Teva has been on a tear. Some of their competitors might choose to say terror. We are sorry to loose Simple but are optimistic that Teva will continue to up their game and be our shoe of choice as the seasons progress. We appreciate the multi sport functionality of most of their shoes and the waterability of the rest.

They have been pumping out new shoes all spring and we add another shoe to our – hope to test soon list. These launch in January 2012 and they look awesome.

More than half of Teva’s spring 2012 collection is comprised of new styles that appeal to active and adventurous consumers while staying true to Teva’s commitment to water, which continues to define the brand’s DNA.

The soon to be issued new style is the ReForge ion-mask™ and is beinc called by Teva the next evolution of the classic hiker. The moment you exit a watery environment, water drains through the midsole’s Drain Frame channels and the ion-mask-treated upper shrugs off water droplets. Unlike membrane waterproofing technologies, ion-mask is not a physical barrier to water, rather, it is an invisible nano-coating that makes the fabric totally hydrophobic. Being only nanometers thin, ion-mask does not add any weight and does not wash out or wear off with use.

The ReForge will be available on Teva in January 2012 and will sell for $130.

Teva has a new shoe this summer and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The men’s Mush Frio Slip Canvas and Mush Frio Lace Canvas come in brown, grey and black hues accented with pops of orange, red, blue and yellow, feature ultra-light synthetic and canvas uppers with collapsible heels.

These shoes look awesome and they look for traveling, camping, journeying to a backcountry hut or anytime you want to lighten your load. I love light shoes and seek them out with tons of effort. No need here to have a baller watch the size of a iPhone or a pair of heavy shoes. I find them both useless.

The women’s styles are $45, and $50 for the men’s, which, compared to other weight loss solutions, is a steal. They are available now at retailers worldwide and on Teva.

After being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis I just about gave up on running altogether. About 4 weeks ago I started running in a pair of Hoka trail running shoes. It would be irresponsible to say the Hoka running shoe is perfect shoe for every trail condition or foot type but I can attest that since I started wearing them I’ve been able roll over stuff that would have killed me before. I guess it’s like going from a hard-tail to a full suspension mountain bike – it’s time to get a new bike.

More info on Hoka One One: http://www.hokaoneone.com

Mike P
outsideallday.com

Last summer, Andy B convinced me to join a gym in Fort Collins called Emerfit, and I think it’s changing my life.  When you think of the gym, you probably think of treadmills, mirrors, and awkward old dudes in spandex maxing out on the bench press.  Emerfit is probably unlike any gym you’ve been to.

I spent a lot of my life immersed in sport specific weight and agility training, which progressively got more difficult and had a competitive element.   However, I found that this type of training was hard for me to find in a local “big gym.”

When I first sat down with Chris Brown at Emerfit, he explained to me the model of fitness they followed.  What is fitness?  How do you know if you’re fit, or if someone else is physically fit?  It’s something that humans have spent at least the last century trying to figure out, debating, researching, and citing medical journals and studies.  An easy way for me to understand the Emerfit model is this – you may have a guy who can bench 500 lbs, but would fall over dead running more than 400 meters.  You also may have a guy that places top ten in the Boston Marathon, but has to have help out of the

Workout of the Day

grocery store because he can’t lift his milk jugs into the minivan.  Emerfit is all about the pursuit of overall fitness.  It’s not about how you look. It’s not about how much weight you can lift, or how far or fast you can run.  It’s about you pushing the envelope of fitness for you. For me, I had done some short distance running, and a little trail running. I didn’t have any really specific goals in mind when I started, but I have fairly chronic disc issues in my lower back, and feared my body was slipping rapidly into the middle-age abyss.   I, like most people, had tried lots of programs, and gyms, but ultimately faded away once the new wore off.

So what do you do at Emerfit?

Each class is scheduled for an hour with a trainer assigned to lead the group and provide individual coaching. You start with some stretching, warm-up, and then move into some strength work. Each day you also do a “Workout of the Day” (WOD) for conditioning.  The WOD is a short, intense, competitive, timed workout that is designed to push the edge of your fitness limits.  Most of the class participates in the WOD, and results are posted on the board.  This adds a level of competitiveness and accountability that makes me push way harder than I would otherwise. There is a ton of thought and effort put into the programming of these workouts, by the certified training staff.  They also have some customized strength regiments, a climbing-specific program, nutritional coaching, and much more.

