Tag Archives: giveaway

PRO Compression Review + Giveaway

Throughout this training cycle, my legs have felt abnormally fatigued. Jen and I were talking about this, and she’s going through the same thing, too. She said she’s had some great races despite fatigued legs, so I’m hoping for the same.

When my legs already feel like I’ve run a marathon before the actual marathon, there’s a few tools I turn to for help.

  • my trusty foam roller
  • Epsom salt baths
  • making sure I’m eating healthier and taking a calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement
  • compression

For the past few years, I’ve always turned to compression socks after my long runs. If you’re not familiar with compression socks, they supposedly compress your lower legs to increase blood flow to the region so that byproducts like lactic acid can be flushed out faster. (As you can see from this post, some of the information around compression socks is conflicting.)

Either way, I’ve definitely felt the benefit of compression socks, especially when I feel the beginning of shin splints coming on. I wear them as much as I can during the day after my long run (the dress and compression sock look is a hot one, let me tell you) and sleep in them the night after.

Some of the fast girls like Monica and SkinnyRunner swear by PRO Compression socks, so I’ve been eyeing the socks for a while. They’d make me faster, too, right??

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I present to you the craziest running outfit I wore last week. All of the crazies stopped to talk to me.

PRO Compression offered to send me a pair to try out in exchange for me sharing my thoughts on the socks with you.

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I have to start with the aesthetics. They’re adorable. I asked for the Marathon Retro socks to try because they were very Ron Burgundy.

They fit well throughout the foot and calf, but they’re too long for me. They go up over my knee, and they’re supposed to fall just under your knee. I’ve also tried out CEP compression socks, and these are definitely not as tight as those. (The CEP ones are almost uncomfortably tight.)

CEO Eric Smith started PRO Compression because he worked in the golf industry and saw a need for golfers to wear compression socks, so he created PRO Compression, with lines for both runners/triathletes and golfers. (Hey Dad, you can wear cool compression socks like me, too!)

So, the million dollar blog review question: would I buy these with my own money? Yes–if I could find ones that were a little shorter.

Want your own pair of PRO Compression socks?

Leave a comment telling me how you recover from your runs and what you do when you have fatigued legs to enter. You can also get extra entries by following PRO on Facebook or Twitter and by tweeting about this giveaway. They run a ton of specials, so following them on social media is a great way to find out when they’re running one. Should you not win, you can also use the code PCBLG for 40% off and free shipping.

I was compensated in socks and cash money for this review, but all opinions and short legs are my own.

 

 

RunnerBox Giveaway!

You’re probably familiar with Birchbox ( < affiliate link). It’s a monthly subscription to try out beauty products, and it’s awesome.

The business model has been replicated in a gazillion different spaces. Most importantly to this blog, though, there’s now a box for runners!

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At the D.C. Half expo, I was being a good friend and walking around with Emily to make sure she saw all the expo goodness. I was already familiar with most of the products there, but then I stumbled upon the Runnerbox booth.

From their site:
RunnerBox is a subscription based box for runners, triathletes and other active people. It’s a mini shoebox filled with running products, mailed to your front door. It has everything from energy products, gels, chews, protein shakes/supplements, nutrition bars, skincare, to safety products and other fun accessories! Some products will be brand new (but personally tested) on the market, and some will be tried and true favorites. With so many products coming out on the market, leave the trials and testing to us, we’ll search out the best and send them to you!

They have three different boxes: a subscription for runners, a subscription for triathletes, and a larger giftbox. The monthly subscription is $10, and the one-time boxes and bimonthly subscriptions are $20.
I thought it was a really cool idea, and told the founder, Staci, I’d love to try a box. She hooked me up with a bimonthly box, and it was packed with stuff!

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Maybe I should have done a RunnerBox haul video.
There was a TON of stuff in here, but what I’m most excited to try is the sport beans and the Honey Stinger chews. I also think the throwaway gloves are a cute touch.
A sampling of some of my products:
CocoaVia Cocoa Extract Supplement, Emergen-C Joint Health, Mila Miracle Seed.

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Perfect for pre-race jazz-handing, no?
Staci also hooked me up with a box for one lucky winner.
To enter: leave a comment below telling me what running product you’ve always wanted to try or what new running product you’re excited for. Or the craziest running product you’ve ever heard of! I will draw a winner on 4/1!
Disclosure: I was provided with a free box for review.