Why $20 for socks is worth every penny!

I was saved by my socks today. No really I was. If you ever venture into a running store they will always try to sell you socks. They will say stuff about how they grip your feet better and more breathable and help against feet sweat and blah blah blah. I always thought this was BS because it's a sock, it goes on my foot and well twenty bucks for a pack of three (or six bucks a pair) just sounds stupid. But they are the expert so I got the expensive socks. Turns out I really dig them. In fact this last time I got shoes I also got the special socks. And when one of those socks fell victim to either the washer/dryer/or Pippin I went out and got more $20 socks. Never have I gotten painful blisters, don't know if it was the socks or not I just gave all the credit to the awesome running store (Running Central)for selling me the socks and shoes...more on this in a bit...first my 11...my ELEVEN...gonna say it one more time with charm...MY ELEVEN MILE RUN!!!!! :D

Well honestly I was worried today. Not only was the weather calling for rain and strong storms but the last 2 weeks I've done my 10 milers and the last 1/2 mile I don't know how i was going to be able to finish and now I have to add another mile on to that. This time I decided to kinda flip my route on the RIT so I took the dirt path for 3 miles, turned around, rehyrdated at my start point (6 miles in) and then continue onto the paved path (I usually start on that). I felt pretty good most of the run I took my time and actually set my HRM to work in the "moderate" zone to force me to slow down and it worked wonders. At 6 miles I was DRENCHED and nope, no rain. It was cloudy, overcast and humid (but not uncomfortable humid). The ground was wet but not muddy and I was GROSS but still had 5 miles to go. So I keep on and when I have about 1.5 miles left I notice my shoes seem kinda...squishy. I realize that the combo of the wet ground and my sweatyness has caused me to have squishy shoes, gross eh? When I realize this I also realize the paved path of the RIT has lots of hills so hills and squishy shoes and my longest run to date meant suckyness. Whatev-I'm strong so I keep on and I make it and I'm proud, those last few miles its really more mental than physical and a kick ass play list always helps. Sorry to Ke$ha haters but I totally dig her, Take It Off...totally kept me going that last phase and so did Mindset Evolution lol what a music combo! So I get back to my car after finishing and I start to dry off (I always bring extra clothing, flip flops and towels) and I take off my shoes and this is where I convinced myself that those spendy socks saved me, my feet and my run. I got to thinking about how if I had cheap normal socks on how they would be drenched (my socks were the one thing that I couldn't wring out) and would have caused massive friction and pain. But nope, not the magic socks, dry as a bone, fitting perfect to my feet (which by the end of the run looked like they had been soaking in a tub that's how much moisture was in my shoes). So for my fellow runners out there get the good socks, you'll thank me for it. But me I'll just thank Running Central because if they didn't convince me I needed them I probably would be in a lot more pain now that what I am (I just have sore quads).

Oh and also honorable mentions go to Body Glide for keeping my arm chafe free and to biofreeze for keeping my shoulder loose (its been tightening up during my runs painfully so) and for helping my quads so I can still function the remainder of the day.

Breakdown: 1-10:10 2-10:03 3-10:20 4-10:22 5 & 6-10:48 7-10:20 8-11:16 9-10:57 10-10:46 and 11-9:56.