Craig D - Deadlift

In 8 months, I’ve seen significant improvements in my strength, speed, and endurance.  I feel better.  I’m accomplishing personal and professional goals, and my cholesterol and blood sugar have moved from high-risk to healthy levels.  I’m running my first trail half marathon on May 29^th (Wyoming Trail Marathon).   There are a number of reasons why the Emerfit model has worked for me, more on that in the next post.

For more info, go to www.emerfit.com

Jobe L

www.outsideallday.com

I’ve been a climber/dirtbag for 20 years now, and in those years, I have yet to train. I know what your thinking.

Man, he must either really like to climb and that’s his training, or he doesn’t care how he climbs just so he’s climbing. Both are accurate, I’ve never been the textbook dirtbag climber.

For instance, I actually have a job; I’ve been a photographer for 24 years and for most that would go against the dirtbag credo. Of course my job allows a great deal of flexibility on my part since I make my own schedule and live in a state where the climbing is as close as a five minute drive from my house. Oh yeah, I have a house too, and a family.

Weird…

All that to say I’ve never really seen the point in training, I climb a lot, and that’s always been what I do, it trains me for, well, climbing?! What else would I do? Enter my friend Andy.

One day, quite innocent enough, Andy mentioned his trainer was an old friend of mine. Now keep in mind, Andy works out at a CrossFit gym called Emergent Fitness, not a place I would frequent. I mean, don’t they pick up truck tires and drag them around behind themselves with chains?

No thanks.

I was sure he was mistaken; until he told me it was my old friend and climbing partner Brad.

Brad and I meet and we reconnect about the days climbing together in WY and CO. Before I know it, he casually mentions I should start training with him. Again, see tire sentence above, and I decline. But here is the thing about Brad, he is a really good climber, I mean like world class. And you don’t get that good at something without being really driven. He has this knack of being able to turn that drive on anything, including his one legged climbing friend. The next thing I know, I’m signing on to train with Brad two days a week, and I’m as shocked as the next guy.

The first two weeks, and I’m fairly sure Brad is trying to break me in half. I can’t bend down to pick up my belay device should it fall, and my whole body feels like I have the bird flu. Both Andy and Brad just laugh.

My climbing goes from being pretty descent to being really bad, since most of the time I’m to tired to care about holding into the holds. Brad has me doing weights and something called Hit Strips, which are holds on a 45-degree wall, which you run weighted laps up and down.

As Brad says, “ you already have endurance, we want power, if you don’t have power, you won’t need to endure anything.” Well said, but all that means is IM getting an ass kicking. By the third week, I’m actually beginning to feel good. I’ve upped my weight in a few things, and the hit strips are getting better. I still haven’t seen a climbing change, but I’m hopeful. Now in week four, I head into the gym after a rest day, another strange and foreign concept for me. I mean what do you DO on a rest day???

After warming up, I send a project I failed on two weeks before, and after four hours of climbing, I’m not really that tired.

Hmmmm, where is that tire and chain?

Craig DeMartino
outsideallday.com

Where is that damm soapbox of mine?? Ahh, there it is.

I’m healthy again.

That’s kinda a misnomer if you know anything about my past. I have wrecked my body through climbing and mtb biking in more ways then I have time to list today. And after coming off a broken foot, I have been training again to get back to climbing hard. I’ve been feeling pretty good, actually taking some good climbs again, and then a friend I work with sent me a blog link.

It was to a friend who had a liver transplant from his brother. His brother had given 60% of his liver so that my friend could live. Then his brother died…

Suddenly my stupid, petty little climbing thing didn’t seem that big a deal.

His faith really impressed me. This is a man who knows his brother died because he loved him. He was willing to pay the ultimate price to help his brother, and he did. It reminded me of a story I read often in the Bible. The one about this guy names Jesus who died for people who He didn’t know, but was still willing to pay the ultimate price for.

I am not a religious nut.

I am a man who has seen what God can do in your life when everything falls apart because God was there walking with me through every part of my accident and recovery.

