Socks are Sexy

I was contemplating writing this post as a series of terrible sock/shoe related puns, but I didn't want my relationship with my new sponsor to get off on the wrong foot.

Damn.

Anyway, this is just a quick post to let you all know that Alex and I are the newest members of the FITS Sock Co. running team!

Some socks, yesterday.

They'll be supporting us in our various running (mis)adventures over the coming year. Exciting times. I'm really looking forward to working with these guys as they seem like an awesome company. Here's a bit from their web site:

Knitting socks in Niota, TN since 1902, Crescent Sock Co. endured the ups and downs that shaped the character of America’s people and her textiles industry. Today the company produces socks under its own FITS™ name in the oldest operating hosiery mill in the U.S. – leveraging technical expertise and long-held knowledge of fit and comfort. The family-owned company remains committed to its vision, its people, and to keeping jobs in the Tennessee Valley. Crescent manufactured socks for more than 30 other brands before deciding to market its own high-quality product.  Responding to an industry-wide epidemic of ill-fitting socks, FITS leveraged over a century of experience to develop the world’s best-fitting sock using materials, processes, and quality controls that far exceed industry standards. The result: a product line that embodies the crucial connection between fit and performance.

So I think it's fair to say that these good people know exactly what they're doing. Which is more than can be said for me.

Anyway, I'm not going to start off with a bunch of endless plugs, because I know you'd all see right through that. But they were kind enough to send me a pair of their Performance Trail Socks in December and I've been wearing them extensively during my runs over the past month. They're warm and comfortable - which is really important during a cold, wet Vancouver winter. On a recent "run" to Norvan Falls, we spent a solid two hours trudging through knee-deep snow, banging out 15-minute kilometres with negligible elevation gain.

Photo credit: Terry Bushnell

The snow had this unpleasant icy crust which was doing a great job of ripping everyone's ankles to shreds. But I managed to come out of it (physically) unscathed, and I honestly think that was thanks to the socks; they have a "full contact cuff" which does a great job of holding them in place and really helps protect against the elements. Suffice to say, I was one of the few people to come out of this adventure without any nasty infections, which I is one of my major life goals.

So I'm hoping that with this additional support, it's going to be another exciting year of running. I really want to throw myself into it, heart-and-sole.

Sorry.