I can’t believe I’m saying these words out loud: I’ve decided to stop running.

Just hearing that statement and seeing it in black and white leaves me feeling unnerved. Running is my go-to workout. It’s what I enjoy doing to make a day complete. The longest I’ve gone without running consecutively was earlier this year when I got the flu and right after the Chicago Marathon last year when I took some time off to properly recover. But alas, I need to stop running.

Several weeks ago, I shared that I’ve been battling some plantar fasciitis since July. Although much less severe than what many runners experience, it has become more and more of a nuisance. Last Sunday, I ran the Maine Half Marathon. It was after the race I realized my problem was bigger than it seemed. Although I can run with virtually no pain in my foot, after the race my left quad was sore and the right wasn’t. Unbeknownst to me, my right glute must not have been firing as it should and my left leg was overcompensating for the pain in my right foot. Typically we can run through minor aches and pains as long as it doesn’t compromise our running form. Clearly, the issue is affecting my form. Big problem.

I saw my sports massage therapist and sports chiropractor after the race. When my chiropractor asked what races I had coming up, I answered “none.” Although I do want to run a local Thanksgiving 10K and holiday half marathon, there are no running goals that are requiring me to keep running. Now is the perfect time to nip this in the bud for good.

So that brings me to this no-good-very-bad-news: I have chosen to stop running for three weeks (I only ran two miles last week and will not run the next two weeks). Instead, I will cycle, use the elliptical and strength train and do daily exercises to strengthen my gluteus medius. Two weeks from now, I’ll test out the foot on the anti-gravity treadmill, and if all is well, I’ll run on that for two weeks before returning to the road (my chiropractor has an AlterG that you can purchase sessions on).

To make my decision about this extended running rest a little easier to swallow, I’m balancing the bad news out with a run happy giveaway for you!

Speaking of race recovery, one of my new favorite things to use as part of my recovery routine is wearing SKINS RY400 compression tights for recovery. The SKINS team sent me a pair to test out a few months ago after long runs and races, and I’ve been wearing my SKINS compression tights pretty religiously after hard workouts, including after the Maine Half Marathon.

The RY400 range is engineered to speed the recovery process and reduce the onset of muscle soreness after a workout. Through lots of research, the SKINS team has calculated the level of surface pressure required to enhance circulation and increase oxygen delivery to resting muscles to improve post-activity rejuvenation.

Check out these 5 important tips for post-race recovery.

Here’s what you should know about the SKINS compression recovery tights:

• They fit like a glove and are true to size. They feel like a second skin on my legs, and I love that the waistband is not too tight. Additionally, as someone who is only 5-foot, 3 inches, tights can sometimes be too long and bunch around the back of the knee area. These don’t do that, but would also fit taller people as well.
• Even in Florida where the temperatures can be hot, I can wear these tights and not get overheated. They are so thin and light. I even wore them in August after a run when I was out and about in Tampa and stayed comfortable.
• The packaging and box they arrive in are really sharp. The box is like a little “drawer” you pull open to take them out of the box.
• Perhaps what I like the most is that there is a lot of research that has been published on SKINS compression wear, including 10 studies in independently peer reviewed medical journals. SKINS shares on their Website that the research has found their products to increase venous return, reduce exercise induced muscle damage, accelerate the recovery processes, remove lactic acid faster, increase strength and power, improve endurance, increase muscle oxygenation and improve body temperature control.
• I’m not sure that I have seen significantly noticeable differences in some of the above factors, but I can say I was less sore than normal after my recent half marathon and several other long runs. On Sunday, I put them on after the race and actually slept in them. My soreness was less than nearly every half marathon I have run.
• The price point is high. These retail at $139.99, which is more than the cost of most pairs of running shoes. If the price point makes your heart skip a beat, consider adding them to your holiday wish list. They’d make a great gift and I think they are worth the investment.
• You can read more about SKINS’ RY400 recovery products and research here.

Ready to win a pair of SKINS compression tights for recovery? Here’s how:

Post a comment at the end of this article telling me your favorite way to recover after a long run or race. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter and track all your entries (mandatory). Simply log in with your Facebook account or email. Once you’ve left your comment, check it off in the box below to unlock additional options to enter, such as sharing the sweepstakes on social media, following SKINS and me on social media and more. Official sweepstakes rules are included at the bottom of the Rafflecopter widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No purchase is necessary to win. Must be 18 or older to enter and a resident of the United States. The sweepstakes is open from Monday, October 12, 2015 at 12 a.m. Eastern time until Friday, October 16, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. To enter, you must leave a comment below sharing your favorite way to recover after a long run or race. To be eligible to win, you must submit your entries through the Rafflecopter widget featured above. To do so, you will need to provide your email address or log in with your Facebook information. One winner will be chosen at random. The winner will receive one pair of SKINS RY400 compression tights for recovery in a size of their choice. The total retail value is estimated at $139.99. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. The winner will be selected by Monday, October 19, 2015, and will be contacted via email. The winner will have 2 days from the time and date of the email sent to claim their prize. rUnladylike, LLC, has the right to obtain the winner’s name through the Rafflecopter sweepstakes widget and via runladylike.com. The winner agrees to allow rUnladylike, LLC, to share the winner’s name. Prizes will be mailed to the winner directly from SKINS. The winner and all sweepstakes entrants hold rUnladylike, LLC, and SKINS harmless in the event that the prize or sweepstakes in some way negatively impacts the winner, and the winner agrees to use the prizes at his or her own risk. This sweepstakes is hosted by rUnladylike, LLC, of Georgia, who can be contacted at runladylike@gmail.com. Void where prohibited by law.

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Please note: This post is sponsored by SKINS. They provided me my pair of recovery tights to test for free. All opinions expressed about SKINS and any product featured on runladylike.com are always uncensored and unbiased and always will be.

What is your favorite way to recover after a long run or race?