In attempt to provide the Women’s Cycling Magazine community with more content focusing on health and fitness here is the first of  many more videos and post to come!

We all strive to perform our best with cycling what better place to start looking at than our diets? I’ve recently change my eating habits quite drastically. For the past month and for the rest of my life I’ve switched to eating exclusively Raw Organic Live Foods! With the occasional bowl of brown rice every other day or so all I’m eating now are fruits, vegetable, nuts and uncooked grains.

If you just took a giant leap out of your seat… sit back down and hear me out. I can tell you with absolute certainty… I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. I have a sister who has been eating Raw for six years and for years she’s tried to tell me how good this Raw lifestyle is… but I would shrug her off and I can even remember laughing at her when she showed me a video!

Shame on me because, good lord ol’ mighty I have seen the light! Ladies, I was a vegetarian for 4 years (junk food vegetarian) and let me let you in on a secret most people don’t know… cooking your food takes out all the GOOD WHOLESOME and essential NUTRIENTS your body really needs. Now that I’ve switched to Raw foods I have notice my energy levels sky rocket and I only sleep 4-5 hours a night now!!! This coming from a guy who slept a full 8 hours sometimes more and still felt tired.

If you have kids, I really urge you to look into Raw foods… this is the most loving gift a mother could ever give to a child. This is not a diet… this is a lifestyle change.

Did you know that if you’re a minority born after the year 2000 1 out of every 2 kids will develop diabetes and 1 out of every 4 Caucasian children! Can you say red flag? If you look at the statistics of diabetes in this country it won’t take long for you to see that something is very wrong with the way we eat and the so called foods (food like substances) we’re putting in our bodies and our children.

If you switch or at least add 51-80% Raw foods to your diet you will experience an EXTREME boost in energy and vitality, your skin will be glowing and you’ll be in a good mood the majority of the time (no more coffee and Red Bull come downs). If you’re in a good mood just think of how you’ll carry yourself in this world, how much better you’ll be able to listen to people and how much more conscious you’ll be of your own words when speaking to others. That’s why this isn’t a diet, this is a life changing experience that if you would only try… YOU WILL SEE WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!

Aside from the clear health benefits switching to Raw organic foods is doing right by nature and the planet earth and all it’s inhabitants. Do you know the how many resources it takes just to get one package of hamburger to your grocery store? OMG, if you did… you’d think twice, the numbers are jaw dropping! If you want to know more on our food supply I suggest picking up the movie “FOOD Inc.” you can get it at Blockbuster for rent.

I’m developing a website now that will be up within the week. I’ve already got the TWITTER and FACEBOOK going so please follow and friend me on both. When the website is up I’ll be letting you all know. In the meantime if any of you have questions please feel free to email me or even call (805.624.6460)… there is nothing else I’d rather talk about right now than Raw Living Foods!

Oh one more thing, if you want to learn more about the Raw lifestyle there is a really good DVD called “Raw for Life”. I watched this movie and afterwords made a commitment to myself, my health and the planet to never touch meat again or eat anything in the Standard American Diet. It was that informative and profound for me… I decided to take charge of my life starting with being conscious of what I put in my body. One other excellent documentary is called “Food Matters”, a must see!

Remember ladies… YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. It’s really that simple.

Thanks you for listening, please check out the video below it’s me out and about at the Santa Monica Farmers Market exploring and finding myself some yummy organic Raw foods!

Raw Sangha Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RawSangha
Raw Sangha FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/RawSangha

I hope this post finds you and your family in good spirits and abundant health.

Nothing to see here but straight up EYE CANDY! We snagged these original images from Dirt Rag Magazine, so props to them for providing the visual stimulation! Enough talking… let’s look at some sexy bikes… shall we?

For more images follow links below.

Day 1: http://www.dirtragmag.com/blogarific/nahbs-2010-friday-226/

Day 2: http://www.dirtragmag.com/blogarific/nahbs-day-2-saturday-227/

Day 3: http://www.dirtragmag.com/blogarific/nahbs-2010-sunday-228/

Like these images check out our friends at… Dirt Rag Magazine!

News From the Racers and Chasers Camp…

The weather is wet and raining and is much needed for the trails! Look for a course preview video to be posted soon of the fun race course at San Dieguito on March 20th.

