Ottawa Cross

2011 – 2012 Cyclo-Cross Sponsors

Many thanks to the following outstanding companies for the continued support and sponsorship. Looking forward to a top-notch season of racing.

The Cyclery: gosh what can I say about Vince and his tremendous support? Without Vince’s support and encouragement, I don’t think this website and Ottawa.cx would even exist. He has provided me with bikes, group sets, clothes, mechanical work – basically anything I need – Vince and his staff at The Cyclery are there. Not many people realize the amount of support that Vince gives to local cyclists. Thanks Vince and The Cyclery for the support.

Stevens Bikes: I’ve been racing on Stevens Bikes since 2007. I can’t say enough about these bikes and the company. I’ve been very lucky to have the support of Stevens Bikes Canada. I get to race on one of the most popular and in-demand cyclo-cross bikes on the scene. The Stevens Carbon Team is a pure beauty to ride. Thanks Stevens Bikes Canada for the bikes and sponsorship.

Clif Bar: having food in my jersey pocket that I want to eat, makes it really easy to be on top of my training, racing and recovery nutrition. This might sound cheesy, but honestly, I haven’t tried a Clif Bar product that I don’t like. I’m really happy to see the new gluten-free products as well. From gels that go down easy to the Luna protein bars to the very popular Clif Shot Bloks – this food is simply the best. Yes, I call it food – because Clif Bar products are made from real organic ingredients. Thanks Clif Bar for helping me to  so easily stay on top of my nutrition and fueling my rides.

Bell Lap Coaching: without coach Steve Weller, I wouldn’t even be here writing this post. He really has believed in me from the start and has made it realistic and possible for me to chase my cyclo-cross racing dreams. No challenge is too big for Steve – when I tell him what I want to do, he gets down to business and figures out how I can get there in the best form possible. This past season has been a roller-coaster with my health, and Steve is always there to adjust my training as needed and to remind me of the big picture. Thanks Steve and Bell Lap Coaching!

Outdoor Gear Canada: thanks to a great local rep, I’ve been fortunate to have some incredible support from Outdoor Gear Canada. New helmet, new gloves, flashy new shoes, fast wheels – really whatever it is, I’m lucky to receive some top notch gear. Thanks to Outdoor Gear Canada for the continued support and great products to race and train with.

Champion Systems Canada: I’ve been racing in Champions Systems clothing since 2007 and last season I received sponsorship from Champion Systems Canada. Everyone I’ve worked with has been top-notch and very understanding when it comes to uploading logos, making last minute changes to my clothing design and delivering my racing and training clothes early. I’ve tried a whole range of Champion Systems Canada products, and really there is not one item of clothing I have complaints about – everything fits, looks good, is durable, and best of all is completely customized for me. Thanks Sean for helping me look good while going fast!

Lolë: this Canadian clothing company is all about inspiring women to live their best lives. Live Out Loud Everyday really is the way Lolë operates to get women feeling good, being active and looking good. I’m very happy to be part of the Lolë community. You’ll see me out at the races wearing Lolë clothing, blogging over at LolëLove and working with this forward-thinking company to host events in Ottawa and the area.

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2010 – 2011 Cyclo-Cross Sponsors

I’m excited to announce that the following sponsors will be supporting me for the upcoming season. Many thanks to these fine companies for the continued support. I truly couldn’t do this without such generous support.

Kingsbridge Disaster Recovery: once again Skip Williams of Kingsbridge has stepped forward to be a big supporter of Ottawa Cross and my racing and training season. Many thanks to Skip and the guys for believing in me and supporting me for the season. I really do appreciate it. Go check out the Kingsbridge web site. You won’t be disappointed. Did I mention that all the guys ride? Yep, not only are they big supporters of mine but they are all pretty good at ripping it up on the road and trails.

The Cyclery: none of this would be possible without the continued support of Vince Caceres of The Cyclery. Vince is one of the biggest supporters of cyclists in Ottawa. Thanks to Vince, I’m ripping it up on some fast Stevens bikes. If you need a bike, wheels, clothes, or a tune-up – definitely visit The Cyclery – you won’t be disappointed. Thanks Vince for the support!

