April 21, 2005
I write to you as an avid, PVL Nutrients user and certainly believe it has contributed to my success as a marathon runner and unique world-record holder.

As you know, last summer I was involved in a backyard accident which left me with a 6-inch gash to the head and my neck broken in two places coming within a centimetre of being paralyzed.

For days I was in traction and spent a week in a surgical halo (screwed into my head at four locations) prior to surgery. This procedure required a bone graft from my hip, and a plate to fuse to my neck and the inserted bone graft, held by 4 titanium screws. During surgery, the halo was removed and I spent the next several months in a neck brace.

When this accident occurred, I had being preparing for what would have been my 4th marathon. After many years’ hiatus, running and fitness had once again become my passion. I had lost 70 pounds and found a new way of life. Fitness and proper nutrition had become incredibly important, good common-sense issues to me.

The bone-graft would not allow me to run for the first time in 3 years. It had been rare when a week passed where I missed more than 1 or 2 days of training. Now, I could barely walk. It took a week before I was able to walk a block and several more until I could manage 3 or 4 kilometres. Weeks earlier, a 20km training run was routine.

Without a doubt, PVL products helped me return to running, including strength work and training to become the first person ever to run a full marathon after having broken their neck. My training includes speed, hill and distance workouts averaging 90 kilometres per week. I feel less muscle soreness after hard or long runs when I use GLT-3 (which I now use on a daily basis) - a huge benefit considering how hard I train. Training twice a day, means that sometimes I need an energy boost late afternoon. Without a doubt, Thermo Maxx, has been incredibly effective and made those second workouts more productive than I could have imagined.

As a long-distance runner, I take my nutritional needs very seriously. I know that all protein powders are not the same. I have tried them all, and PVL’s ISO-Maxx is the best protein I have come across. It also tastes great and mixes very well. I don’t go a day with out making an ISO-Maxx ‘smoothy’ with fruit mixed into it. I have it right after my morning workout.

As I now consider the next challenge in front of me – the 2005 World Masters Games and future marathons, I know that PVL nutritional supplements will help in keeping me strong, healthy and training at optimal levels.


Howard Shore
1st Person world-wide to run a marathon after breaking his neck