Overalls have been posted online for all to see. Check them out and see where you are at. Top 3 races are scored for the overalls. Three race participants score better than 2 race participants.

The start and staging area for the March 20^th San Dieguito is located at Bandy Cyn rd and HWY 78. This will provide us plenty of room and great scenery for the race start and finish.

Online Registration is up and running for the March 20^th at San Dieguito. This will be the finals of our series and will have critical points for the overalls. Overalls will be handed out Saturday March 20^th.

We are getting very excited to announce our next race series that will be again located in and near San Diego. The series will include venues we all love at locations that are convenient to all! All of the locations will have great racing!

The first ever mountain bike and motocross biathalon will be held on June 27^th at Cahuilla Creek. This will be an extremely fun event that will be sure to test the skills of everyone. Team and individual classes will be available for all to enjoy!

Here are a few images from Cahuilla Creek shot by: Gina Silva

To see all the images by Gina Silva click here!

Cygolite, the leading manufacturer of advanced bicycle lighting systems has created a virtual cycling game as a fun way to keep up your reflexes.

The game consists of a cyclist mountain biking at night. As the rider, you navigate through various obstacles such as rocks and trees while gathering “lights” to increase your speed. The more “lights” you gather the faster you go, increasing the difficulty as you progress through the game. The faster you go and the more obstacles you avoid, the better your score. This game was created as a fun way to keep up your reflexes especially for those who can’t ride in snow ridden areas. It has three levels of difficulty to choose from and to make it more interesting, there is a light sweepstakes for those that play. See www.cygolite.com for more details.

ABOUT US
Since 1991, Cygolite has been a world-wide leader in advanced bicycling lighting systems. Based in Orange County California, our experienced R&D staff develops premier lighting systems from the ground up with the quality and technology that cyclists seek. Focused on innovative design, we will continue to lead the way, utilizing the latest technology to develop advanced and powerful LED lights that are engineered to shine.

Contact:
Andrew Ibanez
(714) 437-7752
Andrew[at]cygolite.com

The World’s Lightest Electric Bike!

In 2009 British electric bike manufacturer Cytronex launched the world’s lightest electric bicycle, the Cytronex Powered Cannondale Capo, which at 13.6Kg weighs less than many unassisted bicycles. Towards the end of 2009 Cytronex were approached by Channel 5’s Gadget Show to build a bicycle for a race between one of their presenters (Ortis Deley) and a professional cyclist (winner of the Tour of Ireland – Russell Downing).

Cytronex was chosen by Gadget Show because it is fitted to existing bicycles with very little visual impact and without affecting the quality of ride – the water bottle battery provides effective disguise, the motor is about the same size as a hub dynamo and the system runs silently.

The Super Six is Super Hot!

After consulting with Cannondale, Cytronex decided to electrify a Cannondale Super Six for the race. The resulting electric bike weighs in at just 12.9Kg – lighter even than the Capo. For Cytronex the object of the exercise was not to demonstrate that the system can transform us into professional cyclists, but to show that anyone can now enjoy cycling, and more to the point, that anyone can use a bicycle for effective transport. You can watch the race by clicking on this link: The Gadget Show hill climb challenge

Cytronex designer, Mark Searles comments “Time spent crawling to work in a car is dead time, part of your life being wasted that can add up to many weeks every year. It makes perfect sense for busy people to get the exercise they need on the way to work. It’s a whole lot more fun than the gym and Cytronex is designed to allow the rider to use as much, or as little effort as they wish. What’s more, many of our customers find that they can get to work faster than they ever did in the car!”

Mark has first hand knowledge of this because the company has been so busy in the last year that he has almost no time for sport. He is still using the company’s second ever prototype to cycle to work, although he does also have the new Cytronex Powered Cannondale Super Six model for days with fine weather.

Cytronex fit their system to a wide range of bicycles, from hybrid bikes and city single speed bikes like the Capo (available in flat bar or drop handlebar versions) right up to top of the range road racing bikes like the Super Six.

Cytronex Web site:
http://www.cytronex.com

To buy a Cytronex Powered bicycle:
http://www.no-hills.com

Come June We’ll Be Moooo-ving and Shaking!

Milwaukee, Wis. – Registration is now open for the 2010 Tour of America’s Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, an omnium bicycle race across 11 Southeastern Wisconsin cities, June 17-27, promoter Midwest Cycling Series has announced.