Stevens Bikes: thanks to the generous support of Stevens Bikes, I’ll be able to line up knowing that I truly am racing on the fastest and most reliable cyclo-cross bikes available. I’ve raced on the Stevens Super Prestige for three seasons now and I’m very happy to continue this relationship. Many thanks to Stevens Bikes for the continued support and for making such darn fast bikes!

Bell Lap Coaching: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I would not be where I am today without the fine coaching and training from Steve Weller of Bell Lap Coaching. Steve took me on when I was a “wannabe” and carefully guided me to where I am today – an elite cyclo-cross and road racer. Steve’s knowledge about road and cyclo-cross racing has been instrumental in developing training plans that work for me. Thanks Bell Lap Coaching, you give me the confidence to toe the line.

Clif Bar: thanks to Clif Bar, my pre-race, race and post-race nutrition needs are completely covered. I was lucky to benefit from a Clif Bar sponsorship last season and I can definitely say the Clif products are the way to go. I’m kind of addicted to the Strawberry Clif Shot Bloks and the Double Expresso Clif Shot Gels give that extra buzz I need on the start line. Hungry? Feeling a bit dehydrated? Go check out Clif Bar.

Oakley: I can definitely see clearly now that I’m fortunate to receive glasses, lenses, and swag from this leader in all things sunglasses. Many thanks to Oakley for the Oakley glasses (Flak Jackets), lenses, hats, and other swag. I’m looking forward to putting my glasses through the paces during the cyclo-cross and road season. One of the coolest aspects of the Oakley sunglasses is that you can customize your sunglasses to match your team kit, your favorite colors, or just to simply stand out in a crowd. Thanks to Oakley, you can be one of the cool kids.

Outdoor Gear Canada: thanks to Outdoor Gear Company I’ll be ripping it up with a super smooth Giro Prolight helmet. My feet will be super styling and supported in the super fly yellow Mavic Fury mountain bike shoes. To top it off, I can train and race with confidence knowing that I’ve got the best in tubular wheels rolling under me. Thanks OGC!

Champion Systems Canada: thanks to the support of Champion Systems, the leader in custom sublimated cycling, running, triathlon, and active clothing, I’ll be racing, training, and lounging in functional and stylish clothing. I’ve been racing and training in Champion Systems clothing for the past three years and I’m pleased to have them on board this year as a sponsor. You’ll see me out at the races in my red, white, and black kit, including custom designed skinsuits, jerseys, shorts, bib tights, thermal jackets and vests. Thanks Champion Systems for helping me to proudly display my sponsors logos and to look good doing it!

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2009 – 2010 Cyclo-Cross Sponsors

I’m proud to announce the following sponsors for the upcoming 2009 – 2010 cyclo-cross season. Thanks to the support of these fine companies, I’m able to chase my dreams. Thanks so much for the support!

Kingsbridge Disaster Recovery: once again Skip Williams of Kingsbridge has stepped forward to be a big supporter of Ottawa Cross and my racing and training season. Many thanks to Skip and the guys for believing in me and supporting me for the season. I really do appreciate it. Go check out the Kingsbridge web site. You won’t be disappointed. Did I mention that all the guys ride? Yep, not only are they big supporters of mine but they are all pretty good at ripping it up on the road and trails.

Clif Bar: thanks to Clif Bar, my pre-race, race and post-race nutrition needs are completely covered. I was lucky to benefit from a Clif Bar sponsorship last season and I can definitely say the Clif products are the way to go. I’m kind of addicted to the Strawberry Clif Shot Bloks and the Double Expresso Clif Shot Gels give that extra buzz I need on the start line. Hungry? Feeling a bit dehydrated? Go check out Clif Bar.

Outdoor Gear Canada: my head, feet, eyes, and wheels are all taken care of by the support of Outdoor Gear Company. Thanks to Outdoor Gear Company I’ll be ripping it up with a super smooth Giro helmet and glasses. My feet will be super styling and supported in the super fly yellow Mavic Fury mountain bike shoes. To top it off, I can train and race with confidence knowing that I’ve got the best in tubular wheels rolling under me. Thanks OGC!

