Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Natural Running Explains How to Run the Barefoot Way—While Wearing Shoes

Boulder, CO, USA — December 7, 2010 — Natural Running is the middle ground runners have been looking for, explaining how runners can enjoy running as nature intended while protecting themselves from unnatural surfaces. By learning to run the barefoot way—with shoes—runners will become more efficient, stronger, and healthier runners. Backed by studies at MIT and Harvard, running form and injury expert Danny Abshire presents the natural running technique, form drills, and an 8-week transition plan that will put runners on the path to faster, more efficient, and healthier running. Natural Running is now available in bookstores, running and triathlon shops, and online.

In Natural Running, Abshire explains how modern running shoes distort the efficient running technique that humans evolved over thousands of years. He reviews the history of running shoes and how changing technologies have influenced running form and the incidence of overuse injuries. Abshire makes the case for the barefoot running style but warns that barefoot running comes with its own dangers. By learning the natural running technique, runners can enjoy both worlds—comfortable feet, knees, and legs and an efficient running form that reduces impact and injuries.

Natural Running teaches runners to think about injuries as symptoms of poor running form. Abshire specifies the overuse injuries that are most commonly associated with particular body alignment problems, foot types, and form flaws. Runners will learn how to analyze and identify their own characteristics so they can start down the path to natural running.

Abshire explains the natural running technique, describing the posture, arm carriage, cadence, and land-lever-lift foot positioning that mimic the barefoot running style. Runners transition from heel striking to a midfoot or forefoot strike, which studies show is how the body evolved to run. So that runners can relearn this more natural running gait, Abshire offers an 8-week transition plan, complete with a tool kit of strength and form drills that build and maintain the musculature required for natural running.

Natural Running is the newest way to run and also the oldest. By discovering how they were meant to run, runners will become more efficient, stronger, and healthier runners.

“Abshire is one of the leading voices in the current natural running revolution.” — Danny Dreyer, author of ChiRunning

“Danny brings a simple, sensible approach to transforming your running. His knowledge of running form and biomechanics can help all runners become more efficient.” — Mark Allen, six-time Ironman® World Champion, and co-author of Fit Soul, Fit Body: 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You

Natural Running: The Simple Path to Stronger, Healthier Running by Danny Abshire with Brian Metzler
Paperback, 6" x 9", 200 pp. | $18.95, 978-1-934030-65-3

Danny Abshire is a passionate lifelong runner and cofounder of Newton Running, where he has spent 10 years designing and refining Newton Running shoes. As a longtime running form coach and injury expert, he has worked closely with thousands of athletes, from beginners to Olympic elites, helping them improve their running form and technique. Brian Metzler is Senior Editor for Running Times and has written about endurance sports for Runner’s World, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, and Outside.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, nutrition and diet, and the histories and personalities of our sports. VeloPress is the book-publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., which publishes Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines and produces the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon series.

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Lennard Zinn to Launch New Book at Boulder Cycle Sport

Boulder, CO, USA — November 30, 2010 — Boulder-based cycling writer Lennard Zinn will launch the fifth edition of his mountain bike maintenance and repair book next week at the Boulder Cycle Sport South Broadway location. Zinn is one of the world’s most trusted experts on bicycles, and his book Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is the world’s best-selling book on mountain bike care and repair. Zinn has long ties to the Boulder cycling scene through his bike frame-building company Zinn Cycles and his writing for Boulder-based cycling magazine VeloNews. Please come meet Lennard for this book signing! Copies of the new edition of Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance will be available at the event.

Tuesday, December 7, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Lennard Zinn Book Signing
Boulder Cycle Sport - South
629 S. Broadway, Ste K.
Boulder, CO 80304
(303) 444-2453 x2  | bouldercyclesport.com


Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is the world’s best-selling mountain bike maintenance book for good reason: it covers every procedure to repair, maintain, tune, or upgrade a mountain bike in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format. Weighing in at a whopping 464 pages with 600 illustrations, this new fifth edition offers total coverage of all the newest mountain bike tech without neglecting tried-and-true components. Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, 5th Ed. is now available in bookstores, bike shops, and online. Readers can preview the book’s table of contents and its entire index at velopress.com/zinn.

With Zinn’s book, anyone can properly maintain, tune, fix, or upgrade a mountain bike to ensure years of trouble-free riding. Newcomers and experienced mechanics alike will benefit from complete instructions for basic and advanced repairs, exploded views of how parts go together, time-saving tips, and smart recommendations from Lennard Zinn, America’s leading expert on bikes.