Pro and amateur racers of multiple categories including Women Cat 3/4, Pro Women 1/2, Cat 4/5, Cat 3, Masters 1/2/3/ 35+, Masters 4/5 35+, and Pro Men 1/2 will compete for over $105,000 in cash and primes in the 2010 Tour of America’s Dairyland. Racers of all seven categories will have the opportunity to participate 10 consecutive days, June 18-27, across eight criteriums and two road races. Opening night on June 17 at the Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic will feature Men and Women Pro races only.

“There are some serious incentives being offered in this year’s Tour of America’s Dairyland,” said Tom Schuler, Olympic cyclist and co-founder of the Tour. “With over $105,000 in cash and primes up for grabs for pros and amateurs, I think the spectators lining the streets will be in for some exciting competitive racing.”

Larger Men and Women Pro fields should be attracted to Tour of America’s Dairyland as the Day 3 Race, Giro d’ Grafton, has been added to the USA CRITS Calendar. Pro Men and Pro Women will be battling it out to the finish for $9,000 and $4,000 in cash, plus primes, respectively, on June 19.

Continued Schuler, “Giro d’ Grafton is already wildly popular and with the added USA Crits status and purse, there is going to be some solid, aggressive riding among the Pros.”

Also added to the Tour of America’s Dairyland this year is the Women’s 3/4 category, to engage and encourage less experienced female riders to safely compete against racers of a shared skill level on the same courses as the Pros.

In addition to Shorewood, other Wisconsin communities hosting criteriums in the second year of the Tour of America’s Dairyland include Thiensville, Grafton, Appleton, Sheboygan, Waterloo, Fond du Lac, Downer Avenue on Milwaukee’s Eastside, and Waukesha. Greenbush and Elkhart Lake will be home to road races, the latter of which will be held on the historic Road America racetrack.

“Presenting sponsor Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and all of our host communities are so supportive and into these races,” added Schuler. “We are absolutely pumped for this June and are going to show racers and spectators alike a crazy good time…maybe I’ll even jump into the field for a race or two.” The high energy of the bicycling action will be complemented in most communities by family-friendly activities, entertainment, a Sports Expo benefiting Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC), plenty of food and drink from local vendors, and much more.

Advance registration will remain open on SportsBaseOnline until June 13, 2010. Endorsed and supported by the Wisconsin Cycling Association and United States Cycling Federation, Tour of America’s Dairyland will have updates posted on www.TourofAmericasDairyland.com

About Midwest Cycling Series, LLC
The Midwest Cycling Series, LLC, organizers of the Tour of America’s Dairyland, June 17-27, 2010, comprises six avid cyclists and successful entrepreneurs including U.S. Cycling Team Olympian and Team Sports, Inc. President Tom Schuler, Olympic Road Race Trials qualifier and former Nova Cycle Sports Foundation President Bill Ochowicz, Milwaukee Junior Cycling Team co-Executive Director Bill Koch, National Senior Olympics competitor Jim Michler, and Paul Weaver, founder of one of Wisconsin’s longest running multi-sport teams, Team Geargrinder. Jack Hirt, former executive director of the Bike Federation of Wisconsin, also leads day-to-day operations as Executive Director.

About Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, is a nonprofit organization funded by the Wisconsin dairy producers, promotes the awareness and consumption of milk, cheese and other dairy products made in America’s Dairyland.

REGISTER FOR THE RACE HERE!!!

Hey there ladies, how is your 2010 looking? Well if you’ve got a little voice in your head telling you to get out and try something new this year, I’ve got just what you’ve been waiting for. I’ve found something über cool, super fun and above all budget friendly!

What I’m talking about is Adventure Cycling Associations 2010 Tours! Yup, yup I’ve found one of the coolest companies offering some really kick ass deals on tours that range anywhere from five days to three months! By the way if you’ve got time to take a tour for three months, you’ve got a little too much extra time (and I can use some help over here) *smile*.

All joking aside The Adventure Cycling Association has really done their due diligence to find out what women and men alike want in an adventure. The ACS tours provide a one of a kind service that will usher in new friendships, networking opportunities, fun and a lifetime of memories.