Bell Lap Coaching: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I would not be where I am today without the fine coaching and training from Steve Weller of Bell Lap Coaching. Steve took me on when I was a “wannabe” and carefully guided me to where I am today – an elite cyclo-cross and road racer. Steve’s knowledge about road and cyclo-cross racing has been instrumental in developing training plans that work for me. Thanks Bell Lap Coaching, you give me the confidence to toe the line.

The Cyclery: none of this would be possible without the continued support of Vince Caceres of The Cyclery. Vince is one of the biggest supporters of cyclists in Ottawa. Thanks to Vince, I’m ripping it up on some fast Stevens bikes. If you need a bike, wheels, clothes, or a tune-up – definitely visit The Cyclery – you won’t be disappointed. Thanks Vince for the support!

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This season I’ll be racing on the Ottawa-based Cyclery racing team. Many Ottawa racers owe a huge debt to Vince for the support and patience he extends. Many thanks to The Cyclery and Vince for the continued support – I’m super proud to be wearing the blue hues again this season.

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2008-2009 Cyclo-Cross Sponsors

The following companies are provided awesome support to Vicki during the 2008-2009 season. Thanks so much for the support and positive vibes.

Kingsbridge Disaster Recovery
Many of you have seen my new race and training clothing. One sponsor that is displayed prominently is Kingsbridge Disaster Recovery. Thanks to the support of Kingsbridge, i am fortunate to be able to travel to and live in Europe for the winter months – training for and racing cyclo-cross.

About Kingsbridge Disaster Recovery
Since 1983, KingsBridge has helped hundreds of organizations requiring disaster recovery and business continuity planning. With a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective DR/BC solutions, KingsBridge has the perfect planning solution for your organization.

KingsBridge offers a range of products and solutions to address your organization’s specific needs and to get your plan created quickly so that you can begin protecting your company’s assets today.

* Phoenix our easy-to-use planning software creates a tailored DR/BC plan that can be printed or saved and updated. This software can be purchased and downloaded from our website for immediate use.
* Training seminars on creating effective disaster recovery and business continuity plans and maintaining your plan.
* In addition, KingsBridge offers consulting and turn-key solutions to guide your company step-by-step through the process of creating, maintaining and updating your DR/BC plan.

KingsBridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Ontario and Austin, Texas.

Kingsbridge Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Blog

Massive thanks to Kingsbridge Disaster Recovery for their support this season. It helps so much to have these guys cheering me on and helping me out with my travel and accommodation expenses. Thanks guys – here’s to a fantastic 2008 – 2009 cyclo-cross season.

The Cyclery
This is the second cyclo-cross season that I’ve received tremendous support from The Cyclery. Vince has set me up with some sweet Stevens Super-Prestige bikes, tires, wheels, groupos – basically whatever I need, Vince is there to help out. I definitely could not be racing and traveling as much as I am without the support of Vince and his staff at The Cyclery. Steve is the top mechanic at the shop and he is quick to fix up my rigs and make suggestions on bike fit, tire selection, wheels, etc. This support from The Cyclery also translates to the road season for me. This summer I’ll be racing for The Cyclery again – I’m proud to wear the blue and white clothing and even more stoked to have The Cyclery logo on my Ottawa Cross clothing.

With over 10 years in business, The Cyclery has established itself as one of the premier bike stores in Ottawa. The knowledgeable retail staff and mechanics are quick to find you the bike the best suits your needs can solve any issues you may be having with your current two-wheeler. Not limited to only road bikes, this Ottawa South store sells mountain bikes, cyclo-cross bikes, hybrids and commuters. You can also find a full selection of cycling clothing from the base layer through to hats, caps, and shoe covers.

As a specialist in cyclo-cross bikes, you’ll find the complete range of Stevens cyclo-cross bikes as well as ‘cross specific chain rings, wheels, brakes and tires. Be sure to check out the list of ‘cross products on the web site.

The Cyclery is a big supporter of the local Ottawa cycling community. Owner Vince Caceres is a strong believer in supporting the grass roots as well as elite cycling communities. For the past five years, The Cyclery has been a proud supporter of the OBC cyclo-cross series – providing prizes and support. Vince also provides a great deal of support to The Cyclery racing team and to the Stevens women’s cycling team.

