Spring
is here, racing has begun, and Whole Athlete kids are already landing
on the podium. After a long winter of wet training rides, yoga sessions,
and more wet training rides, our young riders are taking on the competition
in California both on the dirt and road and the results speak for themselves.
How about 12 podium spots at the Fontana ProXCT? Or a 1st, a 2nd, and
1st Overall GC at San Dimas Stage Race?
With
a solid roster of sponsors
providing technical support, and the Whole Athlete mentors to guide their
efforts, these kids are making waves. All the while, they're keeping their
eyes on the bigger prizes that come later in the year: an altitude camp
in Lake Tahoe at the end of June, MTB Nationals in Colorado in July, and
the World Cup Finals in New York in August. Keep up with them - if you
can...
Our
Kids Need Your Help!
Helping
junior athletes compete at the highest level requires time, dedication,
and more than a small budget. Taking 20 juniors to Fontana meant buying
racks for 20 bikes, renting two passenger vans, a house for the weekend,
and preparing lots and lots of healthy food. We hope to repeat our success
at the Sea Otter Classic this month, then this summer it's off to Tahoe
and Colorado for high altitude training and the National Championships.
To make sure every team member gets an equal shot at these opportunities,
we need your help funding their ambitions.
Your
donation to the Velo
Development Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is 100% tax-deductible
- and it's 100% vital to our efforts to help junior athletes turn dreams
into reality. Every
little bit helps.
Donate
today!
Phenomenal Fontana
Following their success at the Bonelli Park US Cup in San Dimas, the Whole Athlete kids opened up their national-level racing season with a bang at the Fontana ProXCT/US Cup cross country race in Southern California. An all-blue Junior boys Cat 1 podium. 1st, 3rd and 4th for the Cat 1 junior girls. 1st in Cat 2 15/16, 2nd in Cat 2 17/18, and even this old guy hit the top step in Cat 1 40-44. Twelve podium placings in total. And the kids not only performed as champions, but carried themselves with modesty, professionalism and integrity. Truly inspiring.
Rider
Profile: Victoria Yoham
A
sixteen year old attending Marin Catholic High School, Victoria Yoham
is one of the founding members of the girls' arm of the Whole Athlete
Cycling Team. From chasing her brother to dropping some of his friends
on the trails, Victoria is rapidly progressing through the ranks of NorCal's
finest mountain bikers. We caught up with Victoria as she started her
third season of racing and asked her a few questions about her life on
and off the bike.
Q:
What was your first bike?
A:
My first bike was a beauty at age three: 25 pounds of pink and white-painted
steel, complete with white tires, matching training wheels, and streamers.
I rode it every chance I got and felt like the coolest kid, until I saw
my brother riding without training wheels. I convinced my dad to take
them off, confident that I could handle two wheels at age three. Minutes
later I was on the pavement, a little worse for the wear, with scuffed
white tires. But I kept getting up, determined to ride faster than my
brother someday. Even though I learned how to ride on two wheels like
my brother pretty quickly, I have yet to catch him...
More>
Thank You, Marin Cyclists!
Marin Cyclists shares our mission in providing opportunities for cyclists to experience the joy of cycling and the beauty that riding in our area provides. They also host the now-famous Marin Century and in turn raise money for important cycling organizations such as the Marin County Bicycle Coalition and NorCal High School MTB League. This year the Whole Athlete Junior Development Team is honored to receive a generous donation from the Marin Cyclists. Thank you, Marin Cyclists for helping us provide the highest level of support possible for cycling's youth.
Ingredients of a Successful Program
Consistent with the underlying philosophy of Whole Athlete itself, the Whole Athlete Cycling Team Program indeed takes a holistic approach to optimal performance. Bicycle racing is a demanding sport, requiring not just the right equipment but the right training, nutrition, mindset and guidance. Our goal is to give kids the best chance possible to perform optimally by providing the most comprehensive level of support. What makes this possible is our unique group of sponsors and donors.
What
Does A Teenage Athlete Eat?
A
lot. And I mean more than the average bear. So making sure our kids get
not only enough food, but the right kinds of food is fundamental to our
mission. For our team trips we plan menus and prepare only nutritious,
whole foods for the kids. Here is an example of what we ate at the recent
Fontana ProXCT race trip, where we earned twelve podium places, including
wins in four categories. I guess the race results suggest that did OK
with our nutrition.
More>
Upcoming Team Events
Our next big event is the infamous Sea Otter Classic ProXCT this month, one of the longest MTB cross country courses on the circuit. At 38 miles, most juniors will be on the course for around three hours, compared to their usual race duration of well-less than two hours. We've been training hard and hope to follow up on our impressive results at the Fontana ProXCT. Stay tuned...
After the Sea Otter, most of the kids will be focused on the NorCal/SoCal High School League State Championships in May, then it's onto the three-week Tahoe-Colorado Altitude Training Camp and National Championships Trip at the end of June and July, where the team will be doing the Three-day ProXCT MTB stage race in Colorado Springs, followed by the US National Championships in Granby, CO.
