So I'm sure you've all heard of the Big Sandy Race by now, right?  In its 3rd year, the CCORC-sponsored race has grown so popular that a limit of 300 riders had to be placed on entries.  This year, the race will be held on Sunday, March 28th.  It's the perfect time of year to be out on the trail, and the entire day is a blast, so sign up early because you really don't want to miss out on this one.  I mean it, this is not the one to skip.  It's a great day.  You won't regret it, I promise.  Stop by the shop or check out the race website here for more information. 

How gorgeous is this?  Honestly, is there a better time to be out on the San Joaquin River Trail?  Throw in some prizes and some post-race refreshments (did I mention the race is sponsored by New Belgium Brewery?) and you have the perfect day on a bike.  Are you sold on it yet?  Good, now go sign up before it fills up!       

I am seriously loving the new Giant Suedes right now.  I've always been a fan of the Suede's relaxed and comfortable riding positioning, but this year Giant really stepped it up in the style department.  Look at these bikes!  Don't they look great?   Comfortable doesn't have to be boring, you know.  The Suedes are where style meets function.   The 7-speed drivetrain makes shifting super easy, the nice lightweight aluminum frame makes riding it a breeze, and that wonderful foot-forward, upright pedaling position makes the Suede a dream to ride.  Stop by and take one for a test ride and I know you'll agree with me.   

This is one of the two color options in the men's Suede.  I love, love, love the pop of red on this bike!  The other color option is black/gray, which I like, too.   

This is one of three color options for the women's Suede.  The blue mixed with the white just really makes me happy every time I see it.  In fact, I can't promise I'm not going to take this bike home with me, so don't say I didn't warn you.  The women's Suede also comes in a really cute pink version, as well as a pretty lavender option.  All three are great looking bikes.  You'll look adorable riding any of them!  

Click here for a great video about the local Homegrown cyclocross series that CCORC puts on. 

The holidays are over and Christmas morning is a distant memory.  It's a new year, and time for goals and resolutions.  If you're looking for a little inspiration, how about racing the Rio Bravo Rumble on Saturday, January 16?  The mountain bike duathlon is just east of Bakersfield and features several distances and run- or bike-only options.  You can even form a relay team and participate with a partner!  John raced it last year and had so much fun that he's making the drive again this year.  (Vanessa was supposed to, too, but the whole sprained ankle thing is really riffing her chill.)  Click here for more information on the race!   

We encourage everyone to get out there and try the Rio Bravo because new for 2010 will be a mountain bike duathlon at Hensley Lake!  That's right, we get our very own mountain bike ruin-bike-run right here in our backyard.  How awesome is that?  For more information on this exciting race, check out the Tri This! website here. 

Don't miss out on the fun!  Sign up today and start training now!  See you out there! 

We're thinning out our BMX inventory, so a ton of stuff has been marked down to clear it out.  Animal pedals, Odyssey cranks, Fit stems, sprockets, wheels...all substantially marked down to move!  The markdowns apply only to what's in stock, so come in early for the best selection.  John just started marking things down today and a lot of it is already gone.  Don't miss out on the great deals!

I can't believe I let the whole summer pass without posting about my first triathlon!  It was such a big deal!  Ok, so remember back in elementary school?  Remember the chubby girl with her nose in a book?  The one who got picked last for kickball and the one who couldn't run all the way to the fence in P.E.?  Yeah, that was me.  I've always been on the sidelines, too shy and unfit to join the fun.  So last year, I made a decision to stop putting off "someday" and finally signed up for the triathlon I've talked about doing since 2005.  Great idea at the time, until I remembered that I was so out of shape that I'd lose my breath just talking with customers!   Luckily, I had 8 months to prepare.  So, I lost 40 pounds, dramatically improved my fitness, and learned how to swim (important in a triathlon, I've heard).  As the big day approached, I was ready physically, but starting to panic mentally.  The chubby girl on the sidelines kept yammering in my ear about not belonging there and kept trying to convince me to chicken out.  I had no idea that actually getting myself to the starting line would be the most challenging part of the whole event.  I just kept telling her to shut up and kept reminding myself that I was physically capable of doing this, and the chubby girl did finally relent.  And as nervous as I was in the weeks leading up to it, I was oddly serene about the whole thing the night before and morning of.  No butterflies, no nerves, nothing...just pure excitement and joy at the prospect of accomplishing something that the little girl waiting to get picked for kickball would have never dreamt possible.  I loved every second of it.  Actually, that's a lie, I am not a huge fan of the swim yet (who likes getting kicked?).  I loved every second of it, after the swim.  I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time I was out there (not swimming).  It was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life, and definitely one of the most fun things I've ever done.  I am so glad that I stopped talking about doing it and just finally did it.  And I am so, so glad that I got to do one before John.  (That is probably the best part of the whole experience, actually!)  So the big question now is, what's next?

This is me before the start thinking, "I think they measured wrong, that looks way farther than 400m!" and really wishing they had extra-large swim caps. 

This is transition one.  I am so happy here, because the swim is OVER!!!  And also because I get to go ride my bike now, and I love, love, LOVE my bike!

I had the most fun on the bike, despite all the crazy turns and close brushes with traffic!  Have I mentioned how much I love my bike?

First of all, the great thing about the Mermaid Triathlon is that it is an all-women event and the energy and camaraderie is amazing.  Second of all, who puts the finish on a hill after a stretch of sand?  Like, seriously, after all that, I have to run up a stupid hill now?  But I made it, and I had a blast!  I can't wait until next year!