Disposable Arm Warmers

How many times have you started a race at 6am in the uncomfortable cold?  None?  Oh, it must be just me then...

In a few days time I'll be running a marathon with a wave start of 6:15am. Although I live in a warmer climate, it still manages to be chilly at that hour. I know that I'll warm up by 8am, but I need something to keep me comfortable in the early morning hours of my race (and while waiting at the start).

There are a few options in this situation, from proper arm warmers to throw away clothing. Proper arm warmers are fantastic, but they cost at least $20 and I'd have to carry them the rest of the race (I'm too cheap to throw those away). As for throw away clothing, there is always that awkward removal process that leads to messing up other accessories. (That and I don't have any clothes I'd be interested in getting rid of.)

So my cheap plan was to make myself a pair of disposable arm warmers.  These will keep my arms toasty for the first few miles and will be easy to remove as I heat up. I purchased a pair of $0.99 socks at the local Walgreens and got to cutting. I went with the simple grey pair, but there are plenty of other great patterned options. Now take a scissor and chop off the toe. Throw those babies on and see how you look! The elastic at the top of the sock will keep them high on your arm without being too uncomfortable. Unfortunately I have long arms, so the heel of the sock doesn't quite hit my elbow. Oh well, I'll just look extra styling for the first few miles.

Note: These would work best with tube socks, but I couldn't locate any.

Happy running!