Friday, June 25, 2010

Where's your SCAPE?! ie: secret weapon

The sun is breaking through in Seattle and the races are in full force nation-wide so now is a super stellar time for the reminder on how proper sunscreen is key to having a successful race.
At a young age, and still, I look for an opportunity to get a little tan line, living in Seattle mind you, we just had a record breaking 272 days with the temperature not exceeding 70, you have to search these out. Growing up swimming outdoors in the summer we would take “bathroom” breaks to check out if we had the tan lines yet, by end of summer we would have permanent goggles lines!


But at the races, it was much different. Our coach would have us in the shade or any place where the sun could not find us. I remember racing at ASU and having to sit in the wet, grimy, locker room for hours because the heat and sun on the pool deck was unbearable.

As a coach, too many athletes do not understand the effects sun can have on performance. For one sun zaps your energy and two as soon as your skin starts burning your body begins to lose the ability to sweat and cool itself properly. This can equal disaster when you have put in endless training hours for your event.

This “sun effect” does not just happen on race day, but the days leading up to a race too. Sunscreen should be your best friend. And I have a new best friend…it is called SCAPE.
I have been anxiously waiting to try out this hot new product, but with indoor rides and being covered from head to toe on runs, the opportunity did not arise until Honu 70.3.

Here was my testing of my new found LOVE.

Day two in Hawaii was a three hour ride. I lathered with the yellow bottle (missing a dollar-coin size portion on my back) and headed out onto the Queen K. Three hour came and went and just as I was like a kid at the pool, I walked in the front door and headed straight over to check out the tan lines. Was shocked to find zero, except for the one little patch that was red, swollen, and painful (I may need to hire a new sunscreen applicator!).

(Evidence that I was pasty white starting the race)
I was sold! And told my athletes they needed it too. Unlike other sunscreens, those need to be reapplied immediately following an half ironman bike ride, this stuff stayed on the entire time! But wait, this was only three hours and I did not swim ahead of time either.
I continually used the product leading up to race day and when race day arrived I lathered up, making sure that dollar-sized area was covered. Not only did I race for the five hours, we hung out for hours following the race and guess what….ZERO tan lines. This stuff is GENIUS.

(on the run and still no burn!)
What does this mean as an athlete….the sun rays on my skin had zero effect on my performance. And I didn’t have to think about it all day (the heat of the sun did cross my mind post-race, but kinda wanted the tan lines then…but they never came!).

(still looking the same color as photo-one....SCAPE did a PERFECT job!)
Karissa was so ecstatic about the product she was taking pictures with the bottle post-race...we still need to see those :)

During any athletic event and particularly an ironman I am having ALL my athletes use SCAPE. The athletes that used it at Honu from Seattle fell in love too. Jump on this bandwagon now because this stuff will be sold out everywhere soon!
I found myself asking athletes..."Make sure to SCAPE!"
P.S. Someone didn't use the SCAPE and is blessed with weeks of his number and TNM tattoo in his arm!


6 comments:

Beth said...

That stuff is the bomb!! :)

Kiet said...

Wow, Mark must really love you to be the control in the experiment and not use Scape. When are are we racing together again? My friend and I need a third for the 3 for 2 deal at Full Vineman, you in?

Rebecca Kelley said...

I'm getting a Costco-sized tub of this stuff for Canada. Where do I buy it?!

Maggs said...

I tried some recently. Good stuff. I had it on my face at honu and no burned lips like before.

SCAPE Athlete said...

You can find SCAPE at your local retailer by using the dealer locator on the SCAPE website http://scapelabs.com/community/?page_id=3

You can also contact SCAPE directly to purchase a gallon pump dispenser of the SPF 30 & SPF 50 lotions

Anonymous said...

Excellent beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website, how can i subscribe
for a blog web site? The account helped me a acceptable deal.
I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear idea
My website - bodycentre day spa costa mesa