I raced in the Superior Glass Classic at the Burnaby Velodrome over the long weekend. It was my first big dose of track racing in many years (aside from team pursuits) and I had so much fun! I finished 2nd in the ‘A’ category behind Kyle Buckosky while tied with Eric Johnstone (current Jr. Men’s Omnium silver medalist).

What was most exciting and inspiring was seeing a group of 17 youth/development women from all over, out at the track training all day and racing all night. SEVENTEEN!! Everyone was talking about how the most exciting sprint rounds of Saturday morning were from this category. There was also an incredible showing of youth/devo men.

Kudos to Jeff Ain, as well as Rachel Canning and Mike Rothengatter for organizing and executing such an incredible camp for all these young women and men.

Now for some press:

https://www.localride.ca/wp/2012/11/13/maggie-wins-superior-glass-track-omnium/

https://pedalmag.com/?p=177525&c

Thanks to the BVC, Kelyn Akuna, Jeremy Storie and all those who made the race happen. Thanks Aidan Mouellic for the picture! And Skinetex for holding my knee together all weekend.

Looking for a professional grade kinesiology tape? Want to support a locally owned company? Skinetex is based out of Vancouver, B.C. and I have found their product to far surpass any other kinesiology tape company, as it lasts longer and does not cause me to itch. I also love the choice of colours. Try them today!

Go to www.skinetex.com and when you enter lbrown20 as a coupon code at checkout, you will receive 20% off all products!

I am involved with the Skinetex Team Athlete Commercial Program. It is designed to mutually benefit both Skinetex and its Athlete. By promoting and selling Skinetex products, I can generate my own income. Every roll you purchase using my unique discount ID, I get commission. Help me, help you

My first run in three years, Skinetex to the rescue!

Empowerment through sport. That is what Fast and Female is all about. I am honoured to be named as an ambassador for this organization. I have spent my life building a career in sport and I hope to give back to what has changed me and my life for the better. I hope I can be a positive role model for our female youth and support, motivate, and inspire a generation to stick to sports and healthy lifestyle.

Fast and Female Mantras:

Spread the love- Get as many girls hooked on a healthy and active lifestyle.

Dominate the world- Rejoice in the possibility of being leaders in all we do.

https://www.fastandfemale.com

I am very excited and honoured to be partnering with my favourite saddle company, ISM. I would not be able to get quite as aerodynamic as I can on my track pursuit or road time trial bike if it weren’t for their revolutionary design and technology. I am able to sit comfortably in a very uncomfortable position. Check them out at www.ismseat.com You’ll wonder why you didn’t try them sooner and your ‘important’ parts with thank-you!

I am riding the Racing II on my track pursuit bike and the Time Trial on my road time trial bike.

Here is an assortment of pictures of me and my ISM from all over the World!

It only took me 10 years training as a gymnast and another 10 years of training for the sport cycling for my dream to come true – I am going to the London 2012 Olympic Games baby!!

The past two years we have been traveling the world and gathering points to qualify our country for the Olympics in the Women’s Team Pursuit. Mission accomplished. Next on the to-do list was for Cycling Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee to pick which 4 out of the 5 “short listed” riders will comprise the team at the Games. Our Olympic Trials held on June 11-12 were very competitive as we have one of the best team pursuit teams in the world now.

I went home after the trials (for a record 43 hours) to unwind and be with loved one’s when I received the news, good or bad. In the end, I was riding the Vancouver bus #160 when I was called. I wanted to hug the homeless man beside me but instead I just sat there with the biggest smile I have ever smiled. #160 will always hold a special place in my heart.

The track cycling team consists of Tara Whitten, Zach Bell, Jasmin Glaesser, Gillian Carleton, Joseph Veloce, Monique Sullivan and me! For the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Cycling Canada only qualified for 2 events and had 3 riders competing in track cycling. This year, we have qualified in 6 events and will have 7 cyclists at the Games! And not to mention we have very real medal hopes in 3 of the events. It is also an exciting time for Cycling in Canada across all disciplines. Stayed tuned for Olympic nominations from the remaining disciplines. It feels special to be a part of this shift from barely filling quotas to a competitive cycling nation. The goal of Cycling Canada? To celebrate enhanced international success, increase national participation and host world class events by 2020. I feel we are well on our way in achieving this. Let’s keep the ball rolling…err I mean, wheels turning!

I hope I inspire the next generation of riders to dream big and for them have the support and means necessary to fulfill such dreams. When I was a junior, I had the passion, the talent and I wanted to go to the Olympics. After competing in the Junior World Championships, I was told “to get faster and then we’ll talk.” I hope none of our youth and development riders have to hear that and/or wander throughout their junior and U23 years not knowing what to do or where to go to achieve their goals.

I could not have made the London 2012 Canadian Olympic team if it weren’t for many, many people. This journey has been far from easy and never alone. I would like to first and foremost thank my parents for appreciating the value of sport, always getting me involved, their limitless support, and for signing me up for my first cycling camp. I would also like to thank all my family and friends who have loved and supported me no matter what. My boyfriend, Tim, for supporting and accepting me and my dream no matter how far-away I am. All my teammates over the years because it is the people that make this sport special and I love it because I love you. Specifically, Steph Roorda, a founding member of Canada’s