I am just like every other climber I know. I am a dirtbag at heart. And I know that God made me that way for a reason.

Stories like this always put my drive in check for a moment in time; I will stop and look around at things with great clarity.

I remember laying on the hospital bed waiting to go into surgery to cut my leg off, and being able to hear the wind blow in a window down the hall, I could hear the drips in my IV, and the curtains around me moved and rubbed back and forth so loud, I could tell when someone was approaching. That clarity comes very few times in life, and I’ve learned to appreciate the calm before the storm. The one thing I know for absolute is that there will be storms, and the better I have a grasp on the fact that I have no control, the better I do.

I’ll always be driven when I climb, God made me in such a way, that when I am climbing I am happy.

But today, I’ll take one less lap on the boulder, one less lap on the trail, to be at home and spend the time with the people that really do matter.

One of the other things that being so banged up teaches you is that the things I accomplish on rocks pale in comparison to the relationship I have with God and my family.

Those things are the things I want to be remembered for.

And those are the things I think about when I’m outside doing what I love.

Craig DeMartino
outsideallday.com

Outsideallday.com contributor and all around good buddy Craig DeMartino has starred in a show that will never air. Breakthrough with Tony Robbins on NBC was a summer show that was unfortantely cut after it’s second episode. Craig’s episode was show number 4 and is available above.

Happy watching!

Andy B
outsideallday.com

As I drive across the windswept flats of southern Wyoming on my way to Salt Lake City, two things are nagging at my mind. The first is why is a no name one legged climber wasting time and money to go to the largest outdoor industry retail show? And the second, why if all I’m doing is sitting still, does my body hurt so much?!

The drive to the show fills my head with things I should be doing once I arrive. I am the guest of Evolv Climbing, they are the shoe company I work with as a climber and I am really excited to see what the booth looks like as well as the whole show. 7.5 hours later I roll into the city and find my way to the convention center. Once inside, I become lost amid the booths and displays. I must look lost, because once I find a friend Ian, he points me in the right direction with a laugh and kick in the butt.

The feeling around the floor of the mammoth center is awesome. Every company I ever heard of is there with the gear and clothing that makes me giddy with happiness.

As I’m hanging out in the booth a bit, getting my bearings, I bump into a guy by the name of Jeremy Collins, he is a very talented climber and illustrator who the year prior had illustrated a piece I did for Rock & Ice. I feel like we are old friends in that we both have a shared strong faith in our lives, as well as trying to balance the climbing and family life we both love. I end the first day late in the afternoon and head out to meet my friend who I will stay with, of course before I leave, I get lost again…I may need to do the bread crumb thing tomorrow.

The second day I meet with companies and work on product sponsorships. Being a photographer, I don’t look for money from companies, which for the most part makes the choice easier for them. I do however need gear to do the things I love, and selling yourself nonstop is tiring and a bit weird. It’s hard to feel like you deserve the things they want to give you, but I feel like together with the companies I like, I can do good then if I try to go it alone.

I also meet with my friend Fitz Cahall who is the creator of The Dirtbag Diaries and The Season. Both showcase his amazing story telling ability and for the up coming Season, he has asked me to be an athlete that he and his partner Brian will profile. Talk about being humbled, I am excited but in the same breath, scared that what I do is really just not that big a deal. Fitz senses my angst, since he begins to tell me that we will work together to make something we are proud of, which relaxes me almost as fast as he says it.

I head back to the booth and finally ask Chris Sharma for a photo, he is sponsored by the same shoe company, but is the best climber by far in the world right now. The cool thing about him is he is so darn humble and nice, the total package, and has been at the forefront of climbing for over 10 years now.

The last day is spent making deals, getting shut down by some and embraced by others. My new friends at Friksn Climbing apparel are super cool, and the team of Evolv just continues to blow me away with the love and support they throw my way.

As I power back up the hill past Park City and enter back into the flats of Wyoming, the first answer seems to be clear for me know. I went to meet people and to see how I would fare in a market of elite companies and athletes. The second question only got cloudier, in fact just an hour into the drive, I was aching and asking the same question over and over…

Craig DeMartino
outsideallday.com

Busy year this year. Thank you Net Jets.