But don’t take my word for it (although you know it’s golden), find out for yourself. Head on over to the Adventure Cycling Association website to learn more. Hurry it up though, word on the streets is tour dates are filling up fassst!

USA Cycling announces 2010 Professional Mountain Bike Gravity Tour (Pro GRT)

Colorado Springs, Colo. (February 23, 2010) – USA Cycling announced today the 2010 USA Cycling Professional Mountain Bike Gravity Tour (Pro GRT). In its second year, the five-race series will continue to raise the level of competitive gravity racing across the United States by providing a consistent stage of international-caliber events for elite gravity racers to showcase their downhill skills.

The Pro GRT is a downhill-only series for 2010 and will visit four states from April to September, beginning with a return visit to Port Angeles, Wash. for the Northwest Cup, April 24-25. The series will then make a trip to the opposite coast for the Plattekill Gravity Open in New York’s Roxbury Bike Park, May 22-23. Midway through the season, racers will contest the Northstar-at-Tahoe event in Truckee, Calif., June 26-27. The Pro GRT will then move to Winter Park, Colo. for the Trestle Bike Park (Crankworx Colorado), July 31-August 1, before concluding again with the Whiteface 5^th Annual 5K Downhill in Lake Placid, New York, September 11-12.

Each of the five stops will offer series ranking points to top finishers, resulting in overall individual titles for professional men and women. Additionally, competitors will have the opportunity to accumulate international ranking points as two of the five races are inscripted on the UCI calendar. The racers with the most points throughout the five-race series will be recognized as the best gravity athletes competing on U.S. soil.

The 2010 series will also feature an Amateur GRT which, like the Pro GRT, will give Expert-level Category 1 racers the opportunity to compete against each other for an overall series crown.

For more info on the series, visit USA Cycling’s ProGRT webpage

2010 USA Cycling Pro Mountain Bike Gravity Tour (Pro GRT)
April 24-25: Northwest Cup – Port Angeles, Wash.
May 22-23: Plattekill Gravity Open – Roxbury Bike Park, NY
June 26-27: Northstar-at-Tahoe – Truckee, Calif.
July 31-August 1: Trestle Bike Park (Crankworx Colorado) – Winterpark, Colo.
September 11-12: Whiteface 5^th Annual 5K Downhill – Lake Placid, NY

Woo hoo I found a great website for you ladies out there who dig on style and function! LadyRide Active Wear strives to provide ladies with quality, beautiful, modern cycling apparel that is fun, sporty, feminine and tough. It just so happens that I know a few women who are sporty, feminine and tough as nails!

Although LadyRide is based out of South Africa you can still get this cycling couture by way of this wonderful new invention called the internet… who’da thunk?

In any case you’re going to love what LadyRide has to offer, super cool designs that are form fitting and functional and get this… they also do custom work! Yeah that’s right if you submit your artwork to them via vector format, i.e., Freehand, Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw they work their magic and bada bing you got your own jersey!

So what are you waiting for ya’ll… check out the LadyRide website and tell’em Echo Roberson from Women’s Cycling Magaine sent ya! Hmm on second thought maybe it’s better that you not mention my name, I think there’s still a few people upset at me for that one time when I…

Patrick Dempsey and George Hincapie confirmed their participation in the ‘Breakaway Ride presented by Specialized,’ two cycling events held in conjunction with the upcoming 2010 Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race set for May 16-23, 2010.  Held in April (one month prior to the 2010 Amgen Tour of California), the rides are open to the public and will serve to raise funds for Breakaway from Cancer®, the signature cancer support initiative of the Amgen Tour of California.  Breakaway from Cancer aims to raise awareness of the important resources available to cancer patients from prevention to education and patient care to advocacy and financial support.

Each ‘Breakaway Ride’ will give cycling enthusiasts and fans a chance to ride on the actual route of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California with three distances for each event to accommodate various skill and fitness levels (short, medium and long). The longest distance covers an entire stage of the Amgen Tour of California, the same as will be ridden by the pros.  Participants will be chip timed and supported, with a maximum of 3,500 riders per event.  Detailed map info locaed here: www.breakawayride.com.
The first Breakaway Ride will take place on Sunday, April 11 and will feature the Stage 8 route in the cities of Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills, the worldwide headquarter community of title sponsor Amgen.  Demonstrating his commitment to the cause and enthusiasm for cycling, television and film actor Patrick Dempsey will ride in this first event.  Dempsey, whose mom is a four-time ovarian cancer survivor, is an advocate for cancer support services. In 2008, he founded the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine.

