Ian Doyle from Wicklow is a participant in Adventure running across Ireland and for this review, he participated and trialled Qilta at Gaelforce Connemara ."
https://gaelforceevents.com/en/connemara-adventure-challenge-connemara-adventure-challenge
We asked Ian to trial Qilta for this event and here is Ian's review on using Qilta
"I followed the plan and found the Qilta socks and sleeves very cooling and comfortable. I ran the race at a fast pace and pushed myself hard through a tough 32k course which included a mountain climb in which my feet and calves felt no niggles or pains. Normally my legs would be very sore after but I found the recovery easy and my feet felt soft. One of my friends who ran with me had blisters all over the soles of his feet.
The recovery socks really cooled and relaxed my feet and leg muscles. There was 260 entries in this race, I came 42nd with a time of 2hrs and 34 mins. Really appreciate you allowing me to sample your product and would recommend it to anyone doing these sort of events."
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"My name is Joe Roche, I’m a 30-year-old casual runner from South Dublin with a recent RB of 35mins for a 10km and 16:20 for a 5km race. As a speed-focused distance runner (who lives at the foot of Killiney Hill, incidentally) even short bursts can cause a high degree of stress.
I started running to improve my focus and emotional wellbeing but this can be difficult when you’re debating your fitness over small knocks. The difference between being injured and hurt comes to mind. I came across Qilta through a trusted business associate, Neil Cushen of Eishtec, when I mentioned I sometimes had lower leg, ankle strain post-run. He encouraged me to check out Qilta, an Irish company looking to do work magic with at-home recovery wear.
Working in marketing, I approach product claims with trepidation but I was pleasantly surprised at the efficacy of my three trial pairs. Below are the details of the trial runs and after effects.
7km | Killiney to Dalkey via the Vico Road and Killiney Hill
Hills. Hills. Hills. My route begins at the foot of Killiney Hill and forces a climb with incline that gradually sharpens and sudden stops. Right around Bono’s (yes, yes, U2 frontman) house, the burning sensation grows very strong and continues to until you hit the summit.
Nothing quite compares, however, to the gliding sensation achieved after cresting the hill. Qilta socks offer a similar experience post run. An almost immediate soothing sensation washes over your ankles, knees and shins and, if you’re so inclined, your wrists and forearms.
Short, strong distances are my modus operandi and it was great to have recovery wear that acts as fast as those runs last (humblebrag).
12km | IFSC to Dun Laoghaire
A 12km run that feels like 5km by comparison to the Killiney to Dalkey run. Entirely flat, very good for high-pace semi-sprinting. Wrapping around Dublin’s coastline by way of the Eastlink Bridge with intermittent sea air blasts to keep your focus.
I consider myself somewhat neanderthal when it comes to running. I don’t monitor anything, I don’t check distances – everything is by intuition. When you’re running a long flat course, if you run like me, you lose track and can wind up overdoing it.
Qilta socks are a perfect buffer for minor high-pace strains I pick up on courses like this.
20km | IFSC to Killiney
Commuting from the City Centre to the suburbs on public transit is more challenging than running the distance from a mental perspective. This run is a combination of both of the above, albeit a little bit more direct through Sallynoggin as opposed to the coast road.
One big uphill in Dun Laoghaire at the 13km mark offers a big challenge and begins to burn near the summit. There are odd inclines but outside the big hill, distance and time are your only enemies. Longer distance runs like this often left me feeling stiff. Qilta significantly reduced the immediate and longer term aches that one might feel after a distance like this.
Review in Summary
Qilta Socks are stylish, soothing and suitable for myriad applications. Having trialled two pairs after 7km, 12km and 20km respectively, the reduction in post-run tension is remarkable. I am excited to make Qilta recovery wear an every-day tune up.
Bonus
Try using the sleeves on your forearms. Having recently gotten surgery, a reduction in stress after mat exercises was much needed and offered by Qilta sleeves "
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First off I am not being paid in any way to give my review of this product I was introduced to Jim through a mutual friend and he asked me to try Qilta out and give him my honest opinion on them..........so here goes!
I was initially sent x2 sets of the socks & calf sleeves for use during a normal weeks triathlon training (usually 10-14hrs). To over simplify a description of them they are basically a 3 layered compression fabric with the middle lair coated/soaked in what seems like some sort of menthol lotion, so you slip on the socks then slide the calf sleeve's on above them and that's it your good to go. A letter that came with them noted that you receive the best benefit when using them straight after training for up to an hour and at that stage you have received the full benefit of them.
So I waited until my longer workouts at the weekend before using the first set,
Day 1 was a long run on the Saturday, I got home after the run threw them on and pottered around the house making myself something to eat & drink before sitting down to eat and throwing my legs up on the chair beside me. My legs definitely felt fresher than normal when I was going about my normal day to day stuff afterwards but I wasn't fully convinced that it was down to the Qilta garments and just put it down to maybe not pushing hard during my run.
Day 2 was a long cycle followed by an off the bike short brick run, Again I finished training got home and threw them on this time I didn't have to make myself something to eat because my darling wife had food ready for me (",) Today's workout was much longer and heading off shopping afterwards for the day (which explains the food being ready for me) I knew that there definitely was something to these garments, my calves and feet felt fresh unlike my quads which were stiff and aching from the accumulated lactate. "
So bottom line is; Do they work? Yes, They definitely make a difference and with a lot of sport coming down to marginal gains nowadays, recovery is number 1. The only downside I could see to them was while they were great for speeding up recovery for my calves and feet I do wish they had some sort of sleeve or wrap available to also take care of the quad and hamstring area.
We all know about the expensive air pump leg/body massage systems that are available but apart from the price they involve you having to plug in the machine & lay down until the cycle is complete, whereas with the Qilta you can slip them on and still move around and do what you need to do while still receiving recovery benefits.
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Angelo Marrocco is a Partner in Qilta Co and an avid marathon/ ultra-runner who takes on many challenges throughout the year.
When Angelo was first approached about the concept of wearing recovery socks after a running event, he more than most appreciated the value of such a product. Angelo was instrumental in highlighting the need for Calf sleeves and continues to extend our product use into this area.
