What are you working on RIGHT NOW? A pair of gloves for [ a Formula One driver who's family name is a household word in the sport]. I did a pair of these for [•another driver whose name you'd know] and now they all want them.

That was the exchange when I walked in to Sole Performance, a tiny shoe repair store in Encititas, North San Diego County, owned by legend shoe dog Jim Rice, the Dave Scott of athletic shoe customization and--I don't know how many times I've heard this from how many different people--the Best Kept Secret In Triathlon.

Are you doing anything for any triathletes right now? He goes in the back and returns with two pairs of shoes, one running, one cycling, owned by Michellie Jones. All sorts of stuff on these shoes that don't come standard. To help them fit perfectly. To get on and off better in transitions.

I was there to get my custom orthotics (which I got from a custom orthotic maker) Jim Rice Customized. So they'd REALLY be perfect. I was also having him build a better, lighter, but otherwise duplicate pair.

Scott Tinley on Jim Rice: He is awesome. His recognition is long overdue. When I met him he was the warehouse supervisor for Second Sole, he was in charge of the warehouse and the screen printables. This was eighteen years ago. He was always fiddling with things, trying to make things better. I still consider him McGuyver in the flesh, he can always make things work. Sure, he always worked on all my shoes. But I started taking things like backpacks, suitcases, boots, wetsuits, basically anything that can be fixed by sewing, glueing, bolting on, he was my go-to guy.

Tinley relates a story: Quite a few years ago Lemond was in town, all these people were there waiting for him to show up at this bar, like twenty people are all waiting for Lemond. Jim was there, sitting off by himself at the bar. LeMond comes in, and he spots Jim. He ignores everybody else and beats a path straight for him. Who knew that Lemond actually knows this guy? But it turns out Jim made the carbonfiber soles for Lemond's cycling shoes.

Tinley says that he had him make aerodynamic cleat fairings on the bottom of bike shoes when he was riding aerolyte pedals. Tinley has tried to dial him in to different shoe companies, but it never worked. "It just bums me out," Tinley says, "He's so smart."

No reason to be bummed on Rice's behalf. He's right where he wants to be. His store is constantly crammed full of customers, often recognizable pro athletes in different sports. And one look at his website tells you he's definitely entered the information age.

I found out about Jim Rice from I don't know whom. But I started taking my wife JulieAnne's shoes to him. A seven ounce racing flat goes in, an eight ounce racing flat comes out with a custom orthotic hard-fixed to the shoe. I asked him who he's done work for. Oh, I don't know, he says. So I just started naming people. Tinley? Heather? Paula? Spencer? Yes. Yes. Yes. Finally I just stopped asking. He's done everybody's shoes.

Used to be, back when there was a pretty big difference in the quality of one running shoe brand versus another--something Rice says is not the case anymore--he'd take an entire shoe, a New Balance, say, and "rebrand" it so that it LOOKED like a shoe made by another manufacturer. The athlete gets to run in what he wants, and he fulfills his contract.

Paul Huddle on Jim Rice: He's a legend. He's a shoe savant. He's a freak. He ought to be working for one of the big shoe companies like Nike. But I'm glad he's not, because he's THE MAN when it comes to getting your shoes ready for transitions, or actually doing anything. Customized bike cases, customized bags, he can do anything. He's a genius. I love him.

Jim Rice of Sole Performance.

165 S. El Camino Real, Ste K, Encinitas, CA 92024 (El Camino @ Encinitas Blvd., LA Fitness Shopping Ctr).

jim@shoeguy.com
www.shoeguy.com

760-944-7433
800-944-2755