When you have been running for a few months, you will find that you lose some weight, and your fitness improves and you generally feel a lot better health-wise. It is normally at this point that many people develop a serious running habit and just can't get enough. When it comes to proper training gear however, although you may have switched to a technical running top, to keep you cool and dry, you might not have even thought to
buy running socks to help keep your feet comfortable and injury-free.
Perhaps the wisest next move you can make is to buy
running socks as you progress to the next stage in your training. You will undoubtedly begin to increase the distances that you are travelling during your runs, and this is when a few problems can start. Initially they might show up as hard skin or calluses, which may or may not be painful; but the next stage, if you are running in cotton socks, is the runner's nightmare, the blisters appearing. These can be incredibly painful, and are on the whole avoidable. Cotton socks are great at absorbing small amounts of moisture without feeling damp to the touch. But they reach their limit as you get into longer distances, and then they get wet, and become abrasive, causing all manner of problems.
For a really high performance pair, try Thorlo running socks. These can knock a dent in your wallet, and you might need to search around to find them, so try the specialist running stores first. However, they will last an awfully long time because they are designed for the kind of punishment they will get after miles and miles of running. They are thicker material than many of the socks you can find, and have padded areas on the toes, mid-foot and heels, to offer protection on the parts of your foot normally left aching after a long run.
Thorlo running socks, like many other types of active sports socks, are incredibly lightweight. They are made from material which transports moisture away from your skin to keep you dry and fresh, even on the longest of runs. Their ability to wick moisture is the reason that they are kinder to your skin, and prevent rubbing and therefore help to stop blisters from forming.
The great thing about many types of running sock is that they are designed to fit a specific foot, so they will have an "L" or an "R" printed on them. This is necessary because of the padding used on many of the cushioned varieties, since part of this cushioning is for the arches, so you need to wear the socks the right way round. Also, because they fit so much better, they tend not to slide off your heels when you are running and disappear into your shoes.
If you agree it's now time to buy running socks to help you make further progress with your training, just jump in and start trying a few pairs. The Thorlo socks might be a bit too expensive to buy for a trial, but there are tons of other brands from the large sports manufacturers which should be perfect; consider trying Brooks, Asics or Nike running socks. Any of them will be far better than sticking with cotton.