Angelo, now resident near Monza, on the foothills of the Italian Alps competes regularly in Ultra events and this is his report of competing in such an event at Lake Como up into the Alps.
“Trofeo Dario e Willy” a 23K Sky Race with 2,000 m climb.
“Why do we do it?
This is the question I kept asking me yesterday while climbing in the pre-Alps just above lake Como in Italy. After I ran a successful Milan City Marathon on the 7th of April and beating my PR, I felt ready for a new challenge and signed up for the “Trofeo Dario e Willy” a 23K Sky Race with 2,000 m climb.
The day was going to be tough, very tough, the biggest challenge was the lack of specific training.
The cut off times were particularly challenging, the first was just after 1 hour and 45 minutes to climb more than 1km in around 6km. To my surprise I reach the top of the first ascent in just 1 hour and 17 minutes. During the first descent I tried to run as fast as possible at this stage my legs were still in good shape and I really enjoyed this part. I managed to catch up with a lot of runners and this improved my confidence.
I ran comfortably for the first 20k and after the last big climb I was mentally expecting an easy descent but I was wrong, very wrong, the steepest descent ever within rocks and loose gravel.
My poor feet and legs were screaming to stop but I had to endure the pain and finish the race.
This is the moment when I thought: “Why do I do it !! ?
At the end of the descent we arrive to the lake and we run along the lake for 200m before crossing the finish line. Great race, very challenging and happy to have managed to successfully finish it, now I remember why I do it.
We even had the opportunity to take a shower and when I looked at my feet and they were in such a poor state! I had a set of Qilta socks and calf sleeves that I immediately put on after the shower.
I kept Qilta on as I drove home and after a few hours my feet and lower legs were as good as new, absolutely amazing sensation !.”
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"Another benefit I have found has been in relation to my feet. I hadn't previously focussed too much on foot recovery (I accepted they would hurt after ultramarathons, and long training runs), but the Qiltas have been a revelation in helping keep my feet pain free."
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"At the inaugural Swedeman Xtreme Triathlon in August 2018 I had the pleasure of meeting Jim and using the Qilta calf sleeves and socks post-race. I was immediately impressed by the cooling sensation and how good my lower legs and feet felt the day after the race. This was a real relief as I had a mountainous ultra-marathon two weeks after the Swedeman, so fast recovery was essential. I was so impressed by the results that as I have begun ramping up my training for Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc this year, I contacted Jim about utilising Qiltas to help aid and speed up my recovery.
Jim kindly provided me with some Qilta socks to use and updated me on the developments with the product, namely using in advance of hard training/racing as well as post.
I had the pleasure of using Qilta for 3 consecutive weeks and put them through a variety of different tests to see how the product worked for me.
Test 1:
The first weekend I used them was for a 5hr training run - involving a significant amount of climbing and descending on technical terrain.
I wore the Qiltas on Friday and Saturday evening, completed my long run on Sunday and wore another pair after this run. The Monday morning my lower legs and feet felt 100% and I was able to go into another hard week of training.
Test 2:
The second test involved me running back to back long runs on consecutive days. I wore the Qiltas on the night before Day 1 and then after each day. Day one was 34km with over 3,000m of ascent on technical terrain. Day 2 was 41km with 3,000m of ascent, again on difficult rocky terrain.
As with the first test I was extremely impressed by the Qiltas and their effect on my feet and lower limbs. The two days had involved some very steep prolonged ascents and I expected my Achilles tendons and calves to be sore, along with some foot pain due to the technical and unforgiving nature of the terrain. However, once again I was able to go straight into another hard training week.
Test 3:
This involved cycling and running, namely up and down the famous Mont Ventoux in France. Day 1 involved running 46km up and down the mountain, and the second day involved cycling up the mountain - a 21km long uphill cycle.
After the run I was feeling extremely fatigued, this was the 3rd hard week of training (over 100km of running with 5,000m of ascent for the preceding two weeks) and my legs were aching.
I used the Qiltas that evening and immediately felt the cooling sensation which was extremely welcome. The next day I went to climb the mountain on the bike and my quadriceps were hurting. I found myself having to stand out of the saddle a lot more than I normally do when cycling and make use of my calf muscles a lot more, which were feeling fresh. I successfully climbed the mountain and then on return home used my final pair of Qiltas to aid my recovery.
Overall, I have been extremely impressed by the Qiltas and they will become a crucial part of my recovery strategy for hard training and racing going forward. The cooling sensation is extremely welcome, especially after hot days, and soothes the tired muscles.
Another benefit I have found has been in relation to my feet. I hadn't previously focussed too much on foot recovery (I accepted they would hurt after ultramarathons, and long training runs), but the Qiltas have been a revelation in helping keep my feet pain free."
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As a 4 hour marathon runner I’d usually be averaging 160KM monthly training early in the year.
On 17th January I suffered a bad fall running and severely sprained ankle ligaments. XRAYS revealed no break and opinion was might have been better in terms of rehab had it broken. I was given an approximate window of late March before I would be able jog again. I was encouraged to push recovery within limits of what I could do. I attended local physio who concurred with hospital’s approach and added exercises to regime and set 2nd week February as start point for walking recovery. At same time Qilta products were made available to me by Jim Dunne who was interested how they would work in a rehab scenario, albeit with walking.
I waited til upto 8K Daily – physio had advised breaking walks into a few 20-25 min sets daily as opposed to one long walk. So once I was upto approx. 3 x 3 km daily, I targeted doing a 3KM set and then wear the sock and sleeve for rest of day and that evening do a 7KM in a set , with a day’s recovery where I’d use both the sock and sleeve set, then the next day repeat 3 and 7KM day.
The initial 3 KM walking was fine . The feeling as slipped into the sleeves was of tight support and pretty immediate warmth around my calves and shins. Then putting the socks on was very cooling, it really relaxed my feet. I wore them 8AM TIL 4 30PM, then walked 7KM briskly ( 9 min KMs) , put the same set back on.
The following morning I initially noticed ankle swelling down more noticeably than nightly rest and particularly the thick Achilles I’d been carrying was also reduced.
