Compression Socks: How can something that makes me look so sexy also make me feel so good?

That is the question I asked myself for months as I vacillated on the decision of whether or not to plop down $50-$100 for a pair of these sleek knee high performance enhancing wonder socks.  It is clear that these glorious 1980s gym classesque beauties are easy on the eyes.  But will they increase my power, boost my energy, and speed my recovery time?  Well according to CEP the answer to these questions is YES! 

While picking up my packet at the Cleveland Marathon Expo I found a man, in a booth, aggressively hawking these socks at the rock bottom price of $50 (thanks for the tip Abby!).  A person can find other brands of compression socks at a lower price.  In fact even I was torn between these and a pair of $35 2XU socks.  But CEP appears to be the industry leader and they offer a 30 day money back guarantee!  No risk?  “Say no more,” I said to the sweaty sock salesman, “here is my money and let the test drive begin!”

These socks can be worn during races for increased performance or post race to increase circulation and speed recovery.  I was not brave enough to wear them, for the first time ever, on race day.  Nothing new on race day, right?  Forgoing the potential benefit of “increased performance,” I opted to dawn them promptly after my post race shower with visions of a speedy recovery in my head.

It is now one week after the marathon and I feel . . . um, normal and underwhelmed.  The stylish knee high white and gray socks definitely caused several people to mistake me for Brad Pitt; however, I cannot report that the progressive compression “sped my recovery” or “boosted my energy.”  I experienced the standard couple days of stiffness and I do not believe it was any better or any worse than after my last few marathons.

Maybe I should have worn them during the race, maybe it is because I am blessed with good circulation??  I do not know the answer, but I do know that, for me from a medical/performance perspective, they are not worth the $50.

I’ll give them another shot on a longer training run and report back in a few months if anything changes.  Until then, buy for style, pass for performance. 

Lessons Learned:

1.  Fifty dollars to look sexier than Brad Pitt is worth it even if they do not feel good, enhance performance, or speed recovery