Most of us I think settle for a long sleeve polypro when we are paddling leaving wet suit style outfits to cold weather and major sea miles. Am I right?

What would make me re-think this and drop the habit of a decade? It’s my experience that unless I’m racing a multi-sport event  my shirt does not need a battery of rear pockets I can’t get to anyway. This rules out multi-sport style shirts. That said, I’ve always wanted to be able to get at a food bar or gel on my upper body when the energy levels are declining.

I also need good back ventilation, long front zip and shirt shape that’s longer at the back as the old tops always seem to creep up your back.

A shirt that breathes, sheds moisture and gives A1 sun protection goes without saying but that shield against UV can’t be emphasized enough.

So does the i-RULE SURGE measure up?

Well for a start it is a lot brighter than anything else that has come out of our sponsor’s multi-sport wardrobe that I can remember. The vivid gold-yellow is reasonably visible and made more so by some stylish and subtle reflective highlights.

Fit wise it is a little roomier than say the TORO multi-sport top and the new PRIMO MTB enduro top which is intended to accommodate the thicker upper torso of the hard core paddler. They have listened and made sure there is a whale tail at the back.
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While it is common knowledge that your training demands must specifically adapt your body systems to the target event intensity and duration what is often forgotten is the benefit of the long slow run (paddle or bike for that matter) as a preparatory building block.

In running LSD (long slow distance) means running at a moderate pace, typically around 70% of your VO2 Max which roughly equates to about 80% of your maximum heart rate. Yes, this means your aerobic zone. There are specific systemic benefits to be had by taking your foot off the pedal and enjoying the view by training this way:

• improved cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function
• improved mitochondrial energy production
• increased oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle and
• increased utilization as fat for fuel

Another often overlooked benefit is the opportunity to allow your body to recover and adapt from the heavy hitting intervals,hill and temp work and race days. The mental holiday from intensity has an enormous positive boost; when was the last time you decided to go for a long run sans AA-type OCD fixations and relaxed and enjoyed the trail?
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