I then put on fresh Qilta sleeves and socks and wore all day through to next morning. The same warm on lower leg and cool on feet feelings occurred. The following day having worn them in bed my legs felt very loose and relaxed so I walked approx. 9KM straight off ( 8 ½ min KM pace) and after showering got into last set of Qilta sleeves and socks and again the same feelings occurred.
In summary for a marked increase in mileage in a short period ie 4 days, I found the Qilta products negated any potential tiredness, fatigue symptoms that would have arisen.
I was shortly thereafter at physio and she noticed my movement , calf softness and subtlety was much improved on 2 week previous visit, and Achilles swelling was substantially reduced. She gave me the OK to start light grass work 3 weeks ahead of hospital’s estimate.
I am currently doing, upto approx. 10KM slow jogging. Once I’m at 16KM or so I’d hope to try Qilta products again. I feel they aided my recovery substantially in a key week post injury and immediately pre a physio review on recommencing running.
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Athlete: Flo Reichert / Arc’teryx Activity: Mountain- & Trailrunning Set of Socks/Calves: 12 Usage: 2 days prior and directly after hard training sessions (+ 5h of running) and one competition (Brocken Challenge Ultramarathon; 80k)
Overall conclusion:
"I’m convinced of the benefits of Qilta socks and calves. After multi hours of running I didn’t feel the fatigue and tiredness as strong as without the product. This is especially true for the feet: I found that the socks help my feet stay strong, smooth, blister-free and with good proprioception throughout a multi-hour race.
I’m especially convinced of the good recovery value of Qilta. I experienced that only wearing the socks and calves for two hours immediately after a long workout or competition left me with a good and recovered feeling the day after. Ergo I was able to train more/harder the next day.
On the downside, I’ve to admit that it took some time to get used to the “creamy” feel of the socks and calves. I was/am wondering what the actual benefit of the treated socks/calves was/is, compared to say a recovery cream that you put on your feet and calves and then just wear socks over it.
However, the product did work for me, so I guess it must be something in the socks/calves that gives off the “cream” gradually, thus creating a longterm effect.
Socks:
I found these extremely comfortable. Actually, I chose a couple of times to not only use them prior or after training sessions, but ran with them. The key training session on La Palma, a 50km run with 3500m of elevation gain and loss on the Transvulcania race course (my next objective) was done with the socks on, and despite the rough terrain my feet felt fresh the whole way. So I’m considering using the socks in the race on May 11 too.
One sock had been ripped on the side even before I put it on for the first time, but otherwise I found the material quite durable. However, this was only a short-term trial, so I’m not in the position to make qualified statements about long-term durability. However, I’ve the feeling that it could be equal or superior to other products I’ve used in the past (Salomon, Falke, Bridgedale).
The white color is not my favorite, to be honest, as I often run a lot through the woods, snow and mud. And if I only wash the socks in 30-degree warm water, I’m not sure whether I can get rid of all the stains. I do like the logo, though, but maybe it’d be possible to have a darker (black, dark blue?) version of the product?
Calves:
Whereas I’m super happy with the socks, I found myself using the calves only half as much. This is for both, aesthetic reasons (I just don’t like the look of long socks or calves, but that’s just a vain personal opinion) as well as practical reasons: I couldn’t quite locate the benefit of the calves as much as with the socks. This might also be the case because the sock covers a big part of the ankle and the achilleas tendon. I prone to problems/injuries here, but more often in the lower part of the achilleas tendon than in the upper part where the calves might be beneficial. "
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I have to praise Jim and his team at Qilta. This product does exactly what it says. A simple but very effective product and without it I don’t think I could have made it through my training for my 5th Abbott marathon major star.
Tokyo was my 5th marathon since last September and by God did I struggle with Plantar fasciitis all of last year , so much so every day walking was a major problem for me.
Yes I know I should have rested it like what professional advice I was given but other fellow athletes will agree it’s hard to as nothing seem to ease the pain or alleviate the condition . So for me there was no option but to keep running through the pain. Expert advice said I wouldn’t do any lasting damage on my wonky foot. So me being my stubborn self was never going to give up on my dream of getting nearer to the Abbott World Major Marathon Medal.
I did as Jim advised and wore both the socks and sleeves two days before the marathon and then another new pair after the marathon. I wore them to bed as during the day I had a lot of sightseeing on in Tokyo.
I can honestly say calves were not crampy or twitchy like they normally are after a marathon and the cool menthol in the socks definitely helped my foot. I do firmly believe Qilta socks and sleeves reduced the usual swelling in my foot and the cool socks eased that achy pain.
I am now back training for Boston in a matter of weeks and I can tell you I don’t think I would be as fresh back at Imy training so soon after a marathon without Qilta products.
Many thanks guys! This product is a dream to a non professional like me that sometimes finds training can be hard.
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Silly me, they truly are magic!!
From 50mile mountain Ultras, 250k adventure races and 2000km+ bike races the only part of me that feels brand new after them is the feet and calf muscles thanks to Qilta. The sooner they design a full body suit to wear the better!
I can't recommend this product highly enough. Keep an eye on this exciting product and exciting company".
Graham Macken
(Spun Cycles & Spun Run)
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The first try out was on the Slí Gaeltacht Mhuscraí 70km mountain ultra-trail run. Travelling along the famous Beara-Breifne Way, which makes its way to Cavan!
I used Qilta two consecutive day before the ultra in preparation for the mud fest. Can report that no blisters or hot spots appeared from the wet mucky condition.
Even better was the relief off Qilta afterwards for the 3+hour drive home. Next morning my legs were in great shape.
I was that impressed with the outcome I said I'd use them for my long training runs.
So, what better way 🤔 than 3 consecutive 50km mountain trail runs. Typically, with the Irish weather the trails were wet very wet 🤣.
Feet / legs got a right work out. Fantastic feeling from the socks when you first put them on, recovery is fantastic and no blisters and legs fresh the following day.
