Giant suffers, CrossFit for Sale, the $2B Soda, Resilience Training, and more…

👋 Good morning and happy Friday. I’m Scott and feel free to reach me here.

This is the Front Pack Newsletter, your weekly source for all things endurance and business. We feed you the most important things happening in the world of health & wellness, cycling, triathlon, and running.

Join our app to stay motivated, meet athletes near you, coordinate workouts, and highlight your journey to greatness.

As always. Stay moving…✌️

SB

FINAL THOUGHTS: On Cloudsurfer 2 – Smooth Sailing or Simply Sunk?

Promised I’d come back with my final thoughts. I’ve spent the last three weeks running in the On Cloudsurfer 2, taking them through everything from short 3-milers to solid 11-mile efforts. Here’s my verdict.

The Good

✅ Smooth Sailing: The midsole feels like an upgrade from the original Cloudsurfer—more solid underfoot, making that heel-to-toe transition feel pretty effortless on easy miles.

✅ Stable & Steady: With 40+ miles logged, these still feel locked in with every step. Even fresh out of the box, they inspire more confidence than v1, where I constantly felt one misstep away from rolling an ankle. Will they hold up over time without that dreaded “dead shoe” feeling? We’ll see.

✅ Mid-Cush Sweet Spot: On makes some of the cushiest shoes out there—but these aren’t those. If you want cloud clouds, go elsewhere. But if you prefer a mid-ground cushion for recovery miles and easy training days, these fit the bill.

The Bad

❌ No Turbo: The Cloudsurfer 2 is built for cruise control, not speed. I’ve pushed them to a 7-minute pace over 8 miles, but let’s be honest—there are better options if you want to go fast without extra effort.

❌ Snug: The toebox runs tight. If you like some wiggle room for those 10 toes, consider sizing up.

❌ Toasty: Maybe it’s the snug fit, but these feel a bit less breathable than other trainers. Not a huge issue yet because it’s still Spring, but Summer might be a different story.

My Conclusion

I like these. Scout’s honor. They’re a solid daily trainer, and if you’re looking for something a little different (style-wise) but still in the same wheelhouse as other brands, the Cloudsurfer 2 is worth a go. Are these anything special? No. But at $160, you’re paying the standard rate for a trainer—so if you want comfort, style, and a reliable easy-day ride, these deliver.

Run on.

SB

The Biz

Giant profits plummet by 60%: Giant has posted its financial results for 2024 and announced that profits were slashed by almost two-thirds last year as heavy discounting and inventory challenges hit the business.Sales dropped 7.4% in 2024 but remained above pre-pandemic levels. Read more…

From Lawsuit to Acquisition: The $2 Billion Soda: Pepsi is buying Poppi, the prebiotic soda sued last year for alleged deceitful marketing. The acquisition will allow PepsiCo to “evolve its portfolio” and expand its “better-for-you offerings.” PepsiCo did not share when the sale would finalize. Last summer, Poppi was sued over claims that its drinks don’t contain enough prebiotic fiber to cause “meaningful gut health benefits.” Poppi told USA TODAY on Monday that it reached an $8.9 million settlement with the plaintiffs and is awaiting court approval. Lawsuit aside, PepsiCo’s purchase will mark the company’s first step into the prebiotic soda industry, which has grown in recent years with the popularity of brands like Olipop, Culture Pop and most recently, Coca-Cola’s Simply Pop. Read more…

CrossFit for Sale: CrossFit is for sale for the second time since 2020 as the fitness company has seen a decrease in popularity. The company, which has more than roughly 10,000 affiliated gyms globally, sent an email to its owners this week that said it plans to “review a wide range of buyers.” Broiled in controversy, ownership changes, and increased membership costs, the CEO told CrossFit affiliates in a virtual town hall Thursday the company’s new owner would ideally be “someone with connection to our community,” the New York Times reported. He also said the sale was the “right thing” for the company and its business. Read more…

Meanwhile

Other happenings in the world of endurance.

How to Train Your Physiological Resilience: Scientists tackle the challenge of maintaining qualities like high VO2 max and good running economy even when you’re tired. Fascinating read that is well worth your time. +1 for strength training for runners because during testing, running economy starts getting significantly worse after about an hour. After strength training, this drift is less pronounced. Read more…

Laidlow in Trouble: It’s been a tough go for the IRONMAN World Champion whose battled fitness issues since the beginning of 2025. With no real answers to date, Laidlow has started antibiotics to ‘kill off parasite’ that has wreaked havoc on his stomach. Though nobody has any answers, the champ is hopeful Challenge Roth on July 6th will be his first race. Read more…

40mm Road Tires are all the Rage: Because they’re fast! Over the past 10 years, road tires have been getting wider, and wider, and wider. From 23mm to 25, then to 28, and now, slowly, the WorldTour is eking its way towards 30mm, while plenty of amateurs have made the jump already. Read more…

The 50 Best Adventures: From the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, Outside gets in-depth on updating what the best modern adventure looks like. Take note. Read more…

The Hardest Triathlons in the World: From The Brutal, to Norseman, if you don’t think an IRONMAN is hard enough for you, hardddooooooo, then check out these nine alternatives. Read more…

The Best Gravel Tires: Absolutely, the most in-depth tire story I’ve ever read. Real world testing that has substance and actual thoughts. Focused on a wide variety of gravel – from smooth to the chunk. A must read if you’re a gravel grinder. Read more…

The Power of Hand Posture: The more propulsion swimmers can create, the faster they will go. How do swimmers create more propulsion? They need to move more water backward. How do they move more water backward? Change their hand posture. It’s a strategy that’s been around for a long time, and it’s a powerful one. Read more…

Rewatchables

Content for long training days inside or just everyday life.

Why Zone 2 Gets HARDER As You Get Fitter | We Asked An Expert: Understand how Zone 2 really works can make a huge difference in your training.

Snow, Mud, & Gravel: Valley of Tears Gravel Race Recap: What was supposed to be a 93 mile race turned into a grueling 50 miles thanks to an unexpected snowstorm that dumped 4-5 inches of heavy snow on the course. ❄️