Running

Any recommended running socks please? I tend to really enjoy wearing smartwool socks in my walking boots when I hike so might start with something from them.

Nice! Glad it’s healing up!

I'm starting to doubt the xc season happening even.

Inov8 merino socks are nice, cheap and come in packs of two pairs.

They have lasted longer than my other merino socks too.

And More Mile for the cheapest, most indestructible sock known to man

@inchpincher bought a years worth of socks from Decathlon last week which means they’re either good or he’s a total sock prepper

Ha, more than a years worth! I bought three twin packs without realising

@bobble

Decathlon comfort mid sock
They’re well made but what I’d call a summer road sock, on the thinner side.

I also treated myself to a pair of these 1000 mile twin layer which I wore last night and they’re lush, super comfy. I chose white and tend to do mostly off road in winter so they’ll be brown soon and I can’t comment on how they wash yet (hats said the liner can get faffy).

I also forgot to mention the socks I’ve been pretty happy with for the last three years were made by Balega. Not sure why I didn’t revisit them, they’ve been so comfy I started wearing them cycling to alleviate a bit of the numb toe I was getting on my road bike.

I've got a couple of pairs of dhb (on Wiggle) "no show" run socks which are quite nice. Don't think I'd pay £10 for them but I think I got them when they were 50% off at some point.

For Christmas one year my SiL got me a pair of Lululemon run socks (probably £££) as I wanted something good quality for my first marathon, they're still going strong.

Recently also got given a 3 pack of Danish Endurance quarter pro socks (you can find them for £15 for 3 pairs) which are some nice light summer socks.

If I was buying for myself I'd probably be straight down to Decathlon, haven't had any problem with their stuff over the years. If I ever consider an ultra then I'll be looking at the 1000 mile socks.

Rapha pro team work for me. Found typical running socks often overdesigned.

Socks in summer can >>>>>>>>>>>>>
Barefoot ftw.

It turns out I can run in the morning after all. British Masters virtual 5k road relays this week (run any time up until Saturday), thought I'd do a reccy of Greenwich Park and see how my legs were feeling, didn't think I'd be that fresh since I've been doing all my running in the evening, but the park's way too busy after work. So, plan was to set off on a fast km and depending on what the split's like, either keep going or turn it into a km rep session and have a go later in the week.

3:09 (!) keep going... 3:13, 3:12, 3:12, 3:07

15:58! Sub-16 and an unofficial road 5k PB. Well happy!

Socks in summer can >>>>>>>>>>>>>

How long do you run sockless for? I start to get really bad blister problems after about 90 minutes usually.

Yikes, kudos given. Phenomenal run.

Around an hour currently. No problems with blisters but I do tend to spend most of the summer sockless. My trainers are also quite old and 'relaxed' now as well!

Christ that's quick. I'm plodding at the moment. Missing track sessions and mojo slightly awol. Though even on my best day that's 2mins quicker than I'd dream of. I'll stick to waving at you every now and then around the St Germans triangle.
Kudos!

Bloody hell, I'd love to get my 1k to 3:xx so the idea of doing 5 of them at the fast end just boggles my mind. Well done!

30 mins tops, as I found out in my new no-longer-pale-pink trainers the other day.

Incredible run. Congratulations

Amazing. Am I reading correctly that your warmup was a sub-20 min 5k too?!?

Cheers all!

@alias - Yes, I was pacing a club mate having his own attempt and felt good for it, so decided to give it a go straight after. I usually manage ~5k warm-up anyway, but it appears a bit of pace is handy for me to get the legs turning over!

@duncs - Aha! Yes, will look out for you again. :)

Exceptional stuff. Well done.

Amazing run. I'd love to get down to sub 20 one day but sub 16 is just bonkers.

P.S. Just 90s to find and then you can keep up with Kipchoge for a single 5k chunk of his Marathon PB. ;)

Rapid. Looks like it was all right turns* too... chapeau!

'* Dunno why but I feel more comfortable on left turning courses!

Ohhhh speaking of Kipchoge's marathon, I forgot to post here about something we did the other week: 15 of my friends did a marathon relay in sub-2, taking 400m stints each. It was ridiculously hard - it's not an ideal climate for it here (hot and humid) but fuck me Kipchoge is fast, people were falling out of their arse after the first few laps. They eventually finished in 1h55. I was there in official spectating mode only (well, and then official Guinness World Record mode, but that was for another ridiculous challenge), fun day!

Elite marathon pace is proper bonkers!

@rhb - As it happens we were discussing route direction this morning. I would've normally gone anti-clockwise as it feels more natural to me as well but the warm-up was clockwise so I went with it. I think I've got a minor leg length discrepancy, right one being shorter, so maybe it's better for cornering. ;-)

A/c for your next sub 16 then?