OOFOS Recovery Sandals--Giveaway Time!
One question I get asked a lot as a distance runner is how I recover. One fun way to answer this question is to lean in and whisper to the person "I live in constant pain." Kidding! The answer to recovery for me has a lot of factors (including nutrition, of course), but one item that I rely on heavily is a pair of flip flops (*ahem* recovery sandals) known as OOFOS. The folks over at OOFOS were amazing enough to partner with me, so at the bottom of this post is a way to enter to win your very own pair!
I discovered OOFOS several years ago. I had a crippling case of Plantar Fascitis brought on by an ill advised running shoe purchase. I was wearing sneakers everywhere and using roll after roll of Rock Tape (a game changer, if you're injured). If I went barefoot for even a few minutes I would be hobbling around in pain. My fashion choices, always suspect, were really solid that summer--skirts & dresses with athletic tape spiraling up my calf & sneakers.
My trusty fried Deb at Runner's High in Golden told me I needed a pair of OOFOS. I was dubious--I couldn't wear anything but sneakers and as runners we are advised against flimsy flip flops and sandals. Well, OOFOS aren't flimsy. They're made with this magical foam (OOfoam! Fun to say!) that lasts forever They are designed to support your foot and relieve pressure on your ankles, knees, and hips. I'll let the video below tell you a little bit more...
After wearing them once, I was sold. While my recovery from PF was a bit more complicated than just magical sandals, they certainly helped a ton. Now that I don't struggle with PF, I still slip them on post workout to give my joints a break, and other than sneakers they are the only shoes I'll wear for walking around for longer distances. I also put them on once I'm done with races, so my green pair are very well traveled, and have spent many a day inside of a drop bag. There is no feeling more magical than getting your feet out of a pair of sneakers and compression socks you've been wearing for six hours and transitioning to OOFOS.
Also, all OOFOS are machine washable, which is great for slobs like me who spill stuff all the time. Check out the photo below of my original pair, the OOriginal Sandal in Mint (discontinued color). Sure, they're a little beaten up stain-wise, but they're in amazing condition for a pair of heavily used sandals. The only thing I haven't been able to wash out of them is the turmeric stain on the left one. But honestly, most of my things have turmeric stains on them. That stuff is impossible.
Sold yet? Even if you're not a runner, you should really look into a pair of these shoes. With so many designs, you can make a pair work with your wardrobe. The pair I received--the OOlala Sandal (in Latte) are cute enough that I threw them on with a dress yesterday to walk the dogs. In February, in Colorado.
Looks like I'm lounging beach side, right? That's why I threw in an unedited photo of Pip photobombing to show that it was actually windy AF.
So there you go. Is this an endorsement for OOFOS? Yeah, it is. And they did give me a free pair of shoes, which is super rad. I approached them, because they are a brand that I love, and I couldn't be more thrilled that they wanted to work with me & the blog for a giveaway. They're also a company with a charitable heart, with a specific line of their shoes going to the Dana-Farber Oncology Research Fund. SO, what should you do? Enter the contest below to try and win a pair of OOFOS! And if you don't win, go buy a pair! Your feet will thank you.
CONTEST DETAILS: Enter below using RaffleCopter to get as many entries as you can. I'll post the winner on the blog a week from today. You'll get to work directly with OOFOS to pick out any pair that you want on the blog (minus the Project Pink line!).
