My Tommie Boys

My long run will not only be a little shorter tomorrow at 13.1 miles, but it will also be a lot slower. I am pacing the 2:15 group at the South Valley Half Marathon tomorrow. I'm still not sure why I said I would do it, but I did. If I end up a terrible mess of a runner, I will blame Blaine.

It makes me feel a little better that I can run it 23 minutes slower than I ran my last half marathon. But I'm a little nervous about holding a sign for over two hours. And I'm not a big talker while I run - one of the reasons running solo suits me, so it could be interesting if someone wants to chat for 13.1 miles.

So tomorrow I'll need an entirely different kind of luck when I line up at the start. If you happen to be running the race, look for me and come say hi! I'll be the blonde wearing a bright green pacer shirt, holding the 2:15 pacer sign.

And now, since I never got around to my Things I Love Thursday yesterday because I was too busy getting my tempo run done and basking in the glory of not finding yet another excuse to put it off, I'll tell you about something I have been loving today! Here's a hint:


I received a pair of Tommie Copper calf sleeves and a pair of knee sleeves a few weeks ago. I have been wearing the calf sleeves almost every day since, and I love them. I have two other brands of compression socks and calf sleeves, and I have always loved how they make my legs feel after I run. But there are a few things that are quickly making the Tommie Coppers my favorite. First is how lightweight they are. I can even wear them under jeans without getting too hot, which is a first. Honestly, I don't even notice they are there. I have also worn then on a few of my longer runs, especially when my shins have been a little sore, and they have made a huge difference in how my legs feel during and after my runs.

I also like that the compression is not so tight that I can hardly get them on, but it is just tight enough to do its job. And the silky smooth fabric helps them slide right on.
According to the Tommie Copper web site, here are some of the things that make the compression sleeves so perfect (at least for me):

... all Tommie Copper products are manufactured using a proprietary compression fabric combined with copper infused yarn that by design is so comfortable you may forget you are wearing it.

Copper stimulates the immune system to fight infections, repair injured tissues, and promote healing. Copper also helps to neutralize "free-radicals" which can cause severe damage to cells.

I also tried the knee sleeves. I have never really liked longer compression shorts because I don't like anything tight on the back of my legs just above my knees. I found the same thing to be true with the knee sleeves. I tried wearing them during they day several times, but always ended up taking them off pretty quickly. Yet I don't notice them as much when I sit still or lie down, so I wear my Tommie Copper knee sleeve to bed when my knee bothers me. And every time I have worn a knee sleeve to bed, my knee has been happy the next morning.

So if you are a fan of compression or have been thinking about trying it out, you should head on over to the Tommie Copper web site. In addition to calf and knee sleeves, there are ankle and elbow sleeves, gloves and compression shirts. You can also find Tommie Copper on Facebook and Twitter.

*Tommie Copper generously provided the knee and calf sleeves for free in exchange for my unbiased review.