• Dakar (January 1 – 16)
• BaselWorld Watch Fair (March 17 – 25
• Masters Golf Tournament (April 5 – 11)
• Paris-Roubaix (April 11)
• Kentucky Derby (May 1)
• Preakness Stakes (May 15)
• Tour of California (May 16-23)
• Monaco Formula One Grand Prix May 24 – May 25
• French Open (May 24 – June 7)
• Baja 500 (June 4 – 6)
• Belmont Stakes (June 5)
• Le Mans (June 12 – 13)
• U.S. Open of Golf (June 14 – 20)
• Wimbledon (June 21 – July 4)
• Tour de France (July 3 – 25)
• The Open Championship, St. Andrews (July 11 – 18)
• Monterey Historics (August 12 – 15)
• Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race (August 14)
• Baja 1000 (November 17 – 21)
• Art l Basel (December 2 – 5)

SCPS#8: Storm the Beach
Race Report by David Lawson, Celo Pacific
Photo: David Lawson

The 2009-10 Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross presented by Shimano is now officially half way through the season with stop number eight at Celo Pacific’s Storm the Beach Cyclocross in Oceanside, CA. Over two hundred racers came out to play in the sun, sand, and surf – and it seems that everybody had a great time. The course was a dichotomous balance of high speed and slow motion racing. Hard packed fire roads and a long, firm beach section saw speeds approaching those of your local criterium. These were punctuated by steep bluff-side climbs, a barely rideable sand-pit, and two deep sand runs. The bluff-top expo area which overlooked all the technical portions of the course gave the spectators a dilemma of whether to watch the riveting race action or gaze out at a stunning ocean view. After their races, appreciative riders took advantage of the bike washing station provided by Nomad Portable Power Cleaners to get that grinding noise out of their drivetrains. Other highlights of the day included SoCal’s youngest ‘crossers competing in the Clif Bar kids race; the “Please Pre-register” raffle for a pair of Revolution Wheelworks Rev-25x wheels won by Kermit McGovern; and an historic moment in SoCal cyclocross racing with Brent Prenzlow taking his 100th career Elite win. Now on to the racing action…

The juniors were first up and carving lines in the fresh sand. Tori Baldewin, Team Velocity’s up-and-coming racing star led the 10-14 Junior women’s race smiling as always along the way! In a hotly contested Junior 10-14 Men’s race…newcomer Quinten KIrby took the win! The warm SoCal sunshine brought in racers from as far away as Sacramento and New Mexico including National Masters Champion Tove Shere, (Nat’ls Project) in town visiting friend Renee Milton, made a powerful showing to win the Masters Women’s 35+ race (3 of the top 4 ladies were over 50! Go fast ladies!) with Milton finishing in a respectable 6th place in her first ever ‘cross race! Both had so much fun, they duked it out again in the Women’s Elite race! Jon Miller (Rock N Road) “aka Wave Dogg” surfed his way through sand to a smooth victory as the donimant series leader in the 55+ men’s race. Johnny O’Mara continues his winning ways in the 45+ Men’s race… winning two in a row with hid debut at Spooky Cross this season. Host club and Best Team Competition Leaders Celo Pacific took victories in starting with the Yourth-Jameson Campaigne, Ben Jones (SS 1/2/3), James Walsh (Men 3/4) and Brent Prenzlow (1/2/3) races. Mike McMahon (Velocity) returns to form with a close but powerful victory in the 35+ 1/2/3 race between 6 riders and coming down to the final lap uphill sprint finish.

Just as with every field on the day, a wicked fast start initiated the Women’s Elite race across the course’s long, hardpack dirt sections. The pack was led out by Tonya Bray (YOR Health/MTBChick.com) and followed closely by Megan Elliott (Black Mountain), Dorothy Wong (SoCalCross-CICLE) Lana Atchley (unattached) and Emily Katchorik (Beer). Once the race hit the sand, Megan Elliott (Black Mountain) and Dorothy Wong (SoCalCross-CICLE) attacked. Then taking advantage of their strong road backgrounds, the pair worked together and increased their lead on the hard packed fire roads. Megan proved to be the stronger rider and surged on the finish hill with two laps to go, opening a gap on Wong. Elliot kept the tempo high and maintained her lead to the finish. In the end it was Elliott, Wong and Lana Atchley (also a strong road and track rider) on the blocks with Tonya Bray and Emily Katchorik rounding out the top five.

