner needs. But there are other cool things about Fitsok as well! They are headquartered in Minnesota! Being a Small Business Specialist, I am a big fan of supporting local companies. And although their products are spreading throughout the country, they are still based in Minnesota, and I value local companies. Also, they are one of the few sock companies to actually manufacture their socks in the United States. You don't have to worry about unfair labor laws, or people in third-world countries working in sweatshops. Their sock mill is in the US! People get paid to make the socks. So if I can't get you excited about socks, get excited about a local company, and their fair labor practices!

Okay, momentarily stepping off my sock box, I had a great run this morning. I have been running with a crew in St. Paul on Thursday mornings for the past few weeks. Typically we run a loop that ends up being 11.5 miles when all is said and done. However, after the snow-dump from this weekend, the trails were not plowed yet. There must not be many runners on the board for the City of St. Paul....(we should change that), because plowing the running trails doesn't seem to be a priority in relation to the roads, ha. So we ended up running hills this morning. The hill we tackled was about .40 miles up and .40 miles down. It was a steep hill. I am not one to be faithful with regular hill workouts, but I love to do them if I have someone else doing the work alongside me. So this morning we ran to the hill and went up and down the hill 6 times. Then we ventured to Minnehaha Falls to check out the beautiful scenery, ran a bit more, and then made our way back to the club. It was a nice 6.25 mile run, with about 3 miles of hills thrown in there. And obviously I was wearing Fitsok :)