Lennard Zinn was a member of the U.S. national racing team and has been riding and fixing bikes for nearly 50 years. A professional frame builder and bike designer, Lennard is also the technical writer for VeloNews magazine and Singletrack.com and hosts the popular Q&A column on VeloNews.com. His other books include Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, Zinn & the Art of Triathlon Bikes, Zinn’s Cycling Primer, The Mountain Bike Performance Handbook, and The Mountain Bike Owner’s Manual. He lives and works in Boulder, Colorado.

Boulder Cycle Sport was founded in 2005 by two University of Colorado graduates in order to provide a community-based bike shop for all cyclists. The shop's goal is to provide the highest level of customer service and to offer cycling products they truly believe in. Whether you are a first time rider, recreational enthusiast or an elite-level racer, Boulder Cycle Sport strives to be the foremost resource for all your cycling needs.

For media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events, please contact:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors/retailers please find ordering information at velopress.com/shops or contact:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Lennard Zinn Updates Bestselling Mountain Bike Maintenance Book

Boulder, CO, USA — November 9, 2010 — Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is the world’s best-selling book on mountain bike care and repair for good reason: it covers every procedure to repair, maintain, tune, or upgrade a mountain bike in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format. Weighing in at a whopping 464 pages with 600 illustrations, this new fifth edition offers total coverage of all the newest mountain bike tech without neglecting tried-and-true components. Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, 5th Ed. is now available in bookstores, bike shops, and online. Readers can preview the book’s table of contents and its entire index at VeloPress.com/Zinn.

With Zinn’s book, anyone can properly maintain, tune, fix, or upgrade a mountain bike to ensure years of trouble-free riding. Newcomers and experienced mechanics alike will benefit from complete instructions for basic and advanced repairs, exploded views of how parts go together, time-saving tips, and smart recommendations from Lennard Zinn, America’s leading expert on bikes.

“Understanding the mechanics of your bike, knowing how to adjust it to suit your riding style, and knowing how to keep it running smoothly are essential to your mountain biking performance. Nobody teaches these skills better than the famous artiste ‘Leonardo da Zinnski.’” — Ned Overend, World and National Mountain Bike Champion

Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, 5th Ed. offers total mountain bike coverage:

  • The basics: simple instructions for regular maintenance, how to choose and fit a bike, full coverage of cross-country, hardtail, full suspension, downhill, and hybrid bikes old and new
  • Advanced repair: integrated-spindle cranks, clipless pedals, suspension forks, internal headsets, hydraulic brakes, hub and cassette overhaul, and much more
  • New tech: the newest components including BB30, BB92, PF24 cranksets, inertial valve suspension forks, air sleeve rear shocks
  • Problem-solving: for frozen parts, stripped threads, missing pieces
  • Wheels: wheelbuilding and general maintenance and repair; tubeless tires, sealant systems, flat repair, tire sizing and choice
  • Complete reference: glossary of bike terms, specifications for bolt tightening, gear chart for 26- and 29-inch wheels, and a comprehensive troubleshooting index

Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, 5th Ed.
by Lennard Zinn, Illustrated by Todd Telander
Paperback. 2-color interior. Over 600 illustrations.
8 ½" x 11", 464 pp., $24.95, 978-1-934030-59-2


Lennard Zinn was a member of the U.S. national racing team and has been riding and fixing bikes for nearly 50 years. A professional frame builder and bike designer, Lennard is also the technical writer for VeloNews magazine and Singletrack.com and hosts the popular Q&A column on VeloNews.com. His other books include Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, Zinn & the Art of Triathlon Bikes, Zinn’s Cycling Primer, The Mountain Bike Performance Handbook, and The Mountain Bike Owner’s Manual. He lives and works in Boulder, Colorado.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, nutrition and diet, and the histories and personalities of our sports. VeloPress is the book-publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., publisher of VeloNews magazine, VeloNews.com, and Singletrack.com.

For media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events, please contact:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors/retailers please find ordering information at velopress.com/shops or contact:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

2011 VeloNews, IMBA, and Inside Triathlon Calendars Are Now Available

Boulder, CO, USA — November 9, 2010 — VeloPress is pleased to announce the publication of 2011 calendars from VeloNews, the International Mountain Bicycling Association, and Inside Triathlon. The editors of VeloNews and Inside Triathlon and staff of IMBA select the most beautiful and inspiring photographs in road cycling, cyclocross, mountain biking, and triathlon to create stylish wall calendars for 2011. These calendars make wonderful gifts for any cyclist or triathlete. The 2011 calendars are now available at bike shops, REI, and from online retailers like VeloGear.com and TriSports.com.

