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ST. GEORGE — As the days are getting warmer, many athletes are taking full advantage, spending hours outside enjoying the sun. There is nothing quite like exercising in the warm weather, but there are dangers that come with being outside in the sun for prolonged periods of time. One danger is dehydration.
One minute you are out for a comfortable jog, when the next, you have dry lips and throat, and are in the beginning stages of dehydration. You then begin searching for the closest drinking fountain, or wishing that you’d brought some water along with you.
Southern Utah resident and entrepreneur Bryce Thatcher has taken the need for adequate hydration during exercise and run with it … literally.
An endurance athlete for nearly 30 years, Thatcher loved running to the tops of mountains. He even set many speed records, including the ascent/descent record of Grand Teton (3:06), "which included negotiating glacier ice and free climbs of airy cliffs," a record that stood for 29 years.
Wanting to be able to stay hydrated while on the run, Thatcher founded Ultimate Direction in 1986, which became the market leader for the ultra-endurance athlete market. After selling his company, the inventor went on to design hydration packs for many companies, most notably, Nathan Sports products.
After years working for other companies, Thatcher decided to start up a new company with individual athletes in mind. He called his company, and new line of hydration packs, UltrAspire.
With the tagline, “Inspired by Athletes,” Thatcher and his team went on to design packs with various athletes and sports in mind.
“Our designs come from the field, athletes, employees, then morph into a design,” said public relations manager Cherie Santiago. “The designs are then tested and designed again until we feel it’s a pack that most everyone could use."
The UltrAspire packs, however, are not just designed for runners, covering activities such as hiking, biking, paddle boarding, kayaking, climbing, horseback riding, etc.
Not only does Thatcher have the approval of countless users of his products, but he has tested them out on many endurance adventures. According to a bio written on the UltrAspire website, Thatcher has used his packs as a “two-time All-American cross-country skier; while participating in an MSOQ adventure race in Lijiang, China; while pioneering ‘fast packing’ on a record-setting run of Highline Trail in Wyoming’s Wind River Range; while making a record sub-9 hour self-supported solo ride of Utah’s 103 mile White Rim Trail and in winning Idaho and Utah State Cycling Time Trial titles."
His designs, however, are not just for the elite athlete, or as he likes to call them, “immortals.” These days, Thatcher spends many hours as a volunteer coach for the Desert Hills High School cross-country team in St. George, in which all three of his boys, Micha, Joshua and Matt, run. It is in this capacity that he gains much of his inspiration.
One of Thatcher’s most recent inventions has both the athlete and environment in mind. The Aid Station Cup was made to help fill the need of throw-away cups at aid stations for races. The collapsible cup can be rolled up and put in a pocket until the next aid station. This little cuyp has helped many events go from 20 bags of trash down to two or even one.
To know more about UltrAspire, go to ultraspire.com
Arianne Brown is a mother of six who loves running the beautiful trails around Utah. For more articles by her, like her Facebook page or visit her blogs, timetofititin.com or thestoriesofyourlife.wordpress.com.
