Crocs Prepair has a lot of fans – one of the more vocal ones is Brandon from BrandonsMarathon.com. He’s preparing for the Wisconsin Iron Man this weekend and he’s been keeping a video journal of his preparation – in addition to his always-informative podcasts.

Last week, he mentioned how the Prepair™ collection is a part of his recovery routine for the Iron Man. Watch the video on YouTube to hear what Brandon wears for recovery – from compression gear to our shoes - and be sure to check out BrandonsMarathon.com.

Brandon - good luck from all your fans here at Crocs!

Bio

Erika Tieszen one of the Crocs Prepair athletes is truly remarkable, an endurance mountain biker whose passion for competing is only bettered by her passion for life. Learn a little more about Erika and what makes her unique.

My name is Erika Tieszen. I am 31 years old and have been racing 24 hour/endurance mountain bike races at a pro level for 4 years now. I moved to Breckenridge Colorado about 10 years ago for a modern dance/theatre company that eventually went to NY and I stayed in the mountains.

I was an endurance runner who became intrigued with mountain biking. A friend of mine took me to 24 Hours of Moab about 9 years ago to support a friend of his, who became a friend and a life changing inspiration to me in the coming years. Nat Ross. I was mesmerized by the fact that these people stayed up for 24 hours to compete in one of the hardest races in sports to beat the heck out of their bodies on a bike. I was pulled in, addicted and I was still paying off a bike that I didn’t even own yet.

After a few humbling years and many DNF’s I started to finish these races and doing well in them. I have learned more about the human will in the last four years than in other experience in my life. More probably from my competitors than myself… When you witness a human being put one pedal in front of another when they have absolutely nothing left… you can only be inspired. That is what keeps me going when I want to jump off the cliff into my sleeping bag. Are the ones who find the strength to keep the wheels in motion when their entire body is screaming no…

Keep up the great work Erika!

Training Tips

The number 1 training tip that I have learned is let your body recover. Take that time off it needs. I have learned the hard way. There is a reason why people harp on it so much. Because it is the most important. That does not mean house work or coffee with your friends. That means legs up, hydrate and eat nourishing foods. My number one recovery food is Whole Food Health Optimizer from http://sequelnaturals.com/vega. I am a vegetarian and about 99% vegan. I say 99% because I will eat raw goat cheese a few times a year. I thrive on this diet and recover faster now than ever before on meat.

Training tip number 2… Take care of your feet!! When I get into a stressful downhill on my bike I try and curl my toes around my pedal. After 24 hours of trying to do this, the nerves in my feet are in absolute agony. The first thing I do after I cross that finish line is take my bike shoes off, walk around bare foot for a few hours and then throw on my Prepair Crocs. They take pressure off those hot spots and take the stress off my toes so those nerves and muscles can start to repair themselves.

Greetings all from Marshall Ulrich, Dreams in Action, and Crocs fan! I’ve owned Crocs for several years and have loved them. In 2008 Crocs was a sponsor of Running America, a 3,063-mile crossing from San Francisco, CA to New York City, NY that I completed on November 4, 2008. What a joy to have a direct relationship with such a great company with fantastic products! When I developed plantar fasciitis 700 miles into the run, I was temporarily laid up in a hotel in Utah. The next day, when I started off again, the only thing I could wear were my Crocs. They saved me! I even wear Crocs out on the farm cleaning out corn bins: yes, I’m a runner and a farmer, along with a being a Speaker, Author, Trainer, and Guide. Crocs Prepair footware have greatly enhanced my recovery from Running America. They distribute the pressure across my foot, reducing pressure where I have scar tissue from the plantar fasciitis as well as where I had a tendon tear on the outside of my foot. Psychologically, the Crocs Prepair footwear put my mind at ease, as I know that I’m doing all I can to help my feet recover. Thanks Crocs!

Now, a look back at some lessons learned - or things reaffirmed - when I climbed Mount Everest.

Lessons Learned - Mount Everest
In 2004 I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to climb Mount Everest from the northern/Tibetan side. I was successful in my climb; that is, I made it to the summit and returned safely to my home and family. I learned a lot things climbing Mount Everest. I wanted to share a few lessons with you that I hope will provide some inspiration and motivation for YOU to go out there and put YOUR dreams in action.