VeloNews 2011 Road Racing Calendar
from the editors of VeloNews magazine
12" x 12", $14.95, 978-1-934030-69-1

International Mountain Bicycling Association 2011 Calendar
A portion of proceeds benefit IMBA.
12" x 12", $14.95, 978-1-934030-71-4

Inside Triathlon 2011 Calendar
from the editors of Inside Triathlon magazine
12" x 12", $14.95, 978-1-934030-70-7

Retailers, please order through AlpenBooks, American Cycling, The Hawley Company, or IPS. For ordering information, please visit velopress.com/shops or contact:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

To request a media copy for your gift guide, please contact:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Meet VeloPress Authors at Interbike!

VeloPress and VeloNews Will Host an Author Meet and Greet at Interbike on Wednesday, 5-6 p.m.

Boulder, CO, USA - September 15, 2010 - It's not every day that you get to meet the top experts and coaches in cycling. Join some of the sport's top authors during a VeloPress Author Meet & Greet at Interbike!

VeloPress Author Meet & Greet
Wednesday, September 22, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
VeloPress/VeloNews Booth # 2131
Beer and wine provided.
Books available for autographing.


VeloPress authors attending the Meet & Greet include:

  • Hunter Allen, developer of TrainingPeaks WKO+ and co-author of Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 2nd Ed.
  • Sally Edwards, founder of Fleet Feet Sports and Heart Zones USA and author of Triathlons for Women, 4th Ed., Heart Zones Cycling, and The Heart Rate Monitor Books
  • Dirk Friel, Chief Marketing Officer of Peaksware and author of Workouts in a Binder® for Indoor Cycling
  • Brett Horton, co-owner of The Horton Collection featured in Cycling's Golden Age: Heroes of the Postwar Era, 1946-1967
  • Steve McCauley, Director of the USA Cycling Development Foundation and co-author of Bike Racing for Juniors: A Guide for Riders, Parents, and Coaches
  • Joe Parkin, editor of BIKE magazine and author of A Dog in a Hat: An American Bike Racer's Story of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium and Come and Gone: A True Story of Blue-Collar Bike Racing in America
  • Thomas Prehn, former U.S. Road Champion and author of Racing Tactics for Cyclists
  • Andy Pruitt, Director of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine and author of Andy Pruitt's Complete Medical Guide for Cyclists
  • Lennard Zinn, technical writer for VeloNews magazine, owner of Zinn Cycles, and author of Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, 5th Ed., Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, 3rd Ed., Zinn & the Art of Triathlon Bikes, and Zinn's Cycling Primer
Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Meet Frazz Cartoonist Jef Mallett at the Chicago Triathlon

Author Packing Two Book Signings and Three Triathlon Races into One Weekend

Boulder, CO, USA - August 25, 2010 - Award-winning and nationally syndicated cartoonist Jef Mallett will test the limits of human endurance this weekend by participating in the Chicago Triathlon Triple Challenge and meeting fans and fellow triathletes at two autographing events. The Triple Challenge features the Fleet Feet Sports Supersprint Triathlon on Saturday and the Sprint and International-distance races on Sunday. Mallett is the creator and cartoonist of the triathlon-friendly Frazz comic strip, which is set in an elementary school and stars a janitor who is a triathlete in his spare time. Mallett will autograph copies of his new book Trizophrenia: Inside the Minds of a Triathlete at two events this weekend.

Friday, August 27, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 28, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Fleet Feet Sports Booth
Multisport & Fitness Expo
Hilton Chicago
720 S. Michigan Ave.

Mallett's new book explores the triathlon lifestyle, with which Mallett is all too familiar! With the same humor and insight that readers love in his Frazz comic strip, Mallett delves into the intoxicating subculture of the sport that is three sports. His wide-ranging text and wonderfully insightful illustrations celebrate the necessary rituals and inescapable quandaries of the triathlete.

Peter Sagal, the Chicago-based host of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and a 2009 Chicago Triathlon finisher, describes Trizophrenia as "a funny, heartfelt, serious work of evangelism."

