Should you run the half-marathon in a Middle Distance triathlon with or without socks? It can pose quite a dilemma for triathletes, but America’s Sam Long found the perfect solution: just wear one. Last weekend, Long took a big win at Challenge Puerto Varas, partly thanks to his 1:12:24 hour half-marathon. It’s definitely questionable that he owes that to wearing only one sock, but – obviously – it wasn’t actually planned, Long explains on Instagram.
“The run at Challenge Puerto Varas featured some tough challenges: eight railroad crossings, eight U-turns and four times up a steep 200-meter hill. Still, I managed to average at 5:26 minutes per mile (3:22 min/km) and limit a flying Matt Hanson (who clocked 1:10:42 hour, ed.). I think it was my technique of wearing one sock on the run. The truth behind the story is that I planned on wearing two, but in transition I fumbled to get one on (as we had some rain) and even ripped it. I decided to skip the second pair and just go. Thankfully, these shoes have been quite comfortable with no socks”, he says about his Asics Metaspeed Sky.
In the comments, France’s Vincent Luis jokes: “I thought you just stopped for a number two and used one of your socks.” Some other athletes worry that Age Groupers might pick it up as a new trend and go “single sock” in their next events.