Looking forward to the year ahead with the support from Qilta "
Jonathan Dolan
Mark O'Mahony, from Cork, Ireland completed his first 100 mile at Connemara in 2018 and his second 100 mile at Wicklow in 2018. Mark has never run a marathon before this.
'I always struggle with blisters. My typical morning run is 25km and I seem to be constantly trying to soothe blisters especially with the wet weather lately. I wanted to really test the socks so I decided to run 3 marathons in six days. I was quite skeptical about the product and didn't expect much to be honest.
It only hit me after the last marathon that I had no blisters after all that running. Everything felt fine. I didn't need to take a break from training I started back my usual routine again on Monday fresh and had no injuries.
Delighted to have been given the socks and can't wait to use them for my 200 mile Enduroman run in the UK in May.'
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"I first became aware of Qilta when I was given them as a prize after finishing 2nd in the 2018 Wexford Marathon. At the time I was not fully aware of how to use them but I can happily report that they aided my recovery from the 153 mile Spartathlon Ultra Marathon in September later in the year.
" By way of a short introduction, I’m Dave Gowan. I’m a runner, a cyclist, a kayaker of sorts with my sport of choice being Adventure Racing. I’ve ventured into the realms of ultra on a couple of occasions with varying levels of accomplishment and enjoyment. I certainly would not consider myself anywhere near the level of some of the other contributors on the Qilta blog but have aspirations if nothing else!
I spoke to Jim from Qilta over Christmas and the conversation naturally swayed towards race plans for the year ahead. I was delighted to say I was taking on the Art O’Neill Challenge on 11th January. For those who don’t know, the AON Challenge is a 53k run from Dublin Castle to Glenmalure in Wicklow with the latter half being self-navigated across open mountain and crucially starting at midnight. This results in multiple river crossings and traversing knee-deep bog and suffice to say the feet and calves take some decent punishment. This would be my second time taking on this event, so I knew exactly what I was in for.
I met with Jim a week or so before the event and we had a great chat over coffee. I was intrigued by the claims that Qilta were making in terms of race prep and recovery and was eager to try them out. To say I dubious that some socks and sleeves could live up to the stories. Jim handed over a set sufficient for the race and gave me in-depth instructions on how I should use them to get the full benefits – a fresh pair going to bed the two nights before the event and a pair for afterwards, three in total.
With the race being on Friday night prep starts at bedtime on Wednesday, socks and calf sleeves on and I just into bed. 5 mins later and I’m up again! I’m not the sort to wear socks to bed at the best of times and with the combination of menthol and compression it’s a strange feeling. I’m very tempted to remove them but given I said I’d follow the instructions, so I get on with it, pick up a book and eventually nod off. Thursday night is less eventful, fresh socks and sleeves on and hop into bed. This time the menthol cooling is nice, something you could get used to!
Race night arrives and apart from the inevitable prerace nerves which are not helped with all the hanging around, the race begins as expected. There’s a group of use planning on travelling together and we settle into a comfortable pace towards the foothills of the Dublin Mountains. Stage one passes fairly uneventfully as we leave solid ground and head for open mountain. A change of shoes and some dry layers being priority and with our group all accounted for we hit the hills. I’m navigating for our group, so we really need to stick close together especially as mist and fog descends as we cross the first climb. The open sections tend to be notoriously wet underfoot and although it was significantly drier this year the mountains certainly didn’t disappoint.
Wet, cold and muddy feet normally lead to unhappy feet, but I cruise along but all the while knowing that where I’ll really suffer is the last descent to the finish. We cross the last of the boggy sections having fallen into more holes than I care to count and make our way to that dreaded final descent. Strangely I’m feeling ok and our group starts to spread out a bit but I’m feeling good and comfortably cross the finish line.
Having very comfortably knocked circa 45mins off our time from last year we’re delighted and most importantly feeling fairly fresh. I’m not in the same discomfort I was last year, my feet are absolutely fine, my calves aren’t screaming at me. I certainly hadn’t put in any more training than last year, maybe these Qilta guys are on to something…. With the Glenmalure Lodge being the obligatory port of call for race finishers and being “only” another 5k away I hand my drop bag to my wife so she and the rest of our group can get the shuttle bus back to the lodge... With last year’s 53k being my furthest run to date I’m determined to add a few more kms this year. I set off on foot with and while I’m certainly not going to break any records I’m moving well and cover the last 5k reasonably comfortably.
(Pic from Dave)
At this stage it’s Saturday and a nap is well overdue, we head home, grab a shower and on go a fresh set of Qilta socks and sleeves and I jump into bed fully aware that the discomfort won’t kick in until the next day or so! It’s Sunday and I’m feeling surprisingly ok, stairs aren’t the enemy I was expecting them to be. If I’m this “OK” today, it’s going to hurt like hell tomorrow!! I jump on the turbo trainer and see how the legs are, I’ve a race planned for March with a lot of cycling so every opportunity to get some kms in the saddle is jumped at, legs are ok….
Monday morning and while the tenderness is certainly there it’s nowhere near what it should be. Stairs are still fine… I’m baffled. Nothing has changed year on year, possibly even a bit less training than last year…. But I’m not the broken individual I should be! The most telling point for me was on Tuesday morning, a fellow marathoner rocks up to my desk to see what had happened on Friday night, had I not started or worse DNF’d??? Confused, I ask what he means, and he replies; “I saw you coming down the stairs yesterday and there’s no way you ran 58k at the weekend and were able to trot down the stairs two days later!”
I honestly cannot put this down to anything else, believe me I’ve tried, but Qilta really is on to a winner in terms of recovery. It really is ground breaking. I can’t wait to see them hit the market!! "
https://outsider.ie/outsider-awards/outsider-awards-devoted-professional/
https://kayathlon.ie/2019/02/05/opportunity-when-one-door-closes/
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Currently based in the UK, he is the 2017 Alaskaman Xtri (Extreme Triathlon) Masters Champion, finishing 4th overall. Chris has represented GB as an age group athlete at the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. He is also an Ironman and 70.3 World Championship qualifier.
Chris is a member of the Norseman Xtri black t-shirt finisher club. In 2018 alone, he successfully completed Xtri World Tour events, including Celtman, Swissman, Swedeman and the ICON. Chris also enjoys undertaking ultra-running events.