Jef Mallett is the cartoonist of the award-winning and nationally syndicated comic strip Frazz, which runs in over 160 newspapers in the U.S. and Canada and at comics.com/frazz. Jef has published three collections of Frazz illustrations, Frazz 3.14159..., Frazz, Live at Bryson Elementary, and 99 Percent Perspiration. He also illustrated Roadie: The Misunderstood World of a Bike Racer. Jef writes a regular column for Inside Triathlon and Triathlete magazines and is a contributing artist for VeloNews magazine. Jef has been racing triathlons on and off since the early '80s, alternating between triathlon and bike racing. Jef blogs regularly at jefmallett.net.

To schedule interviews with Jef Mallett or host an event, please contact:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, VeloPress, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

The Chicago Triathlon press contact is:
Louise Edwards, Louise Edwards Public Relations, (312) 751-5511, PRLou@aol.com

To order Trizophrenia for retail, please visit velopress.com/shops or contact:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, VeloPress, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

UPDATE: Phil Hersh of the Chicago Tribune profiles Jef Mallett and his very busy weekend!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Never Miss a Workout with One-Hour Workouts

Boulder, CO, USA - August 24, 2010 - For athletes seeking fitness, the most important rule is never miss a workout. But everyone has bad days-work demands, unexpected errands, and changes in family plans make sticking to a training plan seem as difficult as the workouts themselves. One-Hour Workouts: 50 Swim, Bike, and Run Workouts for Busy Athletes means never missing a workout. Athletes can rescue the day and stay on track using these base, tempo, and speed workouts to meet today's training goal in just one hour, from warm-up to cool down. One-Hour Workouts is now available in bookstores, bike and tri shops, and online. 5 free workouts and the table of contents are available at velopress.com/workouts.

Endurance coaches Mark Newton, Michael Jacques, and triathlon legend Scott Molina offer busy athletes their 50 favorite no-nonsense workouts for swimming, cycling, and running. Each workout is efficient yet challenging so that athletes can get in a quality training session before daybreak, over lunch hour, or whenever they can steal the minutes.

One-Hour Workouts is designed for ease of use. The book is compact and sweatproof so it's easily stashed in a gym bag or desk drawer, and the workouts are grouped for quick reference. The coaches offer tips to develop good form, and they explain how to modify workouts throughout the season to match an athlete's current fitness. In addition to the 50 swim, bike, run workouts, One-Hour Workouts includes 10 bonus workouts for strength training, crosstraining, bricks, and technique drills.

With One-Hour Workouts, busy athletes don't have to sacrifice their training to the full catastrophe of daily life.

One-Hour Workouts: 50 Swim, Bike, and Run Workouts for Busy Athletes
by Scott Molina, Mark Newton, and Michael Jacques
Spiral-bound sweatproof pages with 2-color interior | 6" x 7", 136 pp., $24.95, 978-1-934030-58-5

Scott Molina ("The Terminator") claimed 104 victories as a professional triathlete. Molina now trains, races, and coaches triathletes in New Zealand. Mark Newton is an exercise physiologist with a degree in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Sydney. He has worked with triathlon stars Chris McCormack and Normann Stadler. He lives in Sydney, Australia. Michael Jacques is a multisport coach and elite-level distance runner with over 15 years of coaching experience. He lives and coaches in New Zealand.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher of books for cyclists, triathletes, and runners. VeloPress is the book-publishing division of Competitor Group, which publishes VeloNews, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines and produces the Rock 'N' Roll marathon and half-marathon series, the TriRock triathlon series, and the Muddy Buddy adventure race series.

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Matt Fitzgerald's New Book Teaches the Run-by-Feel Techniques of Elite Runners

Boulder, CO, USA - June 15, 2010 - Most serious runners don't realize their potential because they are unable to run by feel. For many, years of traditional training have taught them to rely on formulas and gadgets instead of how to listen to their bodies. They simply stop getting faster and don't understand why. The best elite runners have learned that the key to faster running is to hear what their bodies are telling them.

In his new book RUN: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel, best-selling author Matt Fitzgerald explores the run-by-feel practices of elite runners and draws on new research to explain why their techniques can be effective for all runners. RUN will teach runners how to listen to their bodies so they can train in the most personalized and adaptable way and begin to realize their full potential. The book is now available in bookstores, running shops, and online. The table of contents, foreword by Dathan Ritzenhein, and first chapter are available for download at VeloPress.com (.pdf).

Fitzgerald's mind-body method is a thought-provoking approach to training and will revolutionize how runners think about their workouts, their limits, and their potential. RUN explains how to interpret emotional and physical messages like confidence, enjoyment, fatigue, suffering, and aches and pains. RUN guides readers toward the optimal balance of intensity and enjoyment, volume and recovery, repetition and variation. As the miles add up, runners will become increasingly confident that they are doing the right workouts on the right days, from one season to the next.

