REVIEW: Tommie Copper Calf Compression Sleeves

To anyone reading these words I am sorry for the delay as it has been 8 days since my last post.  However, as promised here is my first running apparel review - Tommie Copper Calf Compression Sleeves.

From company website:

Tommie Copper's comfortable calf compression sleeves relieves muscular and growing pains, promotes muscle recovery and aids performance.

• Highly wickable fabric keeps skin dry
• Stimulates blood flow, decreases inflammation and calf soreness
• Gentle effective compression allows for 24 hour use, even while asleep
• Comfortably and discreetly wear under clothes for performance or recovery

Compression sleeves were something I had wondered about from the very beginning of my running journey as I had seen many runners wearing them during the races I have been involved and was curious if they had any real benefit.  As noted in the companies website the sleeves are meant to relieve muscle pains, as well as, promote muscle recovery - it was my goal to test the validity of this statement especially as I have increased my running pace and mileage.

Fit


I made a habit of wearing these calf sleeves after all my runs - I slept with them on, wore them under my clothes during the day, and even tested them while running.  The fit of Tommie Copper calf compression sleeves are tight, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation or leave indention marks on the skin.  They are actually very comfortable and I can honestly say that it is like you are not wearing anything at all as I have forgotten I had them on after longer periods of time wearing them.

Benefit

The unique part of these particular calf sleeves is the companies use of copper (hence the name) yarn which is said to provide relief from arthritis and other joint pains, promote muscle recovery and reduce inflammation.  I do not know the science behind this but I will say this: they do seem to reduce pain in my calves after running.  Prior to wearing these I did experience soreness in my calves regularly in my calves especially when increasing my mileage and running pace.  Since I have begun wearing these sleeves after my runs during the day and while I sleep I have experienced a noticeable difference with minimal soreness, if any at all.  Now I have not found a noticeable advantage to wearing them during my run but I will continue to wear them after my runs to aid my muscle recovery.

My Opinion - A Recap

• This product is light-weight, easy to wash and quick-dry. I often wore them when I showered after my run, for a simple, quick launder. They could easily be worn under “day” clothes.
• Compression was comfortable, not overly tight.  It is important to note that you should take measurements of your calf to determine size and proper fitting.
• After workouts calves was minimal, with quick recovery periods.
• I would recommend these to wear after running although I cannot speak of any noticeable difference in wearing them during a run.

 

Rating Scale:

5 Stars: Extraordinary 

4 Stars: Excellent

3 Stars: Very Good

2 Stars: Good

1 Star: Fair

0 Stars: Awful!

It is important to note that these Tommie Copper calf compression sleeves were samples provided to me by the company but in no way did they shape my opinion of this review.

Running Through (or After) an Illness

So the past week has been interesting...not fun, but interesting.  Last Friday night (January 27th) I went to bed around 10:30 p.m. with intentions of waking up at 5:30 a.m. to go for my long weekly run of around 11 miles.  However, I woke up at 12:30 a.m. with stomach issues that would be diagnosed four hours later at my local Memorial Hermann Emergency Center as the stomach flu...so needless to say my run wasn't going to happen.  The stomach flu tortured me for three days before abating and then began to inflict pain and suffering my two year old daughter and wife.  It was not until this morning exactly a week after I got sick that I was able to make my normal 4 mile run. 

It is this experience that serves as my muse for this post exploring running during or after an illness.

During Illness

Although it may be advisable to consider not running during an illness if you are going to anyways there are some important factors to consider in order to keep yourself healthy in the long term.  A general rule of thumb is if "from the head up" (runny noes, stuffiness, etc.) then continuing your running regiment is plausible.  However, if it involves the lungs then it is probably best to rest until they have felt better for a considerable period of time.  It is important to note that as a runner you need to rely on subtle cues of your body in order to determine your training and racing readiness.

After Illness

Now if you are like me after an illness you are worried about losing the fitness level you had attained prior to getting sick and not being able to run. 

Less than a week: As runners know taking some time off from running can actually help improve your fitness level by giving your body and muscles time to heal so with this in mind if you have been off schedule in your running regimen for less than a week your fitness levels will not be affected.

1 to 2 weeks:  If you've been out of your running shoes for only a week or two, many experts recommend that you start at about half the distance you were running before the illness. You should be able to build back to your former level in about 2-4 weeks.

More than 2 weeks:  If you've been out of the running game for more than 2 weeks then it is important to check with your doctor to make sure you are able to return to running.  If you're not ready to come back, you could possibly cross-train (again with clearance from doctor) in the meantime to start to rebuild your fitness levels.  If you are ready to get back out there then note that it is more important to run less than run slower.  Run at your normal pace taking walking breaks and as your endurance and stamina start to build you will be able to run longer and longer distances until you are back to previous levels.

