In honor of Garmin-Cervelo's TTT win today...

We like to think that JV & Co. finally took a little of Coach Jill's advice.... ;)

PRP / V. sport hits up Mule Hell - Roubiax for a podium spot.

http://battenkillorbust.blogspot.com/

Battenkill Report.

Read about the madness!!

Barry's view:  http://northstarcycles.blogspot.com/2011/04/tour-of-battenkill-2011.html

Erich's view:  http://battenkillorbust.blogspot.com/2011/04/race-report-plus-some-other-stuff-2011.html

Battenkill Bound.

Early Friday morning, we will depart in darkness with espresso on hand.  On our route:  The old Confederate capital and her sister to the north, Washington, D.C.  Standing now on the verge of a federal government stalemate, we can't be swayed by their sluggish debate.  We'll continue to push north, passing through The Keystone State and leaving the outskirts of Philadelphia in our wake; making progress as Americans are meant to do.

Once into the younger York, we'll slide by the state capital and northeast into her beautiful farmland.  Skirting the western border of Vermont, we plan to ease into Greenwich, NY after sunset and begin the pensive, uneasy time between arriving at the race and actually racing.

Fresh New Banner for the Web Page.

http://www.vsporthealth.com/

Who's that man in the stunners?  None other than our featured athlete Matt Malone.   He's aiming to PR an Olympic distance Triathlon in Kemah, TX this weekend.  We think he's worked super hard during the spring, and has the mindset, fitness and style (this goes without saying) to get to his big early season goal. 

The V. sport team is 100% behind you, Matt, as will be most of the competition next weekend!

Barry's view of the Boone-Roubaix pre-ride.

100% fun...except for that nasty cramp during lunch.

http://northstarcycles.blogspot.com/2011/03/hamstring-bedlam.html

The Season.

Some have strict definitions of a 'season.'  Most of us do not. 

Major league baseballers will start up on April 1 this year, and a select few will lace up their cleats in late October to close it out.  As cyclists, runners, swimmers, and all-around athletes, our seasons may not be so clearly cut.  Amateur sport seems to cross all seasons, assisted by amazing fabrics and equipment that seem to defy Mother Nature's best licks.  Cold out?  Grab some Windstopper.  Dark?  Fire up the Niterider.

Getting any season started is probably the biggest hurdle for most.  Many series and races start in early spring or summer, meaning that preparation may need to begin in the cold of winter.  Combined with the shorter days, numerous holidays and second-helpings, it's so very easy to hibernate until the warm sun draws us out, pale and blinking.  The problem with this is that once it becomes easy to get out there, everyone else is out there too. 

Depending on one's goals for a season, this may or may not be of consequence.  Group rides, group runs, and team swims are almost always more fun than going solo.  Misery loves company, right?  This convenient situation has a dark side, as it can stunt early season progress.  A solo ride or run with a structured plan tailored to an athlete's current fitness level often has benefits unrealized in group spins or a leisurely coffee run.  It goes without saying that we need to mix in plenty of fun with our training, but to create that spring race day magic, our wintry days and nights must contain those efforts and moments when solitude is our partner and pain our very best friend.

I once heard a cycling coach for Garmin-Cervelo talking about goal setting.  He simply noted that if we set a goal of, say, finishing on the podium at Paris-Roubaix, then it would be quite easy to fail and miss that mark.  However, if the goal is to have an experience that teaches lessons, is challenging, and has the potential upshot of a podium spot, we might not be so depressed if we miss the podium having gained the other two benefits.  In a nutshell, he advised that we set targets reasonable for our individual situations, but that include the experiential facets of racing - not simply the finishing order.  A subtle difference, but a wise one.

As our collective seasons get underway, consider your targets:  Maybe this year, it is less about results and more about simply getting out there.  Perhaps your 'A' race is a lofty goal, so consider the experience of pushing to a new limit within your farthest reach.  Or quite possibly it is time to dig harder than ever and get to that podium. 

Whichever you choose, remember to have fun.  Oh, and Play Hard.  Eat Well.  Be Happy.

Race Reports!!

OK V. sporters, racing season is upon us.  This means you're shaking off the frost of winter (for the most part) and starting to remember what it is to really sweat.