And if that
weren't enough, August brings the World Cup Finals in Windham, NY followed
by the World Championships in Monte Sainte Anne, Canada the first week
of September. Our goal is to qualify as many juniors for the worlds team
as possible.
Getting
Noticed
Even
before our riders appeared on race podiums this year, the cycling media
noticed we were a team to watch. Check out recent team press on cyclingnews.com
and singletrack.com (velonews):
Cyclingnews.com
- March, 25 2010
Cyclingnews.com
- January 2010
Velonews
- Singletrack.com January 2010
And
our own team news:
I
am Specialized
Whole
Athlete Cycling Team Blog
Top-10 Team Race Results
There
are simply too many good results to post them all here, but you can check
out all our top-10s on the team website results
page. A few recent highlights include:
- Fontana ProXCT podium sweep Cat 1 17/18 boys, 1st, 3rd, 4th girls
- San Dimas Stage Race 1st overall, 1st stage 1, 2nd stage 2
- NorCal and SoCal High School MTB Race #2: 1st Boys Varsity
A sixteen year old attending Marin Catholic, Victoria Yoham is one of the founding members of the girls' arm of the Whole Athlete Cycling Team. From chasing her brother to dropping some of his friends on the trails, Victoria is rapidly progressing through the ranks of NorCal's finest mountain bikers. We caught up with Victoria as she started her third season of racing and asked her a few questions about her life on and off the bike.
Q: What was your first bike?
A: My first bike was a beauty at age three: 25 pounds of pink and white-painted steel, complete with white tires, matching training wheels, and streamers. I rode it every chance I got and felt like the coolest kid, until I saw my brother riding without training wheels. I convinced my dad to take them off, confident that I could handle two wheels at age three. Minutes later I was on the pavement, a little worse for the wear, with scuffed white tires. But I kept getting up, determined to ride faster than my brother someday. Even though I learned how to ride on two wheels like my brother pretty quickly, I have yet to catch him...
Q: When did you start racing and what made you decide to give it a try?
A: I first started riding a mountain bike my freshman year of high school. My brother started the Marin Catholic MTB team that year because he'd been riding for years with his friends and just got into the Nor Cal League the year before to start racing. I wanted to be just like him, so I joined the team. The team dragged me up and down Eldridge in the mud and rain on flat pedals on my first ride, and it's a miracle I stuck with it. My brother convinced me to race a month later in the first Nor Cal race of the season, and I ended up getting 3rd in Frosh/Soph Girls. Seeing everyone so proud of me as I came across the finish line has kept me going ever since.
Q: Is it difficult to compete on such a high level and try to have a normal life as a teenager?
A: Fully committing to cycling is a lifestyle change: it sometimes seems that everything in my life is built around it, and during race season, I have to make sacrifices to fit it all in, but in the end, it's worth it. I've found something that I never get tired of, and something that I want to do for the rest of my life; it is who I am and I can't imagine life without it.
Q: What's your favorite part of racing bikes?
A: I love passing guys when I'm riding, especially on the downhill. For a female cyclist, there are few things as rewarding as a guy's reaction when he realizes a girl just passed him.
Q: What's your favorite local trail and favorite local road ride?
A: Inverness has some of the best off road trails in Marin. As part of the Whole Athlete Girl's Team, I am lucky to have been exposed to all the great singletrack out there by the girls team coach, Abbie. As far as road riding, I like going out to Alpine Dam, up Bofax, and out to the coast. There are some great views along the way that are far more rewarding when you've pedaled out there yourself.
Q: What do you like about being part of the Whole Athlete team?
A: Ever since I joined the Whole Athlete team this past summer, I've really felt like part of a family. The atmosphere on training rides, team camps, and at races is great. Everyone takes their training very seriously, but we still manage to have a good time and some good laughs.
Q: What are your goals for the rest of the season?
A: Moving into my third year of riding, and upgrading to Cat 1, I want to podium in some big races, and do well at Nationals.
Q: What are your goals for next year?
A: Next year, I have my sights set on Worlds.
Q: What are your long term goals for the sport?
A: I want to see cycling become a part of more people's lives, even if it's just getting them out of their cars and onto a bike. You get a whole different perspective on life from two wheels, and realize that it's not so bad to slow down every once in a while.
Ingredients of a Successful Program
Consistent with the underlying philosophy of Whole Athlete itself, the Whole Athlete Cycling Team Program indeed takes a holistic approach to optimal performance. Bicycle racing is a demanding sport, requiring not just the right equipment but the right training, nutrition, mindset and guidance. Our goal is to give kids the best chance possible to perform optimally by providing the most comprehensive level of support. What makes this possible is our unique group of sponsors and donors.
Whole Athlete sets the tone.