RUN marks the start of a better way to train. The culmination of science and personal experience, the mind-body method of running by feel will lead runners to faster, more enjoyable training and racing.

RUN: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel by Matt Fitzgerald
Paperback, 6" x 9", 276 pp. | $18.95, 978-1-934030-57-8

Matt Fitzgerald is a prolific health and fitness journalist and author of many books on fitness, nutrition, and weight loss, including Brain Training for Runners, Racing Weight, and The Runner's Diary.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, swimming, nutrition and diet, yoga, and the histories and personalities of our sports. VeloPress is the book publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., publisher of VeloNews, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines and producer of the Rock 'N' Roll marathon and half-marathon series, TriRock triathlons, and the Muddy Buddy adventure race series.

To request a media copy, excerpt, or interview, please contact:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Monday, June 14, 2010

In His New Book Boy Racer, Mark Cavendish Sprints to Superstardom

Boulder, CO, USA - June 14, 2010 - Cycling super-sprinter Mark Cavendish explains his phenomenal rise to stardom in his new book, Boy Racer: My Journey to Tour de France Record-Breaker. Cav describes with riveting detail the sprint victories that propelled him into the highest ranks of the cycling elite. His first-person play-by-plays put readers wheel to wheel with the world's fastest cyclists. Boy Racer is now available in bookstores, bike shops, and online, just in time for him to take the starting line of the 2010 Tour de France.

Boy Racer is a page-turning journey of pure exhilaration-candid, opinionated, and scrupulously honest-chronicling Cavendish's rapid rise from local hero to National Champion to Tour de France stage winner. Along the way, Cavendish takes us behind the scenes of the Tour de France to unmask the intrigue, the mayhem, the hysteria, and the adrenaline-fueled, all-out chaos of professional cycling.

Written off as "fat" and "useless" in his youth, Cavendish has since sprinted to the front of the peloton to become cycling's brightest star-and its most outspoken. Cavendish tells how defying the naysayers fueled his early career on the road and the track and led him to ten Tour de France stage wins and overall victory at Milan-San Remo.

Vivid, unflinching, and brilliantly conveyed, Boy Racer sweeps readers into the swirl of the racer's world and delivers them to the finish line with an insider's view from the freshest eyes and most agile mind in bike racing.

Boy Racer: My Journey to Tour de France Record-Breaker by Mark Cavendish
Paperback with color photo sections | 6" x 9", 252 pp., $21.95, 978-1-934030-64-6

Born and raised on the Isle of Man, Mark Cavendish became a world track champion as a teenager in 2005 and a Commonwealth Games gold medalist a year later. In 2008 he regained his world title on the track with British teammate Bradley Wiggins. After switching his focus to the more glamorous world of road cycling, Cavendish set a new record of four stage wins in the 2008 Tour de France. He won six stages of the 2009 Tour de France and the prestigious Milan-San Remo one-day classic. Widely regarded as the most exciting and charismatic young rider to join the sport in years, Cavendish rides for the American cycling team HTC-Columbia and will be the most closely watched sprinter in the pro peloton in 2010.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, swimming, nutrition and diet, yoga, and the histories and personalities of our sports.

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Photo credit: Ben Pryhoda / Mark Cavendish holds an advance copy of his new book in front of the HTC-Columbia team bus at the Tour of California.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Meet Tour of California Stage Winner Mark Cavendish at Helen's Cycles

Super-sprinter Mark Cavendish to Autograph Boy Racer in Santa Monica Bike Shop

Boulder, CO, USA - May 21, 2010 -
After winning a stage and finishing this week's Tour of California, Mark Cavendish will appear at Helen's Cycles in Santa Monica on Monday, May 24th at 6 p.m. to meet cycling fans and autograph copies of his new book, Boy Racer: My Journey to Tour de France Record-Breaker.

Mark Cavendish Book Signing
Monday, May 24th at 6 p.m.
Helen's Cycles
2501 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA
(310) 829-1836, www.helenscycles.com

In Boy Racer, cycling super-sprinter Mark Cavendish explains his phenomenal rise to the top of the sport. Cav describes with riveting detail the sprint victories that propelled him into the history books. His first-person play-by-plays put readers wheel to wheel with the world's fastest cyclists. Cavendish describes his six 2009 Tour de France stage wins, his battle with sprint rival Thor Hushovd, and his overall win at Milan-San Remo. Boy Racer will be available in bookstores, bike shops, and online in late May, soon after Cavendish races the Tour of California and just weeks before he starts the Tour de France.