First I reaffirmed for myself what I always tell people: if you can dream it, you can do it. I dreamed of climbing Mount Everest since I was 5 years old. I didn’t get to put my dream into action until I was 52 years old, but I never let go of the dream. My ultrarunning, adventure racing, and other mountaineering experience - plus some age and, I hope, wisdom - prepared me for Everest. I was always in action. Always working towards the next goal.

Second, I learned to appreciate my family even more. Without them, I never would have had the opportunity to climb Everest. My parents taught me a work ethic that has been essential in all that I do. My children - while angry with me at times - always love and support me. And my wife does the same: taking care of things at home while I’m away, among thousands of other things. None of us accomplish things in life by ourselves.

Third, I realized again the importance of facing challenges and doing for others. Like so many other opportunities, Everest was the biggest challenge I had faced (at the time; since then, there was Running America, but that’s another story). For me, challenges are essential to the ongoing discovery process that brings me closer to being a whole, and complete, person. In keeping with this discovery process, the fundraising for the impoverished in the world (supporting the Relgious Teachers Filippini) gives purpose to what I am doing. It also added to the motivation and focus I needed on the mountain. The more I can do to help others the more meaning there is in my life, and the more I discover about myself. So, when people ask, “Why did you climb Everest?” the importance of challenges and doing for others are a part of the answer.

Finally, once again I was reminded of the importance of gratitude. When I reached the summit and was able to talk to my wife, Heather, via satellite phone, tears weld up in my eyes. I had realized a dream that I carried with me for 47 years. With her support (as well as many, many others) that dream had come true. My heart was full of gratitude and, for a moment, I thought of everyone in my life that had supported me over the last 52 years. For whatever reason, I was graced with being on the top of Everest. I will never know the reason that I was given that gift. I do know that those who care about me and love me were with me in spirit, and that made it especially significant. Something that I will surely never forget.

(more…)

Here’s a story from Megan M. Hottman - owner and Team Director of Defined Fitness Training - about the Cascade Cycling Classic from the end of July:

On Sunday, July 26, 5 riders from DFT p/b TREADS completed the Cascade Cycling classic held in Bend, OR. The race began with 116 women and only 78 finished - including all 5 DFT racers! Our top GC result was 13th place, Marisa Asplund. I am very proud of the team for finishing the race and representing us so well!

Locally, we were tearing up 2 Denver criteriums at the Federal Center and downtown at the Bannock crit. Top placings in the Women pro 1/2 event on Saturday were Megan Hottman (2nd) and Monique (4th) and on Sunday Megan (3rd) and Monique (4th). Sunday was especially notable since we were the only team to put 2 riders in the top 5 - despite being outnumbered by all other teams that attended!! These were tremendous results for our small but mighty team.

The culture of having fun and maintaining balance in our lives, which has become more apparent to our competitors during the season, has generated a LOT of interest in our team for 2010. Many riders currently committed to other teams have been asking what they need to do in order to be considered for our team next year. I consider this a huge indicator of our success and of the perception others have of our team. We are courteous, respectful of our competitors, and generally we’re just really nice and fun women to be around!!! Exciting things are ahead next year!

Thanks Megan!

Today, we have Christopher Aretz - the winner of our Prepair™ to be Bolder sweepstakes. Check out what he had to say about our Prepair™ Collection:

A few months ago, I heard about a new product coming to market for pre/post runs or any athletic performance. Some had sent me information on the new Prepair™ collection. My intrigue and quest for product information lead me to the Crocs website. While doing so research on the Prepair™ collection, I saw the link to register for the Prepair™ to be Bolder sweepstakes. I decide to enter since I was interested in the product and would love the opportunity to run in the Bolder Boulder- one of the premier road races in the country. Imagine my surprise when I was notified a few months later that I was the grand prize winner.

One of the most notable things in winning the contest was dealing with all of the people at Crocs. Planning the trip, from beginning to end, was easy and comfortable- just like their products. Everyone I worked with was just as I imagined from my image of the Crocs brand. The entire trip was perfectly planned and Bolder Boulder was an excellent run. It was extraordinarily well organized and was laid out on a beautiful, scenic course.