Transitioning from the clear fall days to the winter is not easy. Not to worry – in the winter, The Cyclery is also home to Kiwi Mike’s Ski Service, run by the legendary New Zealander Mike Leach. Mike services and repairs all makes of snow boards, cross-country and alpine skis and bindings, as well as selling a comprehensive range of cross-country and telemark skis, poles, boots, wax and clothing.

Looking for that dream bike, or just need something to get you to work? Need the old machine fixed up — or fine-tuned for an upcoming competition? Or are you just looking for some accessories? The Cyclery has what you are looking for or can order it for you. We even sharpen skates in the winter!

Thanks so much Vince! Without your support Ottawa Cross would not be possible. Your commitment to the local cycling community and supporting our racing goals is awesome.

Outdoor Gear Canada
This cyclo-cross season I’m very fortunate to have support from Giro and Mavic thanks to Outdoor Gear Canada and Dave Shirley. Dave and OGC set me up with some great equipment that completes my set of racing and training tools for the 2008 – 2009 cyclo-cross season.

This season my skull is protected with the Giro Monza helmet. I’ve got a small head. This makes finding a helmet very challenging. I’ve tried many makes and models of helmets. I can now safely say that the Giro Monza fits! It really fits – I don’t have to add extra padding, mess around with the chin straps – I just really put it on and I’m good to go. The added benefit is that since the helmet fits – i don’t have to deal with the “bouncing helmet” syndrome that used to happen. Thanks OGC!

Glasses. Everyone has their favorite pair of racing glasses. I must admit that until this season I didn’t really worry about glasses. Primarily because I had trouble finding glasses that would fit with my small head and helmet issue. Enter the Giro Havik Compact glasses. These glasses are designed to fit with the Giro helmets. Perfect. I’m wearing the size small Giro Havik Compact glasses and they fit perfectly with my Giro helmet. These glasses stay on, they don’t slip, and most importantly they integrate nicely with the straps and fit system of the Giro helmets. I typically use the clear lense in my glasses, and have found that even the clear lense helps to sharpen images and make the lines, obstacles, ruts, and mud pop out more and be more viewable.

What is the one piece of gear besides the frame that bike racers love to talk about? Wheels. The all-important wheels. This season, I’m super lucky to be racing on Mavic wheels. I’ve got a complete set of tubular rims hanging in my garage. I have two sets of new wheels for racing on this season – the deep-dish Mavic Carbones and a pair of Mavic Kysrium SL tubular rims. The Mavic Carbones are super smooth – they seem to almost float through the sand and mud. The Mavic Kysrium SL wheels are the work-horse of cyclo-cross racing wheels. Look at any top racer’s bike set-up and there is pretty good chance that these wheels will be on the bike. Durable. Strong. Smooth. Mavic wheels are definitely my first choice on race and training days. Thanks to OGC for settng me up with these wheels.

Clif Bar
For the 2008 – 2009 season, I’m really fortunate to have Clif Bar on board as a sponsor. Basically, Clif Bar is helping me take care of my nutritional training and racing needs. Thanks to Clif Bar, I’ve got a my pre-race nutrition, race, and post-race nutrition covered. Shot Bloks, Clif Bars, and Shots are always in my race bag. And for a little treat, I’ve been known to munch on chocolate raspberry Nectar bar.

Check out the Clif Bar web site to learn more about the company, its products, the company’s efforts to fight global warming, and most importantly Cliff Bar’s community involvement projects.

Big thanks to Clif Bar for helping me out this year. Very much appreciated.