Chris trialled Qilta at Swedeman XTri last August where Qilta were a key Sponsor https://www.swextri.com/
As part of our Sponsorship/Trial, we asked competitors to assess Qilta as part of their recovery.
Chris gave us his appraisel of Qilta below :
Did you find Qilta Socks and Calf Sleeves helped your post race recovery?
"It's the first time I've tried anything like this and I'll admit I was a little sceptical at first. The Qilta socks and calf guards feel great when you put them on; they give a nice cooling effect with a lovely menthol aroma. I am a triathlon coach specialising in extreme triathlons and I see a lot of products that make various claims, but the Qilta socks and calf guards really do have a positive effect on recovery."
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I had used the Qilta RSS during the triathlon and adventure race 2018 season. I was astonished with the results when used as advised – wear before and after event – and how my feet and calves were absent from any stress, strains, cramping or soreness.
I am an adventurer and high altitude climber having summitted many mountains worldwide including Mount Everest in 2014 and most recently Aconcagua in Argentina South America.
My most recent trip was a real test of the Qilta RSS and how they would react to both a different discipline, the use of different muscle sets at different speeds and of course at altitude.
Let me explain firstly Aconcagua the mountain and climb.
Aconcagua stands at 6,962 meters high which is approx. 23,000 feet. It is the highest mountain outside of The Himalaya. It consists of a number of camps to the summit which for acclimatisation purposes must be reached before any attempt on summit. Those camps are, Penitentes at 2,100 meters, Confluencia at 3,400, Plaza de Mulas (Base Camp) at 4,300, Canada at 5,000, Nido de Condores at 5,500, Berlin & Colera at 6,000 and thereafter summit at 6,962 meters.
My strategy in using the Qilta RSS was to identify the most stressful days and the immediate required recovery day as the ascents and decents are steep, quick and very testing and stressful on your feet, calves and quads. The obvious days were pre and post summit. Summit day was a gruelling 16 hour climb from Colera and return from summit.
But there were days between that required consideration, for example, Confluencia to Plaza De Mulas , 8/10 hour trek while a climb from Plaza de Mulas to Nido de Condores is 6/7 hours but with a gain of a altitude and difficult steep ascents and of course the use of crampons. I had decided to bring 6 Qilta RSS packs and use them as advised, pre and post climb, Confluencia to Plaza de Mulas, Plaza de Mulas to Nido de Condores, Colera to Summit.
How did I find them ?
Well initially they were a source of fascination to my fellow climbers and of course their curiosity in their use, performance and results. The first trek to Plaza De Mulas was tough given the unpredictable and varied surface (Sand, soft mud, loose and fixed stone and rock and rivers). I slept in Qilta RSS at Confluencia and recovered in Plaza De Mulas that evening. On both occasions I wore the RSS as another source of additional insulation within my sleeping bag as night temperature can reached easily below minus 5 degrees Celsius under clear star light skies.
Results – very positive.
The initial fit does I find leave your feet and calves cold but as the lined solutions absorb into the muscles both heat up and recover. Next morning, no aches pains or strains and another very positive recovery result. My fellow climbers were suffering from some cramps and strains which would be expected and normal. The next test was the climb to Nido de Condores which was a gain of approx. 700 meters. Gradients are steep and requires crampons and walking poles. Again the RSS worked very well but I found with the additional altitude the absorption took a little longer which I put against the altitude and the decrease of O2 saturation levels. I gauged this from the time I put them on to the time taken for my feet and calves to warm up to normal. I then expected similar reaction at higher altitude and which proved correct again. However, as said previously, summit day was a very tough and an enduring 16 hour day, but getting back to Colera and having some energy to take crampons and boots off and put on the socks and sleeves, was a motivating factor. Next morning as we climbed out to Plaza de Mulas my feet and calves did feel refreshed but my quads and body to be honest were tired.
The return to Plaza De Mulas was a real welcome as some of the pitches were very steep, unsteady and testing. A beer was had as part of the successful climb and an 8 hour trek out was to look forward to, or not !
Thank you again for allowing me the pleasure in using the Qilta RSS."
]]>We agreed to supply Aoife with 2 sets of Qilta for the preceding 2 nights and therafter 1 set per evening after her days run.
This is Aoife's Story :
"I began running ultra distance races in 2012 and towards the end of the subsequent three years had developed quite a debilitating injury in both Achilles due to my own lack of sufficient recovery after training and competition. Through a course of physiotherapy, laser, and educating myself on best practices before and after running sessions I began to heal slowly. From 2016-2018 I ran mostly shorter distances such as marathons and half marathons, apart from the occasional 50km in training. Always, in the back of my mind was the Achilles injury which mainly revealed itself as extreme stiffness in the mornings or after training, combined with some swelling and general throbbing. It flared up when I would push myself hard and I feared I would never be able to return to running 100 milers without suffering the aftermath.
After a long break from ultra running I had the urge to challenge myself and came up with the idea to run from Mizen Head to Malin Head (the southernmost to the northernmost point in Ireland) a distance of 550km via the shortest road route during January 2019. Knowing what this could do to my Achilles I still committed to it but was conscious of how I was going to preserve my feet over the course of a multi stage challenge. I had heard of Qilta through a friend who had great success with using their socks and calf sleeves during a 1000km+ trail run and sought them out. Qilta very generously allowed me to test out their product for the duration of my run.
Two days prior to the run I was requested to wear the socks and sleeves which I put on before bed, and then I wore a pair every night for the duration of the event (11 days) and for two days after. Each day I was running anywhere between 35-80km on road so my feet were taking a sufficient pounding. I had never used recovery socks before and the usual state of my feet after an ultra were blisters, dry skin, cracking, nails coming off, pain in my heels, and swelling on the foot and ankles that would last a couple of days.
The result of wearing the socks was waking up with little to no swelling. This was significant because it meant I could wear the same sized running shoes for the full duration of the run (essential because half of the run was self sufficient meaning I could only carry a small amount of gear) and it also meant I didn’t have to spend hundreds of euro on different sizes of runner to allow for swelling.
