A good impression of compression

A few years ago I was walking with a colleague from work on a very cold winter's day. She was wearing a skirt and tights and seemed comfortable with the below ten degree temperatures while was freezing in my suit and long wool coat. I asked her how she seemed so comfortable and she told me that her tights kept her legs very warm. She said the tight fit seemed to insulate better than pants. I was skeptical at the time but after some experience with compression running pants I have to admit there's a big difference in the amount of heat you retain. I also feel much more energized when running in these pants (I have three pairs now) and I believe my 8:19 pace during Saturday's race was helped out, somewhat, by the compression technology and warmth.

This morning it was 34 degrees outside so I dressed in layers, a long sleeved compression top, long sleeved tech top and short sleeved tech top plus reflective vest and my Brooks hat. Below I wore my new Nike compression pants and a pair of crew length Timberland athletic socks and it was perfect for the morning conditions. I headed north from my house up a slightly inclined road and was hit head-on by what I'm guessing was a 5-10 MPH wind. I was happy with my choice of clothes and I stepped it up a bit to try to warm up faster. Overall I covered 2.5 miles at around 9:10 per mile. Not exactly PR numbers but at 4:00 AM on a chilly morning I'll call it a great run.