Written off as "fat" and "useless" in his youth, Cavendish has since sprinted to the front of the race peloton to become cycling's brightest start-and its most outspoken.

Boy Racer is a page-turning journey of pure exhilaration-candid, opinionated, and scrupulously honest-chronicling Cavendish's rapid rise from local hero to National Champion to Tour de France stage winner. Along the way, Cavendish takes us behind the scenes of the Tour de France to unmask the intrigue, the mayhem, the hysteria, and the adrenalin-fueled, all-out chaos of professional cycling.

Vivid, unflinching, and brilliantly conveyed, Boy Racer sweeps readers into the swirl of the racer's world and delivers them to the finish line with an insider's view from the freshest voice and most agile mind in bike racing.

Born and raised on the Isle of Man, Mark Cavendish became a world track champion as a teenager in 2005, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist a year later, and in 2008 regained his world title on the track with British teammate Bradley Wiggins. After switching his focus to the more glamorous world of road cycling, Cavendish set a new record of four stage wins in the 2008 Tour de France, and won the prestigious Milan-San Remo one-day classic in 2009. Widely regarded as the most exciting and charismatic young rider to join the sport in years, Cavendish rides for the American cycling team HTC-Columbia and will be the most closely watched sprinter in the pro peloton in 2010.

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x2169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Photo caption: Mark Cavendish wears the green jersey of the sprint leader while holding a copy of his book in front of the Team HTC-Columbia bus at the AMGEN Tour of California, San Jose, Wednesday, May 26. Photo credit: Ben Pryhoda/VeloPress

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Cycling Experts Update Book On Training and Racing with a Power Meter

Boulder, CO, USA - May 6, 2010 - Hunter Allen and Andy Coggan have updated their bestselling book, Training and Racing with a Power Meter. Allen and Coggan have completely revised the book that made power meters understandable for amateur and professional cyclists and triathletes. Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 2nd Ed. is now available in bookstores, bike and tri shops, and online.

Power meters have become essential tools for competitive cyclists and triathletes. No training tool can unlock as much speed and endurance as a power meter-for those who understand how to interpret their data. A power meter displays and records exactly how much energy a cyclist expends, which lends unprecedented insight into that rider's abilities and fitness. With the proper baseline data, a cyclist can use a power meter to determine race strategy, pacing, and tactics.

Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 2nd Ed. makes it possible to exploit the incredible usefulness of the power meter by explaining how to profile strengths and weaknesses, measure fitness and fatigue, optimize workouts, time race readiness, and race using power. This new edition:
  • Enables athletes to predict future performance and time peak form
  • Introduces fatigue profiling, a new testing method to pinpoint weaknesses
  • Includes two training plans to raise functional threshold power and time peaks for race day
  • Offers 75 power-based workouts tuned for specific training goals

This updated edition also includes new case studies, a full chapter on triathlon training and racing, and improved 2-color charts and tables throughout.

Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 2nd Ed., will continue to be the definitive guide to the most important training tool ever developed for endurance sports. To review the table of contents and a sample, please visit velopress.com. For online widgets and information on using Training and Racing with a Power Meter with TrainingPeaks™ software, please visit peakscoachinggroup.com.

Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 2nd Ed. 
Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan, PhD
Paperback with 2-color illustrations throughout
7 3/8" x 9 1/4", 344 pp., $24.95, 978-1-934030-55-4

Hunter Allen is considered one of the world's top experts in training with power meters. He is the co-developer of TrainingPeaks WKO+, software which he has used to analyze over 3,000 power meter files. Allen is a USA Cycling elite-certified coach. He raced professionally for over 17 years.

Andrew Coggan, PhD, is an internationally recognized exercise physiologist. His research provided the foundation for the TrainingPeaks WKO+ software, which he co-developed with Allen. Coggan is a research associate at Washington University School of Medicine. He holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Texas and an MS in Human Bioenergetics form Ball State University.

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

17 Hours to Glory Celebrates Kona's Ironman® Heroes

Boulder, CO, USA - May 4, 2010 - From the moment the starting gun is fired on Kona's sandy beach at the Ironman World Championship, triathletes have 17 hours to cross the finish line. It's a feat marking the ultimate achievement in the sport. 17 Hours to Glory commemorates this dramatic quest with 17 compelling stories that allow readers to experience the competition firsthand. 17 Hours to Glory: Extraordinary Stories from the Heart of Triathlon is available now in bookstores, tri shops, and online.

