If you’re here, you know that the new Prepair™ Collection includes sports sandals designed specifically for athletes and has proven recovery and health benefits added to their already best-in-class comfort.  For women, we wanted to complete the outfit so we are partnering with SkirtSports.

SkirtSports is more than just a skirt company - from sexy tops to head turning cycling shorties and fashion-forward triathlon swimsuits, SkirtSports continues to redefine women’s fitness apparel.

The prizes for the SkirtSports sweepstakes are:

• One Grand Prize Winner will receive a $150 SkirtSports Gift Certificate AND a pair of CROCS Prepairs!
• Two runner-ups will receive a pair from the Crocs Prepair Collection and a SkirtSports Limited Edition print visor!
• *Special Bonus! Enter to win & you will receive a coupon code for FREE GROUND SHIPPING at Crocs ($10 value!).*

Register to WIN today! Promotion ends on July 16th!

When you’re the Athletic Trainer for a professional athlete, you know a bit or two about what it takes to get the body to reach peak performance. Today, we bring you Doug Spreen, trainer to US Tennis Player Andy Roddick (pictured below on the left) – with a few simple trainer techniques that will help you succeed no matter what your sport is.

1. Warm-up. All athletes should not just jump out on the court or field and start in with their activity without a proper warm-up. A warm-up should include 5 to 10 minutes of light activity(easy jog, stationary bike, etc) Followed by 5 minutes of stretching. Stretching is much more effective when the body is warm. Stretching should address eash of the major muscle groups of the body.

2. Cool Down. Don’t just finish your sport or activity and immediatley hit the couch. At the end of a work-out or a sport you should take at least 10 minutes to properly cool down. Cool down should include a light jog, walk, or other light activity. This should be followed by a stretching routine of 5 minutes. A proper Cool Down will allow your body to recover more quickly and feel better the next day.

3. When you should use Ice?? As a rule any injury should be treated with ice and ice only for the first 48 to 72 hours. Ice will help decrease pain and most importantly decrease inflammation (swelling). By icing and keeping swelling down it will allow the injury to heal more quickly and get you back to your acitivty. Heat may feel better but it will cause increased blood flow to the area and increase swelling. This increased swelling will delay your ability to get back to activity.

4. How long and how often should I Ice??? As a rule a large body part like your back or thigh muscle should be iced for 20 minutes. Body parts like ankles, and knees should be iced for 15 to 20 minutes. Smaller parts like your wrist should be iced for 10 to 15 minutes. When an injury is new it is a good idea to ice it once an hour. So and ankle should be iced for 15-20 minutes, ice off for 45 minutes and then Ice again. It is also important to not leave Ice on for more than 30 minutes. The skin cna be damaged and it is not good for the body. Also chemical ice packs most often should not be applied directly to the skin. Use paper towels of a t-shirt between the ice pack and the skin.

We’ll be back tomorrow with a few more tips but we’re going to get back to cheering on Andy during his Wimbledon Match against Lleyton Hewitt. Good luck Andy – and thanks again Doug for sharing your expertise with us!

San Francisco – (June 14, 2009) More than 2,000 amateur and professional athletes competed in the 29th annual Escape from Alcatraz™ Triathlon Sunday, June 14, with Andy Potts, from Colorado Springs, Colo. winning the prestigious event for a third straight year. Mary Beth Ellis from Thornton, Colo., was the top finisher among the females. Featuring a 1.5 mile swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, an 18-mile bike ride and an eight-mile run through San Francisco, this race is considered one of the most difficult triathlons in the world.

The Crocs Prepair™ Collection was a part of the action with every participant being given a coupon and information about the collection. After all, the Prepair™ collection is specifically made for athletes like the ones at the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. These athletes will put the collection to the test, and we’re confident that they’ll come back with rave reviews!

