What We’re Loving This Week: Buff Hats, Oofos Sandals, CBD Oil

This week our staff is all about recovery. Maybe it’s the heat and the smoke, or the long year getting to us, but this week we seem to be all about things that make it easier for us to keep training and recovering. We also asked our membership manager, who runs our Active Pass membership program, what he’s loving and he was all about recovery too. (If you haven’t checked out Active Pass, there are gear discounts, books, magazines, training plans, events like our new Hawaii From Home—all in addition to exclusive content.)

Resilience CBD Oil

Now that we’re all accustomed to pandemic life, many of us have started to realize we’ve settled into routines that aren’t sustainable long-term. Working from home at a desk, at the kitchen table, on the coach, in bed (?), all while keeping a heavy training schedule has put a lot of excess stress on my body. Resilience CBD oil is a product made with athletes in mind, and built for regular use in recovery. I take the full spectrum oil daily before breakfast but after my morning workouts, and it seems to help with muscle recovery. Not only are my muscles less inflamed, but I’m more relaxed than my coffee intake should allow. (Plus, shameless plug: Active Pass members get a discount on Resilience products!)

– Brian Blanchette, membership program manager

Buff Run Hat

I was buying a couple of buffs to have on hikes and realized if I spent just a few more dollars I’d get free shipping, so I went browsing. I came across this hat, thought it was cute, and added it to my cart. Now after a few weeks of use, it’s my favorite running hat. It’s super comfortable (the fabric is so soft) and lightweight, and as someone who lives in a brutal climate, I can confidently say it handles the heat and sun well. It’s not cheap for a running hat, but my less expensive hats end up sitting on the shelf anyway because they’re just not good enough for summer running. I’ll definitely be purchasing this one in multiple colors.

– Liz Hichens, senior digital editor

Oofos Oolala Recovery Sandal

Typically, I spend half the year in Rainbow flip-flops, the official shoe of California—and I was loathe to change up my flip-flop routine. But a few years ago, when I was nursing a different lingering hip/hamstring run injury and was willing to throw anything at it that might work, I was convinced to buy these recovery sandals. No, they don’t look cool. But, yes, they are very very comfortable and much better for your feet (and all the connecting muscles and tendons up from your feet) than regular sandals. I’m still not 100% sure what it is that exactly helps with recovery. It’s something about the foam, absorption, and rocker shape to the shoe. But, anecdotally, it seems to work and I’ve pulled them back out right now as I try to wheedle and cajole my right leg into being willing to run fast-ish again.

– Kelly O’Mara, editor-in-chief