As the team's title sponsor, Whole Athlete provides all the training-related services an endurance athlete could need, from the fundamental biomechanics of precision bike fitting, to performance testing, nutritional guidance, yoga and training programs. The company's founder and team director, Dario Fredrick also trains the riders himself, leading team training rides each week. With the help of their coaches and staff, he also organizes and leads team camps and trips, such as the now-famous Tahoe-Colorado Nationals Altitude Camp. Fredrick also designs the menus and prepares the food for kids on their trips together.
A non-profit opportunity.
Providing national and international race opportunities and team camps requires more than just desire and commitment, but a significant budget as well. The team's non-profit partner, the Velo Development Foundation makes these opportunities possible. A 501(c)(3) organization, Velo Dev allows companies and individuals to make tax-deductable donations to support our efforts with the kids.
It is about the bike.
Bike racing is an equipment-intensive sport, and having the best equipment can make a difference especially when racing at the highest levels. We are extremely fortunate to have Specialized Bicycle Components as our bicycle and gear sponsor. Not only do we get to ride the best racing bikes available today (check out the Epic and Tarmac!), but the lightest helmets, lightest and stiffest shoes - and sweet gloves and optics as well.
Complementing the bikes, Rotor Bike Components offers some of the lightest and stiffest cranksets available, along with low-friction ceramic bearing bottom brackets. But what Rotor is famous for is their elliptical chainrings, which allow the rider to take advantage of the higher-torque areas of the pedal stroke with an effectively larger part of the oval-shaped chainring, while accommodating the low-torque segments with an effectively smaller chainring.
Hungry? Of course!
On-the-bike nutrition plays a fundamental role in an athlete's performance. The food of choice during mountain bike races is either gels or chewables, allowing the simplest ingestion and easy digestion - and we have the best from GU Energy, providing GUs and Chomps in a multitude of flavors. Also essential is the replenishment of minerals and rehydration which are made easy with GU Brew drink mix, while post-race and post-training recovery needs are perfectly met with GU Brew Recovery.
During training, literally thousands of calories are being expended, so solid energy food is also needed. Can Do Kid has stepped up with the tastiest, natural energy bars out there. Can Do Kid shares our philosophy that mindset is everything and kids CAN DO IT!
Stay connected.
In mountain bike racing, tires can mean the difference between going fast and sliding out in the corners. We have the most comprehensive, race-proven tire range available from Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB), a local company dedicated to helping mountain bikers stay connected with the trail.
Treat the body right.
Aches, scrapes and exposure to the elements are part of the game for young athletes, and Elemental Herbs has come to the rescue with outstanding organic body products. Some of the world's foremost health experts tell us that what we put on our skin should be as non-toxic as what we put in our body. From Herbal Cool arnica spray which helps ease aching muscles and joints, to natural sunscreen and lip balm, to All Good Goop ointment for cuts and scrapes, Elemental Herbs has us covered.
A fast fix.
Flat tires happen, even in races, but it doesn't need to spell the end of the race. With Genuine Innovation CO2 inflation cartridges, no time is lost hand-pumping the tire making a flat repair fast - critical for a mountain bike racer.
Looking good!
Our team kit is unique and of course we think it looks sharp, but what we really like about it are the quality and comfort. Champion Systems and Sock Guy keep us not just looking good in our custom clothing, but feeling good with all our technical cycling wear. Believe me, a good pair of bib-shorts makes a big difference where it counts.
What Does A Teenage Athlete Eat?
A lot. And I mean more than the average bear. So making sure our kids get not only enough food, but the right kinds of food is fundamental to our mission. For our team trips we plan menus and prepare only nutritious, whole foods for the kids. Here is an example of what we ate at the recent Fontana ProXCT race trip, where we earned twelve podium places, including wins in four categories (I guess the race results suggest that did OK with our nutrition).
Day 1
Breakfast & Snacks for the 8-hr drive: Bagels with PBJ, organic oranges and apples. Plenty of filtered water.
Lunch: Deli sandwiches.
Dinner: Chips and salsa appetizer. Burritos with organic whole wheat and corn tortillas, organic brown rice, non-fat refried and black beans (cooked in Dario's secret spices), avocado, organic grated cheddar cheese and salsa. Organic green salad with carrots, sweet peppers and garbanzo beans, dressed with olive oil (extra virgin, of course) and balsamic vinegar.
Day 2
Breakfast: Organic oatmeal with bananas, apples, raisins, walnuts. Whole grain toast with PBJ. Juice and milk.
Lunch: Leftovers from day 1 dinner.
Dinner: Organic millet, organic tofu and lots of vegetables - broccoli, carrots, peppers, zucchini, cauliflower (cooked in Dario's nonna's secret spices). Green salad. Organic cookies for desert.
Day 3
Breakfast: Organic oatmeal with bananas, apples, raisins, walnuts. Whole grain toast with PBJ. Juice and milk.
Lunch (at race venue) & Dinner (on drive home): Leftovers from days 1 & 2 dinners in tortilla wraps. Lots of water, organic oranges and apples.