The second most notable result was that I acquired virtually no blisters apart from ones that inevitably happen because my toes are not perfectly straight. For these small blisters that occurred I would wake in the morning to find they had completely deflated without me having to perform any kind of unsanitary “surgery” on them. Everything remained sterile and I did not have to use any kind of blister patches to protect them. I could comfortably put on my normal running socks and go.
I also chose to do this run in the depths of winter and ran for many days in rain and snow which by the end of each day left my feet feeling waterlogged and soggy. After washing and thoroughly drying them I would put on the recovery socks and by the morning the skin was intact and smooth.
Wearing the sock two days before the run primed my feet so that on day 1 I was not feeling the effects of my Achilles injury and then playing catch up that evening. This was a wise decision and ultimately meant the injury that had plagued me for so many years and cost a lot of money in rehabilitation, virtually went unnoticed in an even more extreme version of the running I used to do.
The socks with their special formula inside are like a treat at the end of a hard run. They cool everything down and along with a good stretching routine will have your feet fighting fit by the next morning. They will work for those wanting to recover from a long training run, single stage racing, and will be ideal for multi stage racing where recovery is of the utmost importance. I can imagine this product appealing to not just athletes but to anyone who is on their feet all day, wearing uncomfortable shoes, or just in need of some deep treatment for their feet.
If I had to wish for something more from Qilta running socks and sleeves I would love to see a recovery short or recovery tights so that the full leg can benefit from the soothing formula. I deem my run from the bottom to the top of Ireland a success because I was able to control the factors which often lead to DNFs- nutrition, hydration, and injuries, and Qilta recovery socks were instrumental in controlling the latter. The socks are reusable once the formula is inserted again so I look forward to being able to train and run hard without any of the previous concerns about my feet."
(Aoife attending the Outsider Awards, Dublin, Feb'19)
We at Qilta would like to thank Aoife for trialling Qilta and putting us through the paces and we wish Aoife the very best in her travels back to Beijing, China where Aoife resumes her teaching career.
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Cees Van der Land is the Dutch 100 km National Champion and having moved from Marathon to Ultra running had difficulty recovering after multi day events.
Qilta worked in partnership with ISPO, the Worlds Sports and Outdoor Recreation Trade fair https://www.ispo.com/en/munich in divising a significant trial across Europe using ISPO's vetted athletes and this is where Cees trialled Qilta.
https://www.ispo.com/en/products/balm-athletes-feet-qilta-declares-war-blisters-and-pain.
Here is Cees’s experience of using Qilta
"I have been running marathons for the last 10 years and over the last 2 years dipped my toes (socks?) into running ultra distances on the road and on the trail. With increased distance in racing and thereby training I was looking for better ways to recover between training runs and before big races. I came across the Qilta socks and signed up as a product tester last year.
I had signed up for a short-ish (25km, 763m of climbing) trail race and was planning to wear the socks as part of my preparation. To really test the socks I decided to put in about 30km of running with 1230m of climbing across trails and fells the night before. My legs were pretty tired after that!
After wearing the socks overnight I was surprised how fresh my legs were the next day and to my even bigger surprise I won the trail race the next day!
The next trial of the socks was the night before the Hardwolds 80, an 80 mile trail race from Hessle to Filey across the Yorkshire moors.
I had a similar result for that race, so sofar the Qilta socks are two for two for me!
I’m looking forward to using Qilta for my upcoming races and during high volume training weeks.
I think they can be really useful in multi-day ultra events (e.g. the Spine)."
Cees.
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Marius Karslen competes in ultra triathlons all across Europe and in his '20s has accomplished a lot. Marius came by Qilta when he competed in Swedeman Extreme Triathlon at which Qilta were present as a Sponsor and he had the chance to try our product for the first time. www.swextri.com
As fortune should have it, one of our classic photo's taken by Sinead Onora Kennedy was that of Marius on his bike in the photo above.
Marius followed up after the event and has since trialled Qilta so we asked him for a testimonial of his experience of Qilta so far.
Here is Marius's review ..
"Can a pair of socks and a pair of calf sleeves make a difference?
– Yes, they can !
I was first introduced to Qilta Recovery sleeves and socks on the expo for "Swedeman Extreme Triathlon".
At first, I thought this was just another compression brand who saw the possibility to expand their brand. Little did I know that the socks and sleeves would be a key factor to my recovery hopefully for the rest of my career.
I struggle a lot with blisters on my feet. I especially struggled after Ironman 70.3 Turkey and Bislett 24-hour indoor challenge, the double-sided socks and its balm reduced my blisters and helped a lot with the pain. That meant that I could start the training a lot quicker than what I´am used to.
I also struggle with stiff legs after a big race. The calves work wonders with my legs and by following the instructions I can really feel the difference.
I can't see myself ever doing a race without Qilta being a central part of my kit. I'm proud to be working with such a great brand with the most helpful people. Thank you so much for all your support – I can't wait to continue using this amazing product in 2019!"
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Linda Clarke from Cavan, Ireland travels the world and follows her dreams of completing the Abbot World Marathon Majors. In 2018, Linda overcame 3 of them and ran Berlin, Chicago and New York. https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/about/overview/
We asked Linda for her review of Qilta and how it helped her overcome her challenges.
“The Qilta kit, Honestly, I had read reviews etc.. about your products but really never thought or imagined how effective they were. I am not an elite marathon runner by any imagination but last year for the full 12 months I had been battling the dreaded PF so much so I thought that’s it game over...
I had 3 major marathons on my list booked paid for and was looking forward to them Berlin, Chicago, New York.These marathons were all very close September ,October and November so as 2018 was always going to be a terrific year for me it was also one of the hardest years.
The training for these marathons was just so hard running through the pain against everyone’s judgement “you need to rest it” etc. The thing was I did rest, and it never seemed to go away.