Barry and I hit up race #1 of the Greenville Spring Training Series yesterday and posted our write-ups on our blogs.  Click on the links below to check them out. 

Barry's blog:  http://northstarcycles.blogspot.com/2011/02/race-report-meh.html

Erich's blog:  http://battenkillorbust.blogspot.com/2011/02/getting-one-under-belt.html

If you would like to send in a race report, please send it to team@vsporthealth.com and we'll load it up!  Keep it clean for the kids, of course.

Play Hard.  Eat Well.  Be Happy.

Reshuffling the Deck

Velonews is reporting that Alberto Contador has been stripped of his 2010 TDF title.  Read all about it here.  Andy Schleck, who wore yellow gloves in the final time trial will now pull on the full yellow jersey.  It won't be on the Champs, but it will still likely be a size Small. 

Despite your views on this, it is the second TDF champ in 5 years to have his title stripped and given to the second place finisher.  A sad day, or the necessary dark before the dawn? 

V. sport says, keep it clean and you will be rewarded.

A day at the races.

The V. sport health crew packed up the truck and headed west this morning.  We'll let the pictures do (most of) the talking.  In a nutshell:  This was NCCX #12, put on by Pirate Race Productions.   Weather was perfect, with a cool start and a mix of sun and clouds all day.  Temps hovered in the upper 40s to low 50s.  Racers hovered by the keg in the heated party tent.





The podium awaits

Rip tackles the barriers with style

Cat 4 men, known for their excellent beards

Or their stylish 'red' tires

This was an easy race to watch

Kelly, resplendent in green



Scott Miller, doing his best Jens Voigt face



The barriers provided little hassle for the skilled

Talia Espresso was on point

Rip extended her lead as the laps counted down

The mud was slick early, but like glue by noon

    

Beautiful crumbling history

Head down

V. sport on the scene



Juniors wise-up and run the mud section



Sirena frees herself from the mud



Singlespeed glory



No one rode the off-camber run-up

The line up

Matt Canter, riding for Ken's



Everyone left the race with some take-home presents

Repost from redkiteprayer.com

The Helmet

Discussion of helmet use in cycling.  Interesting ideas here.  We say, wear your lid!

V. sport needs some swag.

Here at V. sport World Headquarters, we're pondering our next PR move.  Actually, we're watching the Cotton Bowl.  As we consider how best to represent ourselves on the backs of our athletes, we have several options:  there's the embrocation market, the ever-expanding world of custom knit socks, and who could ignore the possibilities of the V. sport snuggie?  Despite that, we're thinking t-shirts or something our folks can wear with pride on and off the field of sport. 

At the risk of getting your opinions, here are few designs we're considering.  Go ahead, say what you think:

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3...

Tonight, we had a few of the Pirate Race Productions p/b Alpha Facilities Solutions guys turning pedals in anger from TX to NC.  In order to lay out their winter / early spring training plans, we needed to gather information on lactate thresholds.  Though this aspect of fitness can be 'trained' to a higher level, it's important to start where the athlete is at the moment.  From here, we will lay out the training zones (commonly Zone 1-Zone 5, though there are some variations and sub-zones) and plan the athletes' training scheme with accuracy.

We captured a few pics of the madness - out on the front porch where the air was cool but heavy with expectations for 2011...

out on the porch.

barry looks for help from above.

bound by the iron beasts.

focused.  the spring will be here soon.

almost done. almost done.

Next up, we'll distribute training plans and get folks moving toward their goals.  If you'd like to join in, drop us a line!  Either way, check back often for the latest on the V. sport squad. 

We're up and blogging!

We at V. sport health wish you a happy, healthy and adrenaline-filled 2011!  We're putting away our holiday ornaments, finishing off the last of the egg nog, and getting ready for a winter training season stuffed with training events, fun races [like THIS one] and new friends.


Stick with us, add us to your favorites, and check back often to get the latest news on our athletes, product reviews, tips from our trainers, and nutrtion advice from Debra at Body in Mind.


Now stop reading this blog and get out on the roads [or on the trail, or on the trainer, or in the pool]...