These are stories of ordinary and unlikely heroes: 17 Hours to Glory tells the inspiring stories of a sedentary secretary with all the wrong habits taking up triathlon to lose weight, a nun who races to bring attention to her causes, and two men with a rivalry so intense that their disabilities fade into the shadows.

Some will become Ironman champions, some will overcome all odds just to finish within 17 hours. All will reveal tremendous athleticism, unbelievable capacity for suffering, and true strength of character.

The personal stories of triathlon's most epic characters come to life in this book, beginning with the famous story of Julie Moss's determination to reach the finish line, paving the way for future champions like Mark Allen and Paula Newby-Fraser, and a new generation of superstars in Peter Reid and Chrissie Wellington.

Triathlon's most dynamic heroes are candidly portrayed in 17 Hours to Glory, a book that puts no limits on the possibilities of the human spirit.

17 Hours to Glory: Extraordinary Stories from the Heart of Triathlon
by Mathias Müller with Timothy Carlson
Paperback with two color photosections | 6" x 9", 296 pp., $21.95, 978-1-934030-43-1

Mathias Müller has competed in seven Ironman races and finished three Ironman World Championship races. His best finish was 99th overall in 9:28 at Ironman Roth. Müller has written for several German magazines and newspapers for 15 years.

Timothy Carlson is among triathlon's most accomplished journalists and photographers. He writes for Inside Triathlon and Triathlete magazines and for Slowtwitch.com. He is co-author of Embedded: The Media Wars in Iraq.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, swimming, nutrition and diet, yoga, and the histories and personalities of our sports. VeloPress is the book publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., publisher of VeloNews, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines and producer of the Rock 'N' Roll marathons and half-marathons and the Muddy Buddy adventure series.

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Ironman is a registered trademark of World Triathlon Corporation.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Joe Parkin's New Book Chronicles the Rebirth of American Pro Bike Racing

Joe Parkin's New Book Is the Sequel to His Highly Praised Memoir, A Dog in a Hat

Boulder, CO, USA - April 9, 2010 - After a grueling five-year education in bike racing (A Dog in a Hat), Joe Parkin describes his return to the U.S., his struggles with the nascent American bike racing scene, and the birth of mountain bike racing. Parkin's new book Come and Gone: A True Story of Blue-Collar Bike Racing in America is the sequel to his widely praised memoir A Dog in a Hat. Come and Gone is now available in bookstores, bike shops, and online.

After five years of racing in Belgium, Joe Parkin said goodbye to Flanders knowing he might never go back. He never did. Parkin flew back to the U.S. with empty pockets and no contract. For several years, he was unable to watch a Belgian spring classic without tears in his eyes, and seeing his former teammates race the 1992 Tour de France was torture.

Eventually, Joe landed a spot with the Coors Light cycling team. After the years in Europe, though, racing in the U.S. was too strange a transition. That's when Joe started racing mountain bikes.

Come and Gone follows Joe through three hardscrabble seasons chasing wins on the U.S. road racing circuit before he changes course and tastes victory as a mountain bike pro. A gritty, authentic, and heartfelt personal memoir, Come and Gone is also a chronicle of the rebirth of professional bike racing in America.

Come and Gone: A True Story of Blue-Collar Bike Racing in America by Joe Parkin
Paperback with color photosection
6" x 9", 208 pp., $21.95, 978-1-934030-54-7

"Parkin shows you life on the edge of the peloton. We know the great champions' stories, but Parkin's experience is far more illustrative of what a 'pro cyclist' really is." - PodiumCafe.com

"Have a seat in the middle of the peloton ... See what Joe sees, breathe what he smells ... Struggle with him as he strives to get out in front of it all. Parkin's words weave a colorful tapestry about living life on the bicycle racing circuit ... Yet that tapestry is soiled and tattered because of the true cutthroat nature of bicycle racing and the absolute grit in the stories Joe relives for us." - Dirt Rag magazine

"There's something very approachable about the underdog, the guy who works as hard as anyone, but never achieves the stardom we all chase. Joe's candor is refreshing to read and entertaining as hell." - PezCycling News

Joe Parkin's life has not been without adventure. He has been a professional cyclist, stunt pilot, motorcycle racer, and sharpshooter. He represented the United States at the World Cycling Championships and the World Cyclocross Championships. Parkin is the editor of BIKE magazine, blogs at 6YearsInARainCape.com, and contributed to Versus.com.