Illness is no fun...for anyone but remember it is important to be healthy than to get back on the road quickly.  Be safe out there!

Next time: I will be reviewing my first running product Tommie Copper calf compression sleeves.

What is midfoot running?

Below is an instructional video on midfoot running (or at least what I consider to be midfoot running) that was put together by Newton Running.  It is important to note that I am not promoting a particular shoe brand with this video.  I simply feel the video gives a concise overview of midfoot (which they refer to as forefoot although I would consider this to be running on your toes) running and its benefits heel-strike or running on your toes.

As stated above I am not endorsing Newton running shoes as I have never owned a pair - although stay tuned in the coming weeks I hope to review a pair of Newton shoes to test the companies claims stated in the video.

Running Form

As I have gotten back into running for recreation & sport I have started to research the basics of proper running technique and form.  I began to think about this as I remembered from my previous time spent running before my daughter Stella being born that my knees and ankles would bother me from time to time.  This is not to say that I suffered serious injuries but it did leave me feeling more pain and soreness than I thought necessary.

In my search to discover proper running technique and running I have have come across four components that are part of various experts discussion on how to minimize pain and soreness, while protecting yourself from serious running injuries.  Furthermore, it will assist you in being a more efficient, faster runner.

These include:

1. Posture
2. Midfoot Strike
3. Cadence
4. Lean

Let's look at these in more detail.

Posture - This deals specifically with how your body is positioned while running.  The important things to remember here is to keep your toes point forward, keep your head up, and to look forward (not down) while running.

Midfoot Strike - I had never thought about how my foot struck the ground while running but it appears that this is a major factor in the pain, soreness, and injuries that many runners experience.  Commonly runners strike heel first which can lead to unwanted stress and pressure on your joints (knees, ankles, hips, etc.).  This also leads you to not run at full speed as it has a braking effect.  On the flip side of this is the forefoot strike (landing on front of foot) which can have equally negative effects by straining your muscles (calf's and achilles).  Midfoot strike will help in preventing serious injuries and minimize pain and soreness.  Note: This does not mean you will not experience soreness at all.  In fact as I have been practicing midfoot strike in my running form I noticed I was actually more sore than usual at first but don't worry as this will lessen as you become more comfortable and familiar with landing midfoot.

Cadence - This deals largely with the rhythm of your run.  It is important to not "pound" the pavement as you run as this can also lead to injury.  Rather you want to run lightly and keep a steady, comfortable pace.  While some experts suggest a certain cadence it is my belief that it will vary for every runner as many of the experts don't agree 100% in regards to specifics in this regard.

Lean - It is highly recommended to lean forward at ankles (not waist) to help gravity work for you.  This will allow you to not overexert your muscles which generally happen when runners use toes to spring forward.

Below is a simple graphic that illustrates these four components to proper running form.

 

From my personal experience I have found that utilizing and improving upon these four components of my running form have assisted me in feeling better, before and after, running and I have seen an improvement in my mile pace.  There are many products on the market, especially running shoes, that claim to assist with proper running technique.  It is my hope in the future to review these items to determine, in my opinion, if there is any truth to their claims.

Until next time happy running!!

Tale of a Texas Runner

Howdy!

As the title this blog I am a resident and runner in the state of Texas and it is my goal through the medium of blogging to share everything that I have learned about running and am continuing to learn about running.  You may be wondering what does this mean?  Simply put I hope to design a forum to share my thoughts and opinions about all things running including running techniques, training, nutrition, and products designed with runners in mind.  Through disseminating this information I hope to assist runners in their progression, encourage others to start running, and even learn myself from more experienced runners that subscribe to this blog.

My own journey began over ten years ago when I started to run in an effort to stay active and healthy.  I ran steadily until January 2010 when my beautiful daughter was born but after almost 18 months away from running I began to feel lethargic and decided in August 2011 it was time to get back out and run - not only to be healthy for myself, but for my daughter!  It was with this in mind that I set a goal for myself and that was to run my first 10K race in late October 2011.  I started slowly running a mile from my house, walking for a short period, and running a mile back home.  Over this two month period I started to build my stamina and speed and was able to run my first 10K in 53 minutes 9 second (8:34 mile pace) and qualify for the Houston Marathon in 2013.  I then set another goal to run my first half marathon, which I accomplished in December 2011 with a finishing time in 1 hour 46 minutes 17 seconds.  My journey is not over...or will it ever be as I continue to learn as time goes by...and it is this insight and knowledge that I hope to pass on to those who subscribe to this blog.

This blog will be updated on a weekly basis, if not more, and as time goes by and it continues to evolve it is my goal to be able to expand to assist you in your running journey!