Cycle-Smart
Wow, where to start with how much Cycle-Smart and coach Steve Weller have shaped me as an athlete. Lets flashback to three years ago. My first Cycle-Smart cyclo-cross camp. I had just returned to bike racing and was starting to get the ‘cross bug again. I wanted to get better. Didn’t really have any goals or ideas – I just knew I wanted to improve. Enter Cycle-Smart and Steve – now here I am. Three years ago I was a back-of-the-pack masters cyclo-cross racer. Now thanks to the smart coaching and guidance – I’m racing with the elite women – in the front of the race. Over the last three years, my goals have gotten higher and bigger – Steve doesn’t flinch – he just says “Yep, we can do it. And this is how we’re going to do it.” Now we’re doing it – aiming higher and setting the goal to Tabor, Czech Republic in 2010 – thanks Steve and Cycle-Smart – you guys have given me the legs, lungs, and technical skills.

Why Cycle-Smart?

With so many coaches and option out there these days, why choose a Cycle-Smart coach or program over any other?

Price is always an issue, and in many cases Cycle-Smart is a bit less expensive than companies with similar offerings. For our competitors, their ability to make money is by volume, and that means loading up coaches with a lot of clients and giving them a substantial supply of “pre-made” training programs and nutritional information. They essentially have built up an automated knowledge base of pre-fabricated responses, articles, and schedules that may or may not fit who you are and how much time you have. We also offer the flexibility of month-to-month coaching after the first 3 months, and no start-up fees, rather than a big up front cost and long-term commitment. We mostly ask for 3 months commitment because we think it takes that long for a client to show real improvement, not because it makes financial sense to do so.

We take the approach of tailoring training plans and schedules for each individual client. While we have some tools and a knowledge base that we use to try to streamline our coaching, the focus is always on the individual with us. While other companies will likely be a more profitable business model than Cycle-Smart, we prefer to work more closely with our clients.

To us the goal isn’t to get rich, it’s to share the experience of a sport we all love and to which are deeply committed.

We often get clients who previously worked with other companies, and the most common reaction is their surprise in the level of personalization and responsiveness we offer. Our approach of helping people keep their lives in balance makes for more success whether you have a full-time job, or cycling is your full-time job.

About Cycle-Smart

This page had been left blank for quite some time, and for good reason. Talking about Cycle-Smart – what it is, what it stands for, what it’s goals are – would be the equivalent of defining who I am, what I stand for, and what my goals are as a person. Naturally, I feared such an undertaking.

Three years on, Cycle-Smart isn’t just a part of me, but has made me a part of it, taking on a life of it’s own, and defining itself along the way. At the start, Cycle-Smart began simply as a way to try and turn all the activities I was involved in on a volunteer basis into something I could do for a living: coaching riders, organizing and promoting races, and managing teams. As I came to the end of the period I spent racing my bike as my sole source of income, I wanted to find a way to give that time and the experience I had acquired more value and importance. I had always done that through volunteerism, but I felt that now I had an opportunity to dedicate myself to those things full time and improve the quality of the work I did.

In pursuing that end, Cycle-Smart has filled many roles. It’s become a business, yes, but business is perhaps the least important part of the whole. Cycle-Smart has become a community, a congregation, and a collective, depending on a large group of people sharing an experience. It’s a place to exchange ideas and to build things. It’s a creative outlet, it’s therapy, insanity, activism, and social construction. Most of the time, it leaves me with more questions than answers.

What is the role of sports in modern society? Is it business? Is it escapism? Is it an opportunity for self-fulfillment and actualization that we can carry over in the other aspects of our lives? Is it a cure for the pain and depression many of us struggle with daily? Cycle-Smart is a sociological experiment in some ways, exploring these issues, and allowing people to cope with them.

Most importantly, Cycle-Smart is a place to do good work. I feel this is the biggest struggle of all in life: to find fulfilling, sustaining work that contributes to the common good. Our mission at Cycle-Smart is to promote and improve the enjoyment and quality of and opportunities for bicycle racing locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, in that order of priority, through rider coaching, event organization, and team management. In doing so, Cycle-Smart seeks to promote cycling as a whole not just as a passive activity, but as a metaphor for life that teaches skills for survival, fulfillment, and happiness.

Adam Hodges Myerson
June 30th, 2002

Thanks Cycle-Smart – your advice, guidance, knowledge, experience, and patience are unmatched. Looking forward to seeing how much higher we can go.

