Check this out!

So check this stuff out people. I have a couple of really cool companies on board this year that I want to share with you all during this post.

First off, I'm really excited about a company that is located right here in Northern Indiana, but you wouldn't know the difference between them and some Belgium company that is cooking embro in a damp, stoney basement somewhere while prepping bikes for a snowy cross race. Let's face it, we all love rides that require embro (at least I do) and the couple at Winston's Brand have great products for these days and other items too!

I'm excited to have Winston's on-board this year as a sponsor because they have a good thing going for them. I've always had a hard time finding a embro that gets my legs up to the warm level, but the stuff Aaron cooks up is the only product I have ever used that does the trick... and I've used a lot! While not a big name company, it's refreshing to use a product that is being produced with the passion to just get the product out there for people to enjoy. Aaron and Mary at Winston's do just that. Check them out occasionally at www.winstonsbrand.com to order online. They have all you need from summer blends to chamois cream... along with the best logo ever. Nice!

Next is another company based in TN and that's Swiftwick. They advertise as "the best you'll ever wear" and that's no joke! I was given a pair of these socks 3 years ago and loved them so much I wore them for every race since then. That's a lot of use and not a single sign of breakdown! They have since improved on that design and have several options of material and cuff heights now. They obviously "wick" swiftly as the name implys, but they also have a snug fit in just the right places without being too tight.

My favorite is the merino 4. I swear, its the best wool sock I have ever put on my feet! I also love the arm warmers and they are perfect for a little chillier ride then the standard spandex type arm warmer. I also find the olifen 1 to be a great sock to wear to work everyday. These socks add compression value and coming off of foot/ankle surgery, that's been a huge help! Dr Porter, my surgeon, Indianapolis Colt's surgeon, and one of the leading ankle surgeons in the world took a look at these sock and said that he like them! Yeah, you should probably get some.

In order to do that, make a trip on over to Revolution Bike and Bean in Bloomington. As of yet, they are the only Indiana shop that has these bad boys. We all know the RBB is on top of the game, so go get some socks and a latte! Otherwise, if you can't get into see those guys, take advantage of this offer. The cool folks at Swiftwick will spread a little love through me to hook you up. You can use a one time coupon code to get 15% off your online order at www.swiftwick.com. Once you place your order, type in NicoleRaces1 to get the discount. You should see "you're a friend of Nicole's, you're a friend of Swiftwick! Enjoy 15% on your total order from Swiftwick." Now go order some stuff! You won't regret it!

So that's the word, I am enjoying a couple off weeks from racing. I'm just training, training, training. Matter of fact its a chilly, rainy, day today and I need to head out for a couple hours of riding before work. Good thing I have some Winston's Hot Embro, some Swiftwick socks, and my Drt kit to help me enjoy the ride!

See ya!