Crocs is proud to announce it’s partnership with the Single Mingle 5k race. The second annual race will happen this year in our own Mile High City on Saturday, August 1st. This isn’t a regular 5k - it’s one that caters to active singles who come together for a day to run and celebrate at a post party in downtown Denver. The run will take you all around scenic Denver, passing by the zoo, taking you through parks and beautiful landscape. After the race be sure to put on a pair of Prepair to recover from the days run and prepare your feet for some dancing that evening. The Prepair collection is perfect for the outdoor enthusiast who enjoys running. We offer many benefits to keep your feet healthy and your muscles strong. Our sport sandal is fun and slick while scientifically proven to enhance your recovery. And after the Single’s Mingle - we hope we aren’t your only match that you go home with.

Crocs is also giving away a free pair of Prepair to the first 50 registrants so be sure to sign up now as spaces are filling up quickly. We look forward to seeing you on race day! For more information on the Singles Mingles 5k click here www.singlesmingle5k.com

Boulder, Colorado- USA Olympian Matty Reed showed again just why he may be one of the most versatile triathletes in the world, winning the brutally hard REV3 Half-Ironman in 3:59:28. Taking the lead immediately upon exiting the swim, Reed showcased his strong talent in all 3 sports.

“The course was crazy hard, like uphill, downhill, corner, up hill, repeat,” Reed said. “I knew it was going to be a strong man’s course and that is why I came. I am thrilled to break 4 hours on this course.”

Reed, who recently won the Pan American Championships in the drafting format of triathlon, is showing that he truly is one of the rare 3-sport (swimming, biking, running) triathletes.

Today, Reed took control of the race at the gun with Boulder’s Tim O’Donnell, and the two blasted the swim together. Once on the bike, Reed powered away from the field and entered T2 with a 2:26 lead. That was all Reed needed as at half way of the run the lead was still at 2:20. Reed then settled in, knowing the race was his by the smile on his face on the out and back section of the run. Reed then enjoyed the finish and rolled across the line in honor of “The Blazeman” (waronals.com), the charity he races for.

“I really love the half-ironman distance. I can show my strengths and really enjoy racing fast and hard,” Reed stated. “This distance, an athlete must be able to bike solid and on this course no one can hide. The hills made it an honest course.”

Many were calling the REV3 one of the hardest races on the planet. Reed seemed to just stride along on the run, showing the triathlon world again that his short course speed and his powerful skills combine well at the half-ironman distance. Reed won the 70.3 Oceanside race earlier in the season.

The 2008 Olympian Reed has won all but one race he has entered in 2009 (a flat tyre ruined the streak) and enters a race-heavy part of his season.

“I have put in a good training block this past month and am looking forward to some World Cup racing later this month and then hitting some non-drafting short course races in July. It is fun for me to race across all three formats. My heart loves to race hard and I cant say enough about this race today…. It was hard!!!”

Reed recently raced the Boulder Bolder 10km citizen’s race where he finished a solid 12th, a good training day for the year around Boulder resident.

Up next: World Cup Championship Series Race- Washington D.C. And then World Cup Des Moines.

For more information on Matty Reed, www.mattyreed.com.

For photos of race, contact www.ericwynn.org

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!

Here are some new tips from the RRCA:

•    Use the hard/easy system of training: follow hard training days (long runs or fast runs) with easier training days (shorter runs or slower pace).  Be sure to build in off days for recovery.

•    Build mileage gradually:  5 - 10% increase in distance per week.

•    Don’t be a “weekend warrior”:  don’t do all of your running on the weekend with nothing during the week.  The mid-week runs help with recovery from the long run.

•    Warm-up and cool down every time: start each run with some easy jogging and finish the same way;  better yet, use walking or strolling for both.

•    Consume adequate nutrition during and after your run: eat enough calories and nutrients and drink enough water to support your running.

These tips are courtesy of the Road Runners Club of America and were drafty by the RRCA Coaching Program staff, Patti Finke (Director), and Janet Hamilton (RRCA Certified Coach and Certification Teacher).