As a marathon pacer for Pacer Jim’s Pace Team, I wore the Prepair slide before AND after the Pittsburgh marathon. The Slide help reduce fatigue before the run and kept me out of my running shoes until the moments leading up to the race when I put them in a bag check so that I would be able to “Slide” them on immediately after finishing to ensure a fast and proper recovery. Immediately upon putting the Slide on, all of my foot discomfort went away. It was as if I hadn’t run earlier. They hold true to their word in the energy return, support, and cushioning. All three are crucial to a quick recovery. I have followed the same regimen for each race as well as my training runs. BolderBoulder was no exception. I wore my Slide before the run and immediately after the run and for the rest of the day. In addition to the recovery qualities, they are also a great looking sandal. At the post-race Expo, I had several people ask about where they could get a pair. I highly recommend any of the Prepair collection to anyone from the occasionally jogger to the chronic racer. This is a product that I really believe in. You’ll feel the benefit from the moment so slide your feet into your first pair.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Prepair™ team right here on the Prepair™ blog!

Last month the Cal Triathlon team raced their way to a second consecutive men’s national championship and the women’s team finished fourth, leading to an overall 2nd place finish at this years collegiate triathlon national championships. The Cal Tri team is the largest triathlon team in the nation and perennially one of the best.

Now, Crocs Prepair will play a role in their recovery after the grueling events. The Cal Tri team will wear the Prepair shoes after each practice and event to help their bodies recover and decrease muscular effort and fatigue. We are proud to work with such great student athletes and look forward to helping out with their continued success!

Congratulations Cal Tri!

Last week we were able to attend the Collegiate Strength and Condition Coaches Association in Nashville Tennessee.  Over 500 of the top Collegiate Strength Coaches were in attendance.  Each guest received a pair of the new Crocs Prepair™ collection.  We think the Prepair collection is perfect for recovery after exercise, and the coaches agreed.  With numerous benefits such as reduced muscle fatigue and antimicrobial silver the coaches were excited to test them out.

While at the conference we met coaches from some of the most prestigious schools in the country, including USC, Texas, Florida and North Carolina.  Everyone we talked to had the same reaction - it is about time!  The importance of recovery has been over looked for too long and to have a shoe that can aid in the recovery of the body is priceless.  Improved recovery can lead to improved performance and even the littlest thing can be the difference between success and failure.  These coaches realize this and are excited to see how the Prepair™ shoe makes a difference in their locker rooms.

We were able to have a little fun while we were there, going out to experience some good country music and great BBQ in downtown Nashville.

The other day on Brandon’s Marathon - a blog run by Brandon Wood of New York City.  On his #40th podcast, he talks about the Prepair Collection and how he wants to give them a try!  It’s nice to hear about the excitement from this great product and we’re looking forward to hear all the great testimonials from all the Prepair Collection fans out there!

On the Crocs™ Blog – we broke down Prepair™ and told you about all its features. You learned how preparation and recovery are where the majority of time is spent for competitive athletes. You heard about the US-Ergo test results that showed how Prepair’s unique design helps enhance recovery by reducing muscular fatigue and peak pressure. You discovered the Croslite™ Ag footbed – with anti-bacterial and anti-microbial protection to help keep Athlete’s Foot away. And now, you want the Crocs Prepair™ collection and the Prepair™ blog.

The Prepair™ blog is going to be different than the Crocs™ blog because our aim is to create a resource that all athletes can use to become the best that they can be. That’s why you are interested in the Prepair collection in the first place – you understand that the faster that you can recover and repair your body, the faster you can improve your game. So, whether you’re a runner, a cyclist, a hoops star or a gridiron giant – The Crocs Prepair™ blog will help prepare you to where you need to be and help you get in contact with a community of people who are looking for the same thing!

Beyond that, you’ll also hear from the production team behind the Crocs Prepair™ collection – you’ll hear what inspired them and what’s next. You’ll get updates from events that we’re attending – from Marathons around the country to the Bolder Boulder in our own backyard! Athletes - like Olympian Matty Reed - will also stop by from time to time to give us tips, pointers, or just give us some of his thoughts on being a world-class athlete. We’ll give you a behind the scenes look at what we have done with Prepair™ and give you chances to let us know where you want us to go next.

So, be sure to keep coming back here to the Prepair™ blog and make sure to comment and let us know what you want to hear about, what tips you have on recovery, and the things that you do as you prepare to become the best you can be!