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers, please visit velopress.com for order info or contact:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210, x169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Friday, April 2, 2010

VeloPress Announces Its 2010 Spring Book Releases


VeloPress has announced its spring 2010 book list and has released its new spring catalog. Please visit velopress.com to see new cycling, triathlon, and running books and to download the Spring 2010 VeloPress catalog.

The VeloPress spring list includes updates of the best-selling women's triathlon book, Sally Edwards's Triathlons for Women, 4th Ed., and of the cutting-edge power meter reference, Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 2nd Ed. from Hunter Allen and Dr. Andy Coggan.

Cyclists will be thrilled to learn about the American edition of Mark Cavendish's book, Boy Racer. The U.S. edition will include Cav's gripping descriptions of his 2009 victories and his expectations for the 2010 Tour de France (available June).

In his highly anticipated sequel to A Dog in a Hat, Joe Parkin returns from Belgium to race for the Coors Light team in the U.S. Come and Gone is a true story about the birth of pro cycling and mountain bike in America.

17 Hours to Glory will inspire triathletes and sports fans with 17 compelling stories of sheer athleticism and true strength of character during the Ironman(r) World Championships in Kona. Triathletes will never have to miss a workout again thanks to One-Hour Workouts.

Runners will learn how to train by feel using Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel, Matt Fitzgerald's follow up to Brain Training for Runners. Run explains how to craft the most customized and adaptable training experience by learning to listen to the body.


VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with training books that help both serious athletes and beginners build skills and fitness. VeloPress authors are trusted authorities on training, gear, and nutrition. VeloPress also publishes historical and biographical books that take a closer look at the celebrated athletes and personalities in our sports. VeloPress is the book publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., publisher of VeloNews, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines. Competitor Group, Inc. also produces Elite Racing Rock 'n Roll marathons and half-marathons and the Muddy Buddy series of adventure races.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Sally Edwards's Triathlons for Women Can Help Any Woman Become a Triathlete

Boulder, CO, USA - March 17, 2010 - Triathlon legend Sally Edwards has published a newly updated edition of the best-selling women's triathlon training book, Triathlons for Women. For over 20 years, Sally Edwards has cheered, prodded, and even pushed hundreds of thousands of women across the finish line of their first triathlon. This newest edition of Triathlons for Women can help any woman rise to the challenge of beginning a healthier, more active lifestyle.

Women make up the fastest-growing demographic in endurance sports, especially in the red-hot sport of triathlon. According to USA Triathlon, women now comprise nearly 40% of participants in the sport. Sally Edwards's inspiring career and tireless work have been major forces bringing women into triathlon. "Sally Edwards is women's triathlon!", says Maggie Sullivan, director of the two largest women's triathlon series.

In Triathlons for Women, Sally shares her experiences to prepare women physically and mentally for their first triathlon. Sally guides women from the first day of training to race day, with plenty of personal encouragement along the way. Triathlons for Women leaves no question unanswered, from workouts to the transition zone to the most common question of all-what to wear.

Triathlons for Women has everything women need to get started. With this book, women can:
  • Begin training with a comprehensive 8-week training plan
  • Keep training fun with a wide variety of workouts
  • Improve technique with simple drills for swimming, cycling, and running
  • Follow Sally's commonsense advice for better nutrition

Sally Edwards has seen hundreds of thousands of women launch a happier, healthier life by finishing their first triathlon. Triathlons for Women will help women realize their goals, whether they include getting fit, getting fast, or taking on a longer race.

Triathlons for Women, 4th Ed. by Sally Edwards with forewords by Karen Smyers and Maggie Sullivan
Paperback with 2-color interior. Charts, tables and illustrations throughout.
6" x 9", 296 pp., $19.95, 978-1-934030-40-0

Sally Edwards is a celebrated figure in the sport of triathlon. She was one of the first women to race the Ironman(R) and finished 16 Ironman races. She held the Ironman world masters record and helped to found USA Triathlon. Sally holds two MBAs, has written over 20 books, and founded the internationally franchised Heart Zones(R) fitness coaching company. Sally was for 20 years the spokesperson and final finisher of the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series and is now the Chief Inspiration Officer of the Trek Women Triathlon Series. For more information, please visit www.TheSallyEdwardsCompany.com.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, swimming, nutrition and diet, yoga, and the histories and personalities of our sports. VeloPress authors are highly qualified, trusted experts. Our training books help both serious athletes and beginners to build skills and fitness while our human interest books inspire greater appreciation of our sports. For more information, please visit www.VeloPress.com.

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews, and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com