Welcome to the 72nd issue of Endurance News.
This is our last issue of 2010, and our largest to date, with 92 pages packed full of interesting articles from our staff and contributors, as well as loads of race reports and updates from you, our clients. I don't know about you, but I really liked the last issue of this publication. In fact, I think it was our best ever, but I've said that about almost every issue, so maybe I'm not the most objective. Or maybe it is true because we refine and improve each issue so much that it outshines the previous. I was reviewing issue #71 a couple of weeks ago when my wife pulled out issue #65 from September of 2009. Wow, was I surprised at the difference. Issue #65 was 64 pages long and now looks like a dated newsletter. For 2011, we have further refinements planned for Endurance News and a new distribution schedule. So, the first issue of 2011 will be on your doorstep in the beginning of February, instead of January as we've done in the past. Following a February, April, June, August, October, and December schedule will allow us to send out two summer issues, capturing a lot more racing action from late summer/early fall, as well as our first-ever holiday issue!
I'm already looking forward to next year- with all of the new products and new flavors of existing popular products, it's going to be exciting to hear your feedback and all of the creative and inspirational things you'll do while enjoying them. In the meantime, we'll be working on lots more, like our 2011 catalog and the 9th edition of the GUIDE To SUCCESS. The latter of which has been out of print almost the entire year. Steve and I have gone through it from front to back (mostly him) and updated, enhanced, and refined the message so that it's easier to understand and provides quick reference charts and summaries of each article. The page count has swelled to upwards of 150 with these enhancements and the addition of some photos to break up the text. It is now a real book and one that every endurance athlete should have on their desk or bookshelf.
Tucson Training Camps Well, the February and March editions of our camps sold out in what seemed like no time. In fact, the February camp is almost all multi-year veterans and the March camp is mostly 2010 alumni. The return rate alone should be enough to convince even the most skeptical that it's a worthwhile experience. However, the January camp still has six openings left to fill. Besides all of the usual fueling, coaching, and EMS'ing that goes on, we've added chiropractic–to this camp only–with my cousin, Stephen Legate, and his portable adjustment table. He'll provide structural evaluations and spinal/cervical adjustment/alignment to all camp participants, free of charge. Free chiropractic care for a week is nearly worth the price of admission in my book, and it's just the bonus on top of all of the usual goodness. I know it may seem a bit early, or mid-winterish, but late January is actually prime time for beaucoup base miles, fun in the sun, and everything that Tucson, The Cycling House, and the Hammer Camps have to offer. Take a look at the article on page 69, check the website for even more details and testimonials from past attendees, then book one of the remaining spots. You won't regret it.
New Products and New Flavors are in Stock Now! Unlike our transition from plastic jugs to plastic bags, which has been mired in manufacturing challenges and the ever-changing labeling requirements from the FDA, the development and release of Endurolytes FIZZ, Perpetuem Solids, Strawberry-Vanilla Perpetuem in powder and solids, and the new vanilla flavor of our Hammer Soy protein has proceeded smoothly and on schedule. This is mostly due to the efforts of our most important "behind the scenes" staff member, Bob Weaver. Officially he is our Operations Manager, all-around-fixer, and software guru. However, he also has a passion for product development and worked countless overtime hours to keep these products on schedule. Bob also deserves most of the credit for the Montana Huckleberry Hammer Gel flavor that everyone, including me, can't get enough of. Sure it was my idea, but I had discounted it as too expensive and problematic to acquire berries due to the wild harvest and supposedly limited amount available. On the other hand, it was Bob who did the leg work and discovered that we could procure enough hucks on the open market for our needs at a price that would allow us to add it to our line up. I'll thank Bob now for all of you who are enjoying that flavor more than you thought a person could enjoy a flavor of gel. Yes, it's that good, if you haven't already tried it. Anyway, as you read this, all four of these new products/ flavors are in stock and ready to go out the door. Order some up and do let us know your opinion as we value it greatly.
In the meantime, enjoy the fall colors, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, or any other holidays that you celebrate. We'll see you in February with another great issue of Endurance News.