“I am looking forward to reuniting with my friends from Amgen and Breakaway from Cancer to help raise awareness and funds for the non-profit cancer support organizations,” said Dempsey, who served as a spokesperson for Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative in 2007. “I am also excited about the opportunity to ride a piece of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California route together with fellow Southern California cycling enthusiasts!”

The second Breakaway Ride will take place on Sunday, April 25, and will feature the Stage 2 route from Davis to Santa Rosa. Four-time Amgen Tour of California competitor and Breakaway from Cancer supporter George Hincapie will attend this event.

“Nearly everyone is touched by cancer, including my family, and it’s important to know that you don’t have to fight cancer alone,” said Hincapie. “I joined Breakaway from Cancer in 2005 because people need to know that education, resources and support are available as they fight the disease.”

A portion of each rider’s entry fee will be donated to Breakaway from Cancer’s charitable partners – Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formerly The Wellness Community), Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.  Participants will have the opportunity to earn gifts and prizes by raising additional funds for Breakaway from Cancer partners via the ActiveGiving program on Active.com.  The most successful fundraisers will have the opportunity to meet and ride with Dempsey at the April 11 ride and with Hincapie on April 25. Other prize packages include exclusive VIP experiences at the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, Amgen Tour of California official race merchandise and other cycling-related items.  Additionally, the top fundraiser of each Breakaway Ride will receive a top-of-line Specialized S-Works Tarmac or Roubaix bike.

“These Breakaway Rides will provide amateur cyclists and community members the opportunity to ride the same route that the pros will experience only one month later in the Amgen Tour of California,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports.  “The commitment and dedication shown by Patrick Dempsey and George Hincapie to Breakaway from Cancer is inspiring, and we look forward to their involvement.”
As the title sponsor of the Amgen Tour of California for the fifth consecutive year, Amgen will continue to leverage the race to raise awareness and support for people affected by cancer through its Breakaway from Cancer initiative.

“Amgen and its non-profit Breakaway from Cancer partners are pleased to have George Hincapie and Patrick Dempsey join us in supporting Breakaway from Cancer, which raises awareness of the free services available to people affected by cancer,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology.

Presenting sponsor of the Breakaway Ride, Specialized, will use this opportunity to further their philanthropic goals and bring better cycling experiences to even more people.

“We are really excited to partner with the Breakaway Ride to support Amgen’s cancer initiatives and to get cyclists out on their bikes.  Tying into the Amgen Tour of California and getting to ride the actual route is a unique opportunity for riders and ties into our goal to get people to ride more; more often,” said Ian Dewar, partnership manager for Specialized.

AEG, presenter of the Amgen Tour of California, is partnering with Pacific Sports, a leading sports and event management company that has created running and triathlon events throughout the world for more than 30 years to produce the rides.

“We are breaking new ground in amateur cycling in the United States,” said Jack Caress, president & CEO, Pacific Sports.  ”To be a part of an inaugural event such as the Breakaway Rides is gratifying, and we are honored to be benefitting a great cause like Breakaway from Cancer.”

TO REGISTER for one of the Breakaway Rides, visit www.Active.com.  For more information, please visit www.breakawayride.com, www.amgentourofcalifornia.com, or visit your Specialized dealer.

About the Amgen Tour of California
The largest cycling event in America, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race presented by AEG that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course from May 16-23.

About Breakaway from Cancer®
Founded in 2005, Breakaway from Cancer is a complementary component to the Amgen race sponsorship. Breakaway from Cancer strives to raise awareness of the important resources available to cancer patients from prevention to education, and patient care to advocacy and financial support. The initiative includes charitable partners Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formerly known as The Wellness Community), Patient Advocate Foundation, and the National Coalition for Cancer.  Learn more at www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About Specialized
Specialized Bicycles was founded in 1974 by riders for riders. Headquartered in Morgan Hill, California, with global distribution, the company focuses on making everyone’s time on a bike better by delivering functional and technically advanced equipment that provide true performance benefits. Learn more at www.specialized.com.

About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics.  A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient.  Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses.  With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives.  To learn more about Amgen’s pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.  To learn more about Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.