Injinjis!

So, one of my favorite running companies did something really, really awesome and sweet for me last week. Because they're apparently EVEN MORE AWESOME than I always thought they were! I may have gotten a little overexcited about the new injinji Performance 2.0 line of socks and ended up having the following conversation on twitter:

When I say that I've run in injinjis for years, I really mean it. In the fall 2010 Army 10-Miler, I did a serious number on my toes: they hurt so badly after the race from all the pounding that I couldn't even have blankets on top of them. I went to a running store to ask for some advice and they suggested that I try these funky, rainbow striped toe socks. And, basically, I haven't run in anything else since. If I forget my injinjis, the run just isn't happening.

Stylin' after the Baltimore 10 Miler

They've gotten me through two marathons, five half marathons, and I can't wait to see what's next (well, hopefully, it's the two halves and the Eugene Marathon that I have planned through April). I haven't had any blisters and only lost one toenail in all of that (even that wasn't until the race itself and the toenail actually hung around for most of a month afterwards before finally coming off.) I love them. And no, you really don't notice that you've got anything between your toes after putting them on - I'll often forget I'm even wearing them until I take my shoes off and someone comments. And, along the way, I've done my best to convert friends to injinjis. I've been known to stock up at sales and then give them as presents....

Plus and OMG, I have been an absolutely HUGE fan of the eco performance line, which came in amazing striped colors. While the company has definitely been moving in the direction of more super fun colors, for which I am grateful, I'm not sure that they're going to continue to do really fun patterns like these. My only regret is that we never got pink stripey socks, but I'll live!

Just a random run - kitten attack!!! And my injinjis.

ANYWAY, injinji sent me a pair of the new RUN 2.0 Performance socks (Midweight Mini-Crew, I believe) and I was super excited to take them for a few runs before they're even available in stores! LOVE. I really like the new cuff. Some of the lengths in the older versions just didn't work for me, because I'd get chaffing around the heel, but I can't see that ever being an issue with these. Nothing is ever going to get down there by accident, because they're snug - not in an annoying way, but in a "run all you want on the trails, because no pebble will come between you and your socks" way. I think I like the new compression across the instep, too, and the venting on the top is a nice touch. When I put them on at first, the fabric felt a little stiffer than I'm used to, but that might just be because I've loved my other pairs to softness/death (literally in at least one case - I've discovered that the only way to get a blister in injinjis is by wearing a hole in them and refusing to admit that you should probably retire those socks, rather than going for a 7 mile tempo in them). I'm really intrigued by how much more engineered my beloved toe socks seem and these all seem like really great developments.

My cat approves of my awesome new injinjis!

It's been fun watching injinji grow and go mainstream! I feel like they're about to have a huge breakthrough with the new lines and the new "Any Shoe" campaign (I've never worn toe shoes, but have always worn them with regular shoes). They've always been really responsive to feedback (which, admittedly, in my case is usually along the lines of "fun colors, please!"), whether by e-mail, twitter, or chatting at race expos. So, basically, I have loved injinji's socks for years. And, now, thanks to the random kindness of the Customer Service team, I love the company even more than I did already!