When I decided to train for a marathon over 10 years ago, the best thing about running long distances was that it gave me an excuse to eat a ton of pasta. The second best thing–once I finally worked up to the long distance–was being able to see cool sunrise and sunset views of the city (which, at the time, was New York). The third best thing was having a reason to buy running gear.
There aren’t many sports that don’t require some sort of equipment, which can be daunting to someone who doesn’t consider themselves a true athlete because it’s yet one more barrier to beginning. But to me, back in 2013, suddenly having a specific purpose to buy things was a blessing. I was at the time (as always) living frugally and didn’t often go shopping “just because.”
So I started slowly amassing what I believed it took to put me in the right mindset to succeed at my goal. The clothes I bought those first six months of turning myself into a real runner included sports bras and leggings and shorts and tank tops and short-sleeved shirts and long-sleeved shirts and winter coats and gloves and winter leggings; the most boring of the accoutrements had to be the socks. I picked them up from one of the discount stores I frequented (I’m going to guess TJ Maxx) without much excitement but with the conviction that I certainly needed special socks to complete my runner’s transformation and of course the socks currently in my closet couldn’t possibly fulfill this role.
And they did their duty. Uncomplainingly–if you’re asking whether my other gear did complain, maybe just leave that one alone for now–these socks got me through hundreds of training runs and handfuls of races. I had a pack of four, which was ideal for someone who went weeks without doing laundry sometimes (yes, I had a lot of underwear). It was also perfect for lasting over a decade, since you will not be surprised to learn some pairs mysteriously disappeared over the years.
Had you asked me at the peak of my running days whether I’d ever get new running socks, I probably would’ve wondered if you had enough going on in your own life to keep you healthily occupied. I also would’ve said “maybe not.” Who could possibly need more then four pairs of running socks in a lifetime?
Back then, my plan was to run the marathon and then stop running, so those pairs would’ve gotten me through that just fine. However, I kept running, even once I learned I’d never get my stamina or speed back–let alone run a marathon–after a weird illness. So, now that the rest of the socks have been lost or worn out, I’ve had to do the unthinkable.
It wasn’t easy–the first set of running socks I had were so familiar to me that the options in TJ Maxx now seemed overwhelming. They were almost all either “no-show” (which made me fear my heel would rub against my shoe too much) or higher than I’d like. I browsed the small rack for what you would almost definitely consider an unreasonable amount of time, but after 15 minutes of closely examining every choice, I finally made my decision.
The best part? It’s a 12-pack, so I don’t expect to have to go through this process again before my body stops being able to run at all.
A New Thing Every Day 