Then I discovered Qilta and where it did not cure my PF the kit eased my symptoms massively. The sleeves eased my tight calves and kept me on the road so I could get through all the marathons. After New York marathon I wore the sleeves and socks as you suggested and without a doubt it has been the quickest recovery for me. New York was going to be a tough marathon for me as I had run Berlin and Chicago only few weeks before, so legs were going to be tired and the pounding on concrete was going to hurt. But your socks cooled the foot and the pain. I actually slept in them that night and I can’t recommend enough your products and service. I had a very quick recovery after the marathon.
For all you runners I can honestly say stairs and steps were no problem the day after and I honestly believe it was due to the Qilta kit.
I am off to run Tokyo in March, my 5th Abbott World Major Marathon and I will most definitely be using your socks and sleeves.
A very happy happy runner trying to obtain the 6 star medal.
Linda “
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The wonderful Dee Boland first came in contact with Qilta as she crewed Don Hannons epic 1038 kms Ireland Way in April '18 and witnessed at first hand what this product could do.
Dee is heavily involved in running in Ireland and is the Race Director with Wexford Marathon http://www.wexfordmarathon.com/
Throughout 2018, Dee trialled Qilta for long distance events and became a key person in supporting us deliver this product to market.
We asked Dee if she would give us her testimonial on Qilta and here it is :
"Just love these socks. A couple of days before the Kerry 100KM I was having trouble with my left calf. Darren Browne worked his magic and Jim from Qilta recommended I wear the socks for a couple of nights before the race, which I had never tried before. It made sense. My legs felt great on the day as a result. I put another pair on straight after the race. There is such a feeling of instant relief. But even more its no stiffness the following day. I will be wearing them before and after my next run in Italy in a couple of weeks. I can't recommend these enough! "
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It was while watching his brother compete in a race in Dingle that sparked Darrens interest and started his running journey..
Darren is now an accomplished ultra runner seen across numerous events in Ireland with ambitions of UTMB. His last run was the the RawUltra Wicklow 50 mile race that started in Shielstown at 7 am in the morning and then trail ran in the worst of weather all the way back to Dublin.
Darren used 1 set of Qilta in recovery after his event.
This is Darren's experience of using Qilta.
" On the 8th December I completed the Wicklow Way 50 mile trail race which included over 10,500ft of elevation. Immediately after the event I had a quick shower and put the Qilta calf sleeves and socks on. Immediately I felt coolness working it’s way into my calf’s and shins.
I left the socks on for around 3 hours. Following morning I awoke to a body that was broken with the exception of my lower legs, absolutely amazing as it’s normally my calves that are shredded after such events.
Qilta you need to make something for my quads or better still a full body stocking.
Will definitely be using them again."
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“Plantar fasciitis is a miserable and slow recovery process hampered by biomechanical, traumatic, and repetitive stress”. Having tried various other therapies and remedies, such as KT tape and use of a night splint to help, Adam noted that while these worked well enough when used independently, “when I included the Qilta sock I found greater success in managing the inflammation, accelerated recovery, and positive effects overall.”
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Adam! We hope you and your patients reap the QILTA benefits on the road to recovery.
Images of Plantar Fasciitis affected areas (source: Wikipedia)
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What was your experience of Qilta?
“My experience is based on personal use during my successful completion running 32 marathons in 32 counties in 15 & 1/2 Days. It was great to speak with and meet members of Qilta before my challenge to address any questions I had & discuss how best to utilize Qilta into my pre-event, event & recovery.
While I don't have science to back up my experience, I do have the physical result that I achieved what many said was not possible”
Do you attribute Qilta to this success?
“My schedule was very precise and as you can imagine a plan was put in place and we had a very tight schedule. Qilta was part of this plan. After running two marathons in a day I would eat, wash, prep for the next day. Then just before bed I would put on the Qilta sleeve & socks. This controlled any possible swelling added a compression, antibacterial and cooling.
This helped cool, control inflammation and help relax the body to capitalize on the few hours rest.
After a few days and multiple marathons on different surfaces the inevitable happened and I encountered a blister or two.
This could have been a worrying factor if I had time to worry, instead it was dress them and get on with things. Then that night after the application of Qilta socks overnight I would get up the next morning and witness a 90% improvement the feet had benefited hugely.
This was a cycle I would repeat day after day with Qilta going on every night returning my feet to very good condition. The picture below is near the end of the challenge with toes padded for the marathon ahead. so, considering the miles ran it was remarkable to end with my feet in such good condition!”
Do you believe Qilta helped?
“Yes, I believe so!”
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1) I got no blisters/hot spots
2) They felt great on my tired feet after the race
3) My feet are looking better than they have in a while, if only it was summer and I could wear sandals"
]]>Avril Challoner came 3rd in the Raw Ultra Wicklow Way 50 mile race on the 8th Dec in 9 hours and 33 mins.
"My scientific background reminds me it's impossible to tell from one trial if it was good luck or the Qilta socks that kept my feet in good condition during and after the Raw Ultra Wicklow Way 50.
"What I can say is that
1) I got no blisters/hot spots
2) They felt great on my tired feet after the race
3) My feet are looking better than they have in a while, if only it was summer, and I could wear sandals."
We asked Avril about her thoughts on using Qilta having completed the Raw Ultra Wicklow Way 50 Mile race on the 8th Dec ’18
This is Avrils testimonial on her use of Qilta
"I had seen a lucky few other ultra-runners trialling the Qilta socks over the past year and they piqued my interest. A magic pair of socks that can keep an ultra-runner’s feet happy, why wouldn’t I want to try such a fantastic product?
After looking online, I realised they were still in a trial phase and getting my hands on a pair may be a long way off. So, when I saw Don looking for people to test Qilta socks and calf sleeves for the Raw Ultra Wicklow Way 50/100, I jumped!
I received two sets of socks/sleeves to test out, one for before and one for after. After reading the instructions I emailed Qilta directly for a little more direction on how to get the peak performance out of them. I was recommended to use the pre-race pair from lunchtime the day before I started the 50 miler on Saturday morning. They felt great putting them on, the menthol in them gave a cooling tingling sensation. Instructions state that an hour is enough but after emailing Qilta I decided to leave them on until bed-time (I hate sleeping in socks!). On removing them my feet/calves felt lovely and soft. I thought even if the socks do nothing at least my feet are looking a little less like a ultra-runners!