In the Elite Men’s race, presented by Hoover and Nebrig, the action started out fast and furious through the dirt fire roads and resembled a (dirt) road race as the pack stuck together taking advantage of the draft. The early pace was driven by Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/B&L), Brandon Gritters (Rock n Road), Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air), John Bailey and John Behrens (Bailey Bikes). It was the deep sand sections, however, that would prove to be decisive. On the third lap, as the eight-strong lead pack wended its way through the sand, Prenzlow and Taberlay threw down the wattage and opened a gap. The two collaborated on the fast fire roads, but once on the beach Prenzlow made an acceleration into the B&L Bikes sand run and forged into the lead, leaving Taberlay in his wake. Prenzlow threw everything into this move and, upon re-emerging onto the beach from the fire roads on the next lap, Taberlay was nowhere in sight and would eventually slip back to the chase group. The last three laps saw Prenzlow increase his lead while the battle for second place remained close despite several riders being taken out of contention by flats including Kyle Gritters (Rock n Road) and John Bailey. Finally on the last lap, Prenzlow used the massive lead he had built up to savor taking his 100th career Elite win on his home course and in front of a home crowd: beaming a huge smile, high fiving the crowd, and dismounting to finish in classic cyclcocross style. The sprint for second resembled a tractor pull with rooster tails of sand being thrown up by the lead group of riders as they careened through the sand pit under full power. Taberlay held off a hard charging John Behrens with Gary Douville (Platinum Performance) and Fritz Bottger (PAA/Sixtumed) just behind.

Photo: David Lawson

Photo: Eric Colton

For more info go to: www.SoCalCross.com

Vintage 1990′s Brent Prenzlow

Guest Editor: Mark Campaigne, Celo Pacific Cycling

I came across an interesting statistic this week. Celo Pacific’s own ace cyclocrosser, Brent Prenzlow, has 99 ELITE level cyclocross wins (does not include Masters or other races prior to reaching the Elite level). He will compete this Sunday at Storm the Beach, his “home” course, with the opportunity to reach the 100 Elite win milestone.

I want to take this opportunity to mention something just as remarkable about Brent, who as many of you know, is a relatively soft-spoken, humble guy. The time & energy he spends unselfishly volunteering for the club is off the charts. From website design and updates, building our cross courses, bringing in sponsors, to mentoring our amateur racers, he gives up countless hours of time he otherwise could be out doing something else…like training!

A little more on his bio: He has spent 15 seasons of hard work and dedication to cyclocross – almost all of it with Celo Pacific. He’s proud of his accomplishments, but never overly confident. With 100 wins just on the horizon, his goals don’t stop there…”The one thing missing from my resume is a national jersey. I need to take care of that,” he says.

I know he’d love to get the big win this weekend. This weekend brings Storm the Beach in Oceaside, California on his home course, in front of his team, family, and friends but we all know you can’t predict what will happen in a cyclocross race, or who will show up on good form. I assure you Brent will give 100% and we will all hope for the best. Please come on out and cheer him on.

Prenzlow’s most recent win, Spooky Cross
Picture: Kreative Shots

Here’s his complete resume: http://www.celopacific.org/2009/CX/BP_Cyclocross_Palmares.htm

Andy B. asked that I post my racing schedule for the upcoming season:

March 8: OC Chili Winter Trail Run Series at O’Neill Park

March 29: XTERRA REAL

May 2: XTERRA West Championship- Lake Las Vegas

June 14: XTERRA Snow Valley

November 15: Big Sur Half Marathon

If you’ve ever found yourself in San Luis Obispo, CA on the first Thursday of the month, you’re likely to have run into a motley crew of bikers overtaking the streets of the sleepy college town.� A local filmmaker and Cal Poly grad has recently finished shooting a documentary about these “Bike Happenings.”� For those of us who’ve experienced this and for those who plan to, this looks like a movie that is definitely worth seeing.� Check out the trailer.

Mike Lawson
District of Columbia
outsideallday.com contributor