#ultrabuds

March 22, 2018

I have been an Injinji fan for years now. I can’t remember exactly how I was introduced to the product, but I am telling you, once you go toe sock you never go back! I started with the basic trail running sock in crew and ankle, then later paired their liner sock with my wool socks for hiking. I knew this was the best brand out there when I hiked Mt. Whitney in 15 hours with NO blisters or hot spots at all. Every trail run I do, I have my routine now of lubing up with some vas between my toes first, then putting on my Injinji socks and I am good to go for at least six hours.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit the headquarters here in San Diego and meet with Claire, the Brand Manager, who gave me a history of the company, a tour of the facility and introduced the new product line to me. I learned that Injinji is a family run company that started in 1999 in Pacific Beach.  The toesocks were originally created for ultrarunners, specifically those running the Badwater in extreme temperatures. The founders wanted to create a sock for these runners to avoid friction and blisters between the toes to create more comfort for the feet. This innovation initially was made for a running sock, but later the technology evolved into other sports such as hiking, snowboarding and soccer.

Why go toesock you ask? The main benefit for this technology is blister prevention. Since each toe is separated there is no skin-on-skin friction, hence no blisters develop. The second major benefit of the separation is moisture management or how the material wicks away sweat from your feet. If your feet stay dry, your feet are more comfortable and can function for more miles and longer hours. Another major benefit of the toesock is total foot utilization, meaning since all the toes are separated, no toes are bunched together, allowing your foot to use all of the toes how they are meant to be used.

Being a marketing guru myself, I asked Claire how Injinji was able to market the product during a time when social media was non-existent. She shared stories with me on how the founders would load up a van with a ton of socks, drive out to the ultra-races and hand out samples to the runners. Their growth was built on word of mouth, influencers and race directors who all believed in the product and had tested them out themselves.

The new product line for ultra-runners is the Ultra Run sock. This sock is the previous midweight sock with a thicker cushion that doesn’t stop at the toes and goes all the way through both the foot and the toes, and not just underneath but on top as well. This will give even more comfort to runners who are on their feet for longer hours and on uneven terrain. These new socks are now available in both women and unisex fit and in both the crew and no-show styles.

If you are skeptical of the toesock innovation, I highly suggest you just try out a pair! Give it a run or two on some serious technical terrain and miles and I guarantee you will notice a difference.

March 6, 2018

In December 2017 I ran the Del Dios Half Marathon, another Endurance Race Series event. Despite the unexpected dry and hot weather, I enjoyed the course, the people, the shirt, the medal and most of all the post-race buffet. Even though the race in December was fun, I was disappointed with my finish time of 2:20 and placing 5th in my age group, so immediately I signed up for the next race in the series, the San Pasqual Half in February.

I was excited for this race because of the challenging climb up Raptor Ridge, not one time, but two times in this race. Uphill has always been my strong point, but when going downhill, I tend to put on the brakes. I began training with my coaches more on my balance, mobility and lateral movements along with strengthening my legs with box jumps, step ups, squats and deadlifts. I kept to my normal run schedule of 4-5 times a week on the trails with a mix of flats and hills and lots of heat training.

The week before the race I co-hosted a training run with Ultrabuds and ERS that would include the two climbs of Raptor Ridge. I know I could easily do it once, but I lacked the confidence of being able to do it twice without walk breaks. I arrived at the group run early with a few others, so that I could get three climbs in with a total of 11 miles. I left that day feeling super confident and ready to go for race day.

On race day I arrived early to pick up my bib and say hi to all my friends (and mom) who were volunteering that day. I warmed up with our other Buds, the San Diego Trail Club, which included dynamic stretching, running and some light yoga. The start was cold of course, and I fought the adrenaline rush to stay in the front and pass everyone in the beginning. I kept to my pace, saving my strength for the two climbs. During the first climb, I was able to pass three people which boosted my spirits. On the first downhill, I trusted my training and took off the brakes. At about mile 6 is when I started to see the runners in the front come back. I counted the number of females ahead of me. There were 12. I got to the turnaround where my friends from MROC were volunteering. Hearing their hooting and hollering gave me a boost and I quickly filled up my water and kept going. On the way back right before climb two, I got another boost from seeing my SDTC friends and exchanged words of encouragement. As I ran up and down Raptor the second time I passed four more people. 10 females now in front of me. Only three miles left and flat to the finish. I saw my mom at the second to the last aid station. She filled my water and threw sport beans in my mouth. Off I was. I was racing. 9 females in front of me, 1.5 miles left. Last aid station I ran by in a full sprint now. 8 females in front of me. I rounded the bend, saw the finish and gave it everything I had, crossing the line at 2:10:19. I knew I was the 9th female, but I had no idea what age group the others were in.

I headed to the buffet table where I had an ice-cold Gatorade, a veggie burger and yogurt. I relaxed with my friends, took some pics and cheered on the finishers as I patiently waited for the times to be posted. All I was hoping for was 3rd in my age, an improvement from my last race. I was stunned and excited to see that I came in 1st in my age group! All that hard training, working with my coaches, counting my macros and properly hydrating myself daily all paid off! It is a great feeling to have – the best runner’s high, when you finish a race successfully and meet your goals.

Again, another huge shout out to RD Jeff Stoner for putting on a super fun trail race! Challenging course, spirited volunteers, a motivating MC and of course the best buffet and beer at the finish line. Looking forward to the last race in the Sunshine Series, the Coast to Crest 10k coming up on March 10th!