CW-X Stabilyx Tights

OK, I am totally a gear-hound, and bigger a sucker for a performance promise of clothing given those crazy suits the Olympic swimmers wore. I'm also a tights guy---I have some running pants that don't cling and can't figure out why anyone running faster than a 9-minute mile wants loose-fitting pants. That's my disclosure statement.

That said, with recession in the air, I have been trying to keep expenses to a minimum and I have a couple pairs of tights I love, so I was not in any hurry to buy another pair. Nevertheless, the piece on performance clothing in Running Times got me fixated on a pair of CW-X Conditioning Wear Stabilyx Tights and Linus and I stopped over at Fleet Feet after a visit to the Nature Museum. A hundred bucks later, I was the proud owner of tights that had a lot of promise.

First, they don't really make my size, I'm in that 6', 175 range which is a gray area by CW-X standards.



Probably too big for medium, but I should be at about 165 so I figured that if the tights work as they should, maybe I would be better able to drop that 10 lbs of beer and ice cream.

Second, they don't really give instructions on where your knee should end up to give you the best support. Especially for those of us in the gray area, it seems like we should make some of those adjustments to get optimal fit. I just guessed that the 'web' should criss-cross around the knee leaving the knee more free to move.

Those are the little gripes.

Took them out on a 12-miler today in about 28F. Holy crap, they were amazing. Negative split the 12 miles, running 8:16 for the first six and ending up with an average of 8:12/mile for the whole distance. Very comfortable throughout, and notable because I have been nursing a variety of grumpy muscles and joints for the past few months that usually leaves something sore after a long run. Today, nothing.

Day was cold, hands ended up numb running into the wind, but with the wind at my back they were ok. The CW-X tights did not change the fact that I get crazy hungry every time I cross the 10-mile mark.

Speaking of which, we runners in Chicago have a choice: hydrate properly and water the lawn or dehydrate. Yep, no bathrooms from about October to May in Chicago's parks. Shared a knowing look with a fellow runner as he left his deposit on one of the overpasses. We have all been there. Lately I opt for the dehydration route. That's another story.

Training for Peak Performance: Week 1

Had a lousy January in general. Work got in the way of exercise and the intense cold and snow beat me down which meant that I was coming into the first of a 14-week training program for the the mini-marathon colder than I wanted. I am also looking down the barrel of the Shamrock Shuffle with about 8 weeks to play. Sad because I have A-Corral qualification this year and really looked to put in an amazing time. I will probably still PR if no injuries, but had hoped to have a better base ready.

Week 1 also had its glitches. Had my gear at work and never made it out on Monday which meant I missed the first day. Day 2 was an 8-miler which ended with declining mile splits and a sore hamstring and ITB. Took Weds off (should have been hills) to make sure that neither turned into a thing. Hit the 3 on Thurs fine, Friday was insane at work and missed that 8 but picked it up on Sat. Should have had a day between the 8 and a Sunday 10, so I was not really ready and ended up bailing at 8 on Sunday with twinges in the hamstring.

I think the key in this program is to be intensely aware of lingering hamstring issues---they have been nagging since mid-November and I need to find a series of stretches that really treats the deeper issues. At the same time, this is precisely the same training regimen I did last year at this time and it seems SO much easier this time. Like so many good Jack-Daniels-inspired routines, it cycles between longer and shorter weeks and week 2 is much lighter.

Ran North along the path yesterday and South today. Jackson Harbor is looking spectacular, covered with ice and snow. I am running these days with the iPhone and I have a nice, rugged camera precisely for these occasions, but (a) I can barely remember to wear decent running specs, much less remember a camera and (b) the little iPhone case is nice, but too cumbersome to pull the phone out with cold hands and (c) I just don't like stopping on a run. I think this is why I am not a super social runner. That said, lifted with KO yesterday after the run and remembered again just how quickly the time goes by when you workout with a friend. The run goes by awfully quickly with Gareth Emery, especially the soaring female vocals that run through episode 71...so I don't feel like I am missing human company all that much.