- Hot Mama! (in the athletic cut as opposed to the standard cut on the website)
- Peacock Bordeaux
- Green Goddess (a two-of-a-kind print)
Today's post, however, it's about my skirts. :) It's about another favorite item of mine... my CW-X tights. These things are awesome!
I bought my first pair years ago. I had torn my hamstring just prior to the Inaugural Illinois Marathon. I went through weeks of physical therapy and was close to healed but still not back to 100%. Thankfully, I see a therapist (and a sports med doc) who "gets" runners. She really understood that I didn't want to miss the race. Although she didn't give me an all clear to run a normal race, I was given the okay to participate provided I accepted her stipulations.
- Listen to my hamstring. When it ached, I was to walk. I could jog again if the ache subsided.
- Find some compression tights to help with stabilization of the muscle.
You can see what each style does best here:
This is the women's comparison from the CW-X website. The men's is identical. |
These tights really helped keep my hamstring under control. I was able to run (jog) to mile 18 before the aching started. After that, it was a mostly walk (with a little jogging) to the finish. I was a personal worst time for me, but I still got it done without doing any additional damage to my hamstring. I've also used them for runs where my IT band is acting up, or if I get that haunting achiness in my hammy. (If you've ever torn a muscle, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.)
Since then, I've found another great use for these tights... RECOVERY! I'm NOT a fan of the ice bath after long runs and races. I now use my CW-X to help with my recovery instead. Most of my tightness after a long run is in my hips. While someday, I'll invest in a pair of Pro or Performx tights, right now, my Stabilyx do the trick. They have decent support for the hip flexors. The Pro and Performx would probably do a bit better, but anything is better than nothing. Right?
As a side note, a lot of people I've talked to wonder if the thickness of the material the CW-X are made from would cause them to overheat in warmer weather. I've found that as long as I dress weather-appropriate on top, that the thickness doesn't seem to bother me in the heat. If this is a concern for someone, they also make most of these lines in a ventilator version, which is a more mess-like material for easier breathability.
Agree on the NO ice baths. My muscles just start to cramp however I love my Zensah calf sleeves for recovery. Was looking at the tights for Goofy recovery to help the hips. Good to know the material isn't too warm since I over heat (however Jan in Fl is always up for grabs).
ReplyDelete