I used my normal socks/trail shoes for the race, I don’t suffer badly from blisters but usually have a few hot spots or sore toes after a race. In particular, one where my feet are wet for the whole race and there are long fire road/road sections like the Raw Ultra Wicklow Way 50. While other parts of my body were complaining about working hard my feet and calves were pretty quiet throughout the race.
As instructed, I got the recovery pair of socks and dry shoes on within a few minutes of crossing the finish line after 9 hours 33 minutes on my feet. However, as I couldn’t get my running tights above my calves, the calf sleeves had to wait until later. The socks felt great on my tired feet. I decided to leave checking my feet for any issues until after I got home and washed. The socks stayed on for about 3 hours before I got home and was able to properly wash. After washing off the layers of mud, I was pleasantly surprised that I had no blisters, hot spots or sore toe nails."
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Barry Middleton from Scotland has a passion for extreme triathlons many of which are part of the XTri World Tour series, set in the most inhospitable environments on earth. http://xtriworldtour.com/
Barry first used Qilta last August at Swedeman Extreme Triathlon where Qilta were a Key Sponsor https://www.swextri.com/
In December '18 Barry competed in the 1st hosting of Patagonman which is set in one of the last wildernesses in Ansen, Patagonia, Chile. http://www.patagonman.com/
This covered a swim 3.8 kilometres in 13 degrees toward Puerto Chacabuco, a ride of 180 kilometres into the windy, winding and hilly road of the famous Carretera Austral to Cerro Castillo and a run of 42.2 kilometres of dirt trail and rubble road following the Ibánez River through forest, next to beautiful lakes and waterfalls all the way to the General Carrera Lake.
Using Qilta as part of his kit, Barry used 2 sets of Qilta the preceding 2 days before the event in preparation and 1 set for recovery.
Here is Barry's Testimonial of his experience of Qilta.
" I have used Qilta for both Swedeman and Patagonman for recovery and I can say in both races afterwards, my legs were good within days which compared to the previous 7 Xtri style races I’ve done and is a major improvement in my recovery. I can put some of that down to fitness and race/post-race nutrition, but I would definitely try Qilta at my next set of races this year. If you’re doing fairly back to back brutal races recovering is everything, not least overall wellness.
Qilta feels therapeutic and that in itself must be part of any efficacy."
.....and a pic of Barry at Swedman Extreme Triathlon sporting Qilta Socks and Sleeves especially made for this swedish event
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Aoife O’Donnell
Mizen2Malin Challenge
On Wed 9th Jan,Aoife O’Donnell will take on the challenge of running from Mizen Head, West Cork to Malin Head in Donegal, the entire length of Ireland, a distance of 545 kms and expect to complete within 7 days in the depths of winter.
Never afraid to take on a challenge, having beaten..
The Badwater Ultramarathon, Furnace Creek, CA,USA, 135 miles with 5800 M elevation, http://www.badwater.com/event/badwater-135/ ,
The Chimera 100 Miler in California, https://www.oldgoatraces.com/races/chimera-100/
The Great Wall of China marathon https://great-wall-marathon.com/
….amongst many others.
Aoife this time takes on the length of Ireland in aid of ISF Cambodia, Pieta House, Preventing Suicide and Self Harm
Qilta will support Aoife all the way starting with 2 days of preparation in advance of her event and then daily recovery to have Aoife ready for the next day.
Aoife will push Qilta to the limits and we look forward to her report on their use.
We wish Aoife the very best in her challenge!
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“I would definitely use the products again and wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them to others.”
Here is Yvonne’s testimony of her event and use of Qilta.
"I used the Qilta socks and calf sleeves pre and post Wicklow Way 100,December 2018. For two nights prior to the race I wore a pair of each item putting them on in the evening and leaving them on overnight. After the race I wore the items that evening, again leaving them on overnight.
Both socks and calf sleeves are easy to put on and comfortable to wear. I immediately felt a cooling sensation from the cream application which lasted an hour or slightly more. Both items were comfortable to wear to bed. After the first wear the skin on both my feet and lower extremities felt soft and hydrated. While I didn’t have any particular muscle achiness or tightness prior to wearing the items my legs still felt generally refreshed, especially after the second day.
The race had extremely wet weather and my feet were exposed to a lot of ground water. However, I did not develop any blisters or significant hot spots that required me to change my socks or shoes. After the race I didn’t have any macerated skin despite nearly 23 hours of running in these conditions and I didn’t have a single blister or hot spot. After cleaning my feet and legs I put on another pair of socks and sleeves. The cooling effect was extremely pleasant on my tired extremities. I wore the items overnight and the next morning my feet felt refreshed and looked like I’d never even run the day before. While the items do not provide compression, my lower extremities seemed less swollen than if I had not used them.
In general, I found the product comfortable to wear. I think the cream application helped to hydrate my skin which may have helped in preventing hot spots and blisters. My leg and foot muscles also felt refreshed and relaxed in general and this was particularly apparent after the race. I would definitely use the products again and wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them to others."
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“A huge recommendation for anyone who suffers with bad feet or tight calves from running or exercising.”
]]>Mark Doyle is an Irish International Ultra runner who competed and won the Raw Ultra Wicklow 100 Mile trail run on the 7-8th Dec in 19 hours
Here is marks testimonial of his use of Qilta:
"It's been 3 weeks since winning the Raw Ultra 100 Mile Race and recovery has been going well. One added ingredient to a successful recovery has been the addition of Qilta Recovery sleeves and socks.
Putting these super absorbent socks and calf sleeves on my legs directly after finishing the 100 Mile has made a huge difference. The balm on the socks has reduced the size and pain from blisters on my feet, the calf sleeves reducing the inflammation and swelling after such a long race.
With this new addition to the kit bag, I was up and walking normal so much faster than before. A huge recommendation for anyone who suffers with bad feet or tight calves from running or exercising.
Thank you so much to Don Hannon, Jim Dunne and the guys at Qilta for the help and looking forward to sharing the new products coming in 2019.
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