The contours of my foot in Dynamic Foot Systems' Orthotics

I’ve waited for a bit before writing this post so I could ride my new orthotics for a while to see how I felt about them.  I would have to say I think they’re great.  The last set of insoles I had worked perfectly and solved all of my issues.  But the new set seems just a little bit more refined.  Bill Peterson is the kind of guy that never leaves “great” alone.  He’s had more years, more experience, and worked with a larger variety of athletes than anyone in the industry I’ve ever come across.  Yet every time I talk to him he’s on the edge of what’s new, never resting, always learning, improving and working.

I last visited Bill in the winter of ’08 and a lot has changed.  He has put into practice and done extensive testing on a theory we had previously discussed about cleat position.  His foot scanning methods now include a 3d foam impression and a computer scan.  But is all this improvement good? Is it measurable steps forward and not sideways or even backwards?

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My New Shoes!

Bill Peterson

So, I have my brand new shoes from Shimano… The only problem is I’m waiting to get a chance to fly down to Tucson and visit with Bill Peterson before I ride them.  This is pretty much because there are two different segments in my riding time line.  And it comes down to B.B. (before Bill) and A.B. (after Bill).  Let me say, currently I have no relationship with Bill P. or his companies (We Do Feet, Dynamic Foot Systems) other than the fact that he took care of my feet. First, he pretty much always smiles the way he is in this picture. Second, a host of people, including several from Fairwheel, have visited him and all have glowing reviews.  But it’s not just us, we’re not crazy, when I last went in it was during winter training camp season, there were plies of insoles (think organized mad scientist) waiting to be shipped and they all had names on them.  Names that everyone recognizes, names from teams that spend the winter months training in California…  The guy is good.

So for now I get to pull my shoes out every now and then and do something with them.  I might blog about them some more, or even better I might book my flight to Tucson.  When I get there, I’m going to get to talk to Bill about new cleat placement methods, and pick his mind on shoes that will fit me and my super wide feet a little better.  That’s right, even Shimano’s E size isn’t quite doing the trick. Plus, if Bill lets me, I’d like to document our process. Which is going to include getting three new sets of insoles (road, MTB, and casual) and getting fit on them.

Ironclad Waterproof Gloves

One of the best things about heading down to Eugene for the Cross Over Stage Race was getting to hang out with Team Ironclad founder / manager / father / mentor / organizer / … / Dave A.  Funny, funny man.  Plus, as this Desert Rat attempts to prepare for the rain, I am told to bundle, overdress, and keep dry.  So, I hounded Dave for a pair of Ironclad Waterproof gloves.  All I was told is to keep the cuffs covered with my rain jacket and my hands will stay dry… or at least way drier than the rest of me.

Thanks Dave.