Product Reviews_________________________________________________________

EpiCor - What is this stuff anyway?

James Carlson

A few months ago, while on a rainy and wet ride down in the States, the Director mentioned to the group that we would be given a new product to test and report back on.  It’s called EpiCor.  He said something about it being “…marketed towards older athletes, something to boost their immune system and help them recover between workouts”. Okay, you’ve got my attention.   The game plan was simple:  pick up a two-month supply from our title sponsor and take one pill in the morning.  We were to keep a journal noting how we felt week by week, keeping track of coughs and sniffles and just how we felt in general.   EpiCor was supposed to give me a feeling of recapturing those glory years on the bike gone by.

Now as you many of you may know, once you slumber past being a twenty-something racer who can eat what you want/train how you want/sleep as little as you want, you have to wisen up and start to think of ways to out-think the ‘game’.   Whereas I used to be able to roll out of bed a couple of hours after I actually went to bed, throw on my gear, mount the bike and be warmed up and ready to ride hard within about 12 minutes, I now have to start this tedious and difficult task the night before.  I don’t have the procedure written down anymore, but it remains the same:  drink water (but not too much, make sure there’s some electrolyte and carbohydrate in it), eat a proper meal (no nachos and cheese or foie gras), and   get to bed early (no late night news or Starsky and Hutch re-runs).  In the morning, I need to make sure I give myself three hours to digest the massive amounts of carbohydrate and protein that I’ve slogged down for breakfast before I wobble over to my trusty steed and mount up.  Anything out there that can ‘give me back’ a little of what I’ve squandered away would be more than appreciated; it would be welcomed with open arms and an open mind.

Enter EpiCor

I started to notice the difference almost immediately.  Whether or not the new-found feeling of energy was a by-product of my imagination is a moot point:  I felt great!  About 2 weeks after starting the ‘test period’, I did a solo ride from the border to the top of Mt. Baker and back in 32 degree weather.  Without giving away any of the gory details, I was ready to get off the bike after about 185 km of riding in extreme heat.  But amazingly, the next day did not bring the aches and cramps of an overused body that I have grown accustomed to over the years.  Instead, I was energized and raring to go again!

I have been using EpiCor now for about 5 months, and with the exception of a 4 week period when I ran out, have been taking my daily capsule faithfully. Normally I get a couple of colds in Fall once I go back to teaching, but this year was different:  I was the last member on staff in my entire school to come down with a cold this year, and even when I did, it wasn’t nearly as severe as the majority of my colleagues suffered.  I’m sold on this stuff!  Check out the link on the homepage for more details and testimonials for a great product.

Shimano R300

When I first started cycling seriously, I went to the only bike store in town and paid about $16 for a pair of leather soled, Rivat cycling shoes with mesh uppers and laces.   I had 3 holes from which to choose to bolt my slotted cleats into.  I remember how the arches of my feet used to cramp up, well after my toes had fallen asleep, after riding for a couple of hours with the Alfredo Binda toe straps cinched down tighter than a straightjacket.  But no one else in town had a pair of cycling shoes like mine, and for that reason alone, they stood out in a good way.

That was more than twenty years ago and in the space of time between then and now, I’ve upgraded my ‘stable’ of shoes so many times and with so many brands that I can’t even begin to tell you which ones sat near the doorway to the garage.  Suffice to say, most (if not all) of the major cycling shoe manufacturers have been guests of a sort in my home over the years.  Each new brand seemed to bring out the same response:  “Wow!  These are the most comfortable cycling shoes I’ve ever tried on!  I’m never going back to [...insert previous shoe brand here...] again!” 

Enter the new Shimano R300      

Wow!  These are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever put on!   The new R300 shoe features heat moldable thermo-form plastic infused in the upper panels that allows the shoe to be custom formed to the foot. This is a new level of stability, fit and comfort.  Even before we heated up the shoes in the ‘oven’, the 2 Velcro straps and the buckle enclosure made them feel like old friends who had been broken in and loved for many miles.  A few minutes of heat, and about 20 minutes of wearing the toasty warm ‘slippers’ till they cooled was all it took to mold them to my feet and my feet only.

With a carbon graphite sole and secure fit from the ratchet closure and two straps, the shoes not only look great but have all the ultimate features needed for high performance use. These shoes are, first and foremost, designed for racing and the rigid sole allows you to put maximum force into the pedals during sprinting and accelerations. Unlike my last pair of Shimano road shoes, the R300’s have a softer, ‘grippier’ heel and I don’t feel like I’m slipping around on ‘Happy Feet’ on the rare occasions that I have to walk in them.  I’m happily sold on Shimano’s line of cycling shoes. 

Now if only I could convince my wife that I need to buy some new mountain bike shoes....

James Carlson