Today we have 3 things for you in elite running gear. First up we have shoe discounts in the U.K. with an eBay discount code, then we have two quirky items that you may not have considered for your running arsenal: leg warmers and barefoot running stickers.
Discount Codes for eBay in the U.K.
This one is mainly for our friends across the pond. I was surprised to find that eBay UK seem to have the best prices for purchasing high quality running shoes. You can get all the best brands and models including your favourites like Nike, Saucony, New Balance, and more. In addition to already lower than average pricing you can use ‘voucher codes’ (that’s what they call coupons over there) to get an extra discount. Some are exclusively for shoe sellers, and some are good for the entire eBay website.
If you’re in the US and feeling a bit left out, I would encourage you to check out the American eBay website the next time you are looking to purchase new shoes. The prices are great, and while I don’t currently have a promo code for that site you never know when one will pop up. As an elite runner you know that having good quality shoes is of the utmost importance, not just for performance but in terms of injury prevention as well. It’s a worthwhile investment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t seek out the best price possible.
Leg Warmers for Runners
You might think of leg warmers as something that only ballet dancers and aerobics instructors in the 80s wore, but they are actually pretty fantastic for runners as well. Ours are a little different though, we’re not wearing the big knitted and slouchy pink ones. If you live somewhere cold and like to run in the morning or evening leg warmers can be a big help. Aside from just being comfortable, they can keep your achilles tendon warm which can go a long way towards injury prevention. If it’s a particularly windy day the chill from the wind can cause vasoconstriction as well which will decrease the efficiency of your muscles.
There are some really fantastic models on the market now, they are designed to keep you warm without rolling down or compromising your performance. They are aerodynamic and designed to support the knee joint while keeping you warm & cozy as well. Prices range, but generally you will be looking at around $50 for a high quality pair. Oh, that’s another thing to watch out for! Sometimes they aren’t sold in pairs but in singles. I know, it makes absolutely no sense but there it is. Just something to keep an eye out for when you’re shopping online. If you’re going to be running in icy conditions whether that is on the trail or the road you may want to look into shoe spikes as well to stay safe.
Barefoot Stickers for Running
If you think the idea of running in leg warmers is wild, you’re not going to believe this! A few years ago a company called Nakefit (which I think is a brilliant name, by the way) launched a kickstarter campaign to mass produce ‘stickers’ for the bottoms of your feet that could be run in on a variety of surfaces and were water proof. They set a goal of 20,000 Euros and beat that by a huge margin. I guess the market for barefoot runners is bigger than I had thought?
For some people wearing shoes is a sensory issue, they just hate the feeling of it. I don’t mind normal running shoes, but the other ‘barefoot’ option where the shoe had individual toe spaces makes me shudder just to think about it. I don’t like the feeling of things between my toes. Aside from running, these could just be nice to wear on hot sand or slippery surfaces like a pool or boat deck, where you don’t necessarily want to wear a shoe but fully barefoot might not be comfortable or safe. Obviously if you live somewhere very cold these aren’t a great option and you’re just going to have to wear shoes, but if you are lucky enough to live somewhere that beach running is an option at least some of the year you may want to take a look.
Happy Shopping, don’t forget your discount code!
So there you go, from the practical and necessary to the wild and pure luxury that’s our gear round up for this month. Check to make sure if you are buying a pair or single, and don’t forget to use your discount codes.
