We all would like to thank Geoff, Kody, Bob, Mike and countless others at Pearl Izumi for making this happen. It will indeed be an eventful couple days in Colorado. We just hope not too much of it ends up on YouTube!

Look for pictures, video and reviews from the summit in the coming weeks.

Look out Louisville/Boulder!

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), elevated levels of cortisol, and a multitude of other things after an ultra are common and ultimately delay recovery.  DOMS comes from a lot of concentric muscle contraction that is created from downhill running.  Sure it’s a normal process of the body to provide negative feedback (pain, swelling, fatigue) so the body can heal and prevent further injury.  But the trick is to help minimize DOMS and restore normal levels of cortisol as quick as possible.  I have long had a problem of the “quick” recovery, sometimes not being able to run for a full week after an ultra, whereas others can turn out ultras every week.  Enter Ultragen.

I have tried many, many other recovery drinks that have either not worked or have just tasted so awful that I would rather suffer through DOMS.  Finally First Endurance came out with Ultragen about 3 years ago and having worked with Robert Kunz at a previous nutrition company I knew he would dial in the best product on the market -bar none!  First it had to taste good – check.  It tastes so good you’ll want a glass every night for dessert.  Next it actually had to work by speeding recovery – check.

This is where the experiment comes in:

In May 2007 I ran Jemez 50 mile trail run in New Mexico and immediately following the race I boarded a plane to a meeting in Utah.  “This stuff had better work or I won’t be able to get off the plane” I thought to myself.  And more importantly I wouldn’t be able to participate in the planned 14 mile training run with Aric on the Squaw Peak course the next day.  I finished the race completely trashed and without missing a beat, I mixed two scoops of Orange Cream Ultragen in my water bottle, drank it within 20 minutes, and was off to the airport.  I guess you probably realize I wouldn’t be telling this story if it “didn’t” work so yes I went on that training run all the way up to Windy pass without injury.  Of course my legs were stiff and tired but the difference between taking and not taking Ultragen was night and day after a race.

Fast forward to March this year after WTC.  Because I was on such a tight schedule to catch my plane after the race I had completely forgotten to take my Ultragen, instead I was more concerned of making my annual pilgramidge to In-n-Out Burger.  I didn’t realize it until Monday morning when I had unpacked my bags and saw my bottle with the powder in it.  AH-HA!  That’s why I’m so sore today!  I was sore all week and barely made 20 myles.  My next race was Miwok and with tons more downhill (and longer) I was bound to be a little sore but I would NOT forget my Ultragen.  In fact, as I was finishing the first thing I thought of was Ultragen.  I went straight to the car, mixed my Cappuccino Ultragen, and pounded it within 15 minutes of finishing.  Guess what??  Minimal soreness – quick recovery.  The week following Miwok I put in 40 myles and this week I’ve put in 72 myles!  Basically I was able to double my myles post race week and get back to normal running within two weeks when taking Ultragen.

I won’t get into all the science on why Ultragen works so well but one reason is it’s unique blend of BCAA’s, glutamine, vitamins, and minerals to help restore cortisol levels quickly.  Remember cortisol puts your body in a catabolic state that continues to work well after the race is over.   The First Endurance website is a wealth of information so check it out to learn more.  Or please comment and I’ll be happy to share information that I have in my tiny brain.  And last, if you know me and see me at a race I would be happy to share my Ultragen if you have never tried it.

Scott Jaime

We had the privilege of looking over the new line for 2009 and let me just say…BRAVO! The new footwear is incredible. Pearl Izumi has truly done an amazing job of tweaking and fine tuning the line. I am a huge fan of the Seek so when I saw the new stuff I was like a kid in a candy store. The Peak has a new color-black and it is sweet. Not only a top notch light weight shoe but looks great to boot. Reviews to follow, keep checking back.

The apparel and accessory line for 2009 is off the charts as well. Pearl Izumi has something for everyone from form fitting to loose, from long sleeve to sleeveless, from men specific to women specific.

We sat down and discussed the future and direction of the team and we are all go! Pearl Izumi has been great both people and product. Thank you and keep up the amazing work.

Keep and eye out for the team in 2009, you won’t be able to miss us.

If you are interested in being part of the team, drop me an email aric@teampearlizumi-smith.com

Cheers!

Pearl Izumi Syncroseek II after Hard Rock

Hard Rock has come and gone with much success. Success from finishing in my goal time. Success for having a supportive crew and family. Success from the race committee for putting on a spectacular race. And, of course, success from my sponsors for providing the best products.

There are many things that can go wrong in Hard Rock (and any race for that matter). This was my 3rd running of Hard Rock and the two previous times I have had trouble with my feet. The first time I wore the Montrail Hard Rock shoe which provided tremendous protection but didn’t breath and was maybe a little too stiff. The second time I wore the La Sportiva Fireblade which had a stiff bottom but really didn’t provide any protection whatsoever. Both times my feet caused me to slow either from having to empty my shoes of rocks or stopping to pop blisters. Having said that, these are both great shoe companies but they just didn’t work out for me.

Feet after Hard Rock last year

I couldn’t endure the thrashing of my feet again so I took faith in my sponsors shoes – the Pearl Izumi Syncroseek 2. I had trained in these shoes the month leading up to Hard Rock to make sure I wasn’t gonna have any blister issues – check. I also made sure there was enough protection underneath from the rocks – check. And last, I made sure that there was enough ventilation and protection on the uppers – check. The only thing I couldn’t account for was the feet being wet for 30 hours – what was the drainage gonna be like?

I have a fat-flat foot that is especially fat in the fore foot area. Growing up I always had to get triple E shoes to fit my Flintstone feet. Shoes can stretch but only stretch so far. Once they stretch to capacity of it’s structure it’s either gonna rip or resist. When the shoe resists and pushes back I form nasty blisters (as anyone would) on the pressure points. I particularly get blisters under my big toe nails from shoes that have a low profile in the toe box and minimal toe protection.

Going back a few years (2000) to when PI launched their shoe line. I was running road marathons at the time, wearing PI singlets and shorts. I always wanted to look good so getting the shoes to complete the kit was natural. Let me just say the shoes for the first two or three years were tanks! I was turned off and with so many shoes on the market, probably wouldn’t return. Enter Bob Africa. Bob and I met at Red Hot 50K in Moab earlier this year and I noticed he was wearing the new Peak XC that I’d seen in magazines. He had told me of the transformation PI shoes had made over the last several years and to give ‘em a go again… he sent me a pair and to my surprise they were light, flexible, and had a nice roll to them. The rest is history.

Back to Hard Rock and the PI Syncroseek 2. The Syncroseek 2 delivered and here’s why: 1. underneath protection (not too much) 2. flexible 3. nice curve on the sole for a smooth transition 4. upper protection in the toe box 5. upper protection were it meets the sole, and 5. ventilation. Hard Rock offered all the same obstacles: rocks, rocks, rocks, wet feet for 30 hours, fast down hills, and snow as in previous years. But I’m happy to report that the PI Syncroseek 2 did the job that no other shoe could for me. I had minor blisters and wet feet in the end but the shoe provided just the right amount of protection underneath, the right amount protection in the toe box, allowed my feet to breath, and not too bulky. After the race when I started to take my shoes off, my crew gathered round because they remember how bad my feet were last year. This year they were sorely disappointed and didn’t even warrant a picture.

Whatever your reason for NOT wearing PI shoes for all your running events, take my story into consideration and give PI shoes a try (again). Pearl Izumi got it right!  I know you won’t be disappointed…. RUN LIKE AN ANIMAL!