Once you have been running for a while and lost a few pounds, and begun to feel a lot fitter, you might find that you have got a serious running habit. Up until this point, the chances are you have been wearing normal cotton socks. You might have already discovered the benefits of a technical top – a shirt made from special fabric that can remove moisture from your skin, to keep you cool and dry. But it is not common for beginners to make an early move to proper running socks.
Now is the time to make the switch. As you develop as a runner, you will start to increase the distances that you run, and may find that you begin getting minor problems with your feet. It might be something simple like hard skin or calluses, or you could wind up getting a joggers worst enemy, a blister. These problems are most often associated with wearing cotton socks. Cotton is a great fabric as it can actually absorb moisture without feeling wet to the touch. But there is a limit, and if you are going along for ten miles or so, cotton will become wet and uncomfortable. Worse still, cotton can act like an abrasive when it is wet, so you will be causing extra problems by sticking with them.
Try buying a pair of Thorlo running socks and feel the difference. This brand is one of the best in the specialist athletics stores, and is fairly expensive as far a buying socks is concerned. But they will last a long time, and they are padded in just the areas where you will exert most pressure when going for a run. So the heels and ball of the foot are protected.
The Thorlo running socks, like most others designed for active sports, are very lightweight and are made from high performance fabrics that wick moisture away, to keep your feet cool and fresh. This will be a blessing as there will be no more uncomfortable rubbing, no more calluses, and on the whole, no more painful blisters.
The actual design of the socks enables you to run with confidence too, as they will not twist around inside your running shoes, or slip down your heel and disappear, exposing you to rubbing from the shoes themselves.
If you do not feel you can afford the expense of a pair of Thorlos, then try any of the major brands, such as Asics, Nike or Brooks. They will all do the same job to varying degrees, and they will all definitely be better than running in those cotton socks.
