Things That Kept Me Motivated This Winter Part 2

I got to reap the rewards of Steve's sweet connection with Outside PR this winter. They had an extra pair of Sugoi Piston tights in their stash, so they sent a pair my way around Christmas to match the pair that they sent Steve last summer. I've been jealous of Steve's ability to try out the compression technology that's been all the buzz lately. The tights are supposed to offer faster recovery, improved circulation, reduced fatigue, and enhanced muscle stability. My verdict? I love them. While they're not magic, and I didn't suddenly become amazingly faster, I did feel more supported on my long runs. A few notes based on my experience with them so far:

* They're tight, really tight. They're definitely tighter than my regular winter running tights. They take a little longer to get on, but once they're on, they feel super comfortable. There were a couple of days when I left them on after I got home from a workout, and I never had that "holy cow, I just really need these things off" feeling.

* They're not as warm as the winter running tights I would normally wear which is both good and bad. If you're wearing them around the house for recovery, they will keep your muscles warm without being too warm. The downside for me was that when I was doing my long runs in the chilly MN winter, I needed to put a second layer on my legs sooner. Anything less than 15 or 20 degrees was pushing it. I can usually get by with a pair of tights down to around 0.

* While I felt more supported on my long runs, it's hard for me to tell whether they did anything to speed my recovery. I'm thinking of trying that out more this spring. It's definitely shorts weather now, and I would get WAY too hot wearing them for a run, but I may test them out after finishing a hard workout.

* I had been so excited to see whether they made me feel any different during and after my runs (my athlete brain) that I had missed an obvious side effect - compression technology makes your body look better. There's less jiggle, and my butt instantly looks better. This added benefit definitely appeases my girl brain. :)