MountainGoat Yoga Centre

Yoga – I can’t live with out it. I’m a firm believer that yoga has helped me in all aspects physically and mentally. I started going to MountainGoat Yoga Centre in Barrhaven four years ago. I was looking for an “athletic” style of yoga that would give my strengthening and stretching. At the time I wasn’t too interested in the “spiritual” aspects of yoga. But now after four years of fairly steady practice – I’ve come to appreciate the full-body benefits of yoga. My body is leaner, stronger, more flexible and my crazy brain has learned how to relax and live in the moment. I fully believe that yoga has helped me rebound from injury more quickly, prevented injuries, and has definitely strengthened my upper body and core.

There are a lot of yoga studios in the Ottawa-area. I’ve tried quite a few. But MountainGoat is it for me. The environment is very welcoming, the teachers are top-notch, the other students are super friendly. Just what I want – a healthy and friendly environment where I can take some time to develop my body and brain. MountainGoat Yoga Centre has helped me out so much this year – promoting my sponsorship package and providing me with free yoga classes.

Top Ten Reasons to Start Yoga

As yoga grows ever more popular, athletes of all types are incorporating the practice of yoga into their training. Athletes know that flexibility is a key aspect of healthy muscle and therefore better overall performance within their sport.

Athletes of all sorts tend to over develop certain muscle groups, while at the same time within other muscle groups there is an underdevelopment. Ultimately muscles that are continuously overdeveloped become tight and inflexible causing an imbalance in the body that will eventually lead to injury.
Runners tend to have tight hamstrings; cyclists often have tight quadriceps. Those engaged in throwing sports or swimming may complain of tired or aching shoulders; golfers and tennis players may have more freedom of rotation in one direction than the other.

Yoga is one way to manage the demands on an athletes body and bring back a sense of limberness to an already strong body!

Here’s 10 reasons to begin your yoga practice today:

FLEXIBILITY: Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement. With an increase in ROM muscles move faster and further giving the athlete an extra edge. Many people can’t touch their toes during their first yoga class. Over time, the muscles lengthen, increasing elasticity, making more poses possible and enjoyable. Yoga also helps to improve body alignment resulting in better posture.

DECREASES RISK OF INJURY: A flexible muscle is a healthy muscle. A muscle that can respond to the lightning fast demands of quick movement within sports is essential. Athletes require that muscles lengthen when required without putting undue stress on the joints to decrease any risk of injury…..this is where a flexible muscle becomes an indispensable requirement.

PAIN RELIEF: Yoga can ease pain. Studies have demonstrated that practicing yoga asanas (postures), combined with deeper breathing, reduced pain for people with conditions such as muscles spasns/cramping, arthritis, back and neck pain and other chronic conditions. Some practitioners report that even emotional pain can be eased through the practice of yoga.

INCREASED STRENGTH: Yoga asanas (postures) use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe. Holding your own body weight for the duration of the yoga posture sculpts strong muscles but also builds stamina.

STRESS RELIEF: Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body. By encouraging relaxation, yoga helps to lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia.

BETTER BREATHING: Yoga teaches people to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function, trigger the body’s relaxation response and increase the amount of oxygen available to the body. The more oxygen available to the muscles the better overall performance.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: Yoga (even less vigorous styles) can aid weight control efforts by reducing the cortisol levels as well as by burning excess calories and reducing stress. Yoga also encourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sense of well being and self esteem.

IMPROVED CIRCULATION: Yoga helps to improve circulation and, as a result of various poses, more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body’s cells.

CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING: Even gentle yoga practice can provide cardio-vascular benefits by lowering resting heart rate, increasing endurance and improving oxygen uptake during exercise.

FOCUS ON THE PRESENT: Yoga helps us to focus on the present, to become more aware and to help create mind body health. It opens the way to improved concentration, coordination, reaction time and memory. Yoga gives you time to get to know your body better.

Convinced? Check out the schedules and class details for MountainGoat Yoga Centre. Your body and brain will thank you.

Massive thanks to Heather and all the other great teachers at MountainGoat. Your support this year has helped me so much – on and off the bike. I look forward to my yoga classes every week – a chance to recharge and refresh my body and mind.

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Check out Vicki’s sponsorship package. Or send me an email and we can talk.