I wanted to follow up with additional impressions about compression tights. I posted this a few weeks ago, and since then I put the claims of compression wear (and myself) through another test in a fun, but tough holiday run challenge.
I signed up for and completed the Endurance Nation 8-day run challenge--December 25 through January 1. My running needed a spark, and I figured it's what I needed to get out of the running doldrums. I also continued to the full off-season bike workouts I had on my schedule too. It was a big week.
After 8 days of running in a row, with way more threshold miles than usual, my legs felt incredibly fresh. I went from about 18 miles/wk in November to almost 40 miles this week. (Not smart, but it was fun!) My legs felt like night and day from what I expected--and what I have experienced in the past. They recovered from one day to the next, and felt better and better as the week went on. I was amazed. The only time I had tired legs was a run off the bike after 2 x 15' at threshold. Nothing can make that run not hurt. But the next day, my legs were good to go again.
I worked out a system for the tights that worked well. For longer runs with hard, threshold miles I ran in my compression tights. Shorter runs off the bike in regular tights (you can feel the difference), but then wore the compression tights for the rest of the day. This made a big difference. My legs have never felt this good over this kind of challenging week.
In particular, my glute med, piriformis, and quads are in excellent shape. Triggerpoint rolling isn't finding the usual kinds of knots and painful areas. Sure, there are some, but amazingly very little.
From now on I am wearing the compression shorts/tights to run in, period. They are pricey, but I've paid the other kind of price of being injured far too much.
Some people have contacted me to ask if I have any affiliation with the Kmeleon brand of compression garments I've been wearing. The answer is no. I'm paying the sticker price just like everyone else!
