As I have a tendency to fall off my bike on occasion, I have dealt with my fair share of injuries over the years as a cyclist.  Various injuries, surgery, etc. tend to alter how you sit on the bike, and given the repetitive nature of cycling, it’s important to ensure that you are positioned correctly on the bike.  At the beginning of this season, I was coming back from a long rest to try to recover from some crookedness in my hips.  Naturally, I wanted Don to check out my bike fit to make sure I was in the correct position.  Bike fitting can help prevent injury and also help you increase power on the bike, so I highly recommend it! I visited Don in the awesome bike fit studio at Bicycle Haus, where he looked reviewed my flexibility, body structure, bike position, cleat adjustment, and more.  Don’s fit definitely helped improve my riding this year, and I must say, it was pretty cool to have lasers and cameras pointed at me while I was riding and project it onto the big screen.  So for anyone in Arizona, stop by Bicycle Haus sometime to get a bike fit from Don Williams.  While you are at it, you can enjoy the fancy bike fit studio at Bike Haus and maybe even get a massage!  You will definitely be glad you did it.

Please note: one should wear bright pink Recovery Socks during a bike fit…

Checking myself out on the big screen.

Don enters my numbers.  I have lasers pointing at me.  Sweet.

Don puts cleats on my new Specialized Women’s BG Pro Road Shoes

Even my dog thinks bike fits are cool!

However, Honey Stinger products are different. Check out www.honeystinger.com for the lowdown on all the different forms of Honey Stinger nutrition.  

When I use Honey Stinger during training and racing, my digestive system stays intact. That’s because Honey Stinger uses all natural products and a pure honey base, making digestion during sustained activity a breeze. When racing and during run training, I prefer to use Honey Stinger gels, which come in a variety of fantastic flavors. My only beef with these gels is they are a tad bit sweet; I’ve heard some people can take a Honey Stinger gel without water, but I need a generous swig to wash away the abundant sugar-coated residue covering my teeth. During bike training, I really enjoy Honey Stinger chews. These chews are soft and slightly smaller than your average chew, making them easy to eat. My favorite flavor just happens to be Pomegranate Passion Fruit and is quite a nice change from your general run-of-the-mill flavors.

Honey Stinger also makes energy bars and protein bars. Honey Stinger energy bars are available in scrumptious flavors like Rocket Chocolate. Honey Stinger protein bars come in two different sizes (10g and 20g) for both a big and little appetite and are great for after a tough workout or an on-the-go meal substitute.

All and all, I couldn’t be happier with Honey Stinger products, and I am proud to support Honey Stinger as a team sponsor. Check out www.honeystinger.com to get yourself some…

Recovery Socks are made in Italy but it is great to have a division of the company here in Tucson. I have been wearing my pair of Recovery Socks and they are great! I have been fortunate enough to have three weeks in Tucson to train hard before heading back to the snow and ice currently inhabiting the East coast. While I’m enjoying some sun shine I have been putting in some serious miles and with only three weeks to train recovery is an important component when trying to get the most out of my time. Recovery socks are great because the end result of compression socks are the aided delivery of oxygen to working muscles which allowing for better training. After my rides I put on a pair of Recovery Socks, try my hand cooking, and enjoy the Arizona sun shine!

Ez

Anyway, I love tools. In fact, should I ever get married, the first thing I’ll register for is a cordless drill. (Great for taking things apart, which I’m really good at, and also perfect for putting things together, which may or may not be my strongest skill.) However, there is definitely not room in my jersey pocket for a cordless drill, and Cerulean tells me that the weight of the drill and its battery are counterproductive to the ever-illusive strength-to-weight ratio we’re striving for. Enter my new most favorite multi-purpose tool, posing on dear Cerulean’s saddle:

Here are some key things you should know about the Genuine Innovations FlatStack mini tool:

1. Check out these dimensions:

2.  This sweet little tool is practically weightless!

3.  Talk about a superb strength-to-weight ratio, look at all the tools! Allen keys, sizes 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 mm, Phillips and Flathead screw drivers, and some fancy star-shaped tool, a T25 (presumably for some high-end component that I don’t have).

I don’t think I’ve ever wished for a mechanical, but I can’t wait until I get to use this tool on the road! The Genuine Innovations FlatStack Mini Tool truly is the right tool for the job!

When we got to Genuine Innovations, we met up with Marty Mares who, in addition to helping run Genuine Innovations, is a great supporter of racing and super nice guy.  He gave us a tour of the Genuine Innovations Plant, and he also showed us how to use some of the product we will be getting.

Marty shows us all the product made by Genuine Innovations.

Genuine Innovations doesn’t just stick to cycling inflators, they make products with a variety of different applications from the medical industry all the way over the to tattoo industry.  They make keg chargers, motorcycle tire inflators, and so much more!

Marty shows us the “guts” of one of the inflators.

One of the coolest things about Genuine Innovations is their high-standard of work.  They test every single inflator by hand with these cool machines (yes, that is a technical term) right here in Tucson.

One of the few semi-automated machines at the factory.

Marty shows us how to use the Second Wind Road Pump.

Beca gives it a try as Judy provides moral support.

Our new floor pumps – the Legend!

Flat tire on the road?  No problem with the Seat Bag Inflation Kit.

Genuine Innovations makes Mini Tools, as well.  They are tiny and great for riding.

Thanks for your support, Genuine Innovations!

One time, at a triathlon, I got so dehydrated I answered “Tucson” when the ambulance driver asked me what my name was. That was in 1999, and I wasn’t just dehydrated but hyponatremic. Which is a fancy word Don’t-drink-gallons-of-water-leading-up-to-your-race-or-you’ll-deplete-your-sodium-levels-so-bad-it-could-kill-you. Or, in my case, turn me into a moron for a couple days. To avoid both moronism and death, it is best for endurance athletes to mix water with electrolyte replenishment products. Ten years ago, there weren’t a lot of choices for electrolyte drinks. Gatorade, Powerade, and other-ades were common, but often full of high fructose corn syrup and food colorings seemingly leeched from lightbulbs along the Las Vegas strip. Many a tummy have been troubled by such ingredients, especially during the utmost level of physical effort, and many a tummy have silently cried out for change. Luckily, Dr. Sal Tirrito and Dr. Lou Lancero two cardiologist-athletes in Tucson, heard the cry and created the best tasting, most effective, stomach-friendly electrolyte sports drink (technically, mix) on the market: XOOD.

For the full article, please click on the XOOD below!

10) Stylish looks with nice bright colors.

9)  Full finger protection.

8)  Nice pad in the heal of the palm to help prevent numbness.

7)  Velcro strap giving flexibility to adjust to your wrist size.

6)  Ventilation on the top of the glove that prevents your hand from over heating.

5)  Grip like strip on the top of the palm to help prevent slipping on the bars.

4)  Split on the fingers  for the knuckles that give you ease of movement.

3)  Ventilated fingers to prevent overheating.

2)  Durable yet comfortable to withstand crashing.

For the number one reason why I love my Specialized Gloves!!!!!!!

1)  Nice soft velvety thumb (the technical term is Microwipe) that is great for wiping your face and nose as you race and not scratch your delicate skin!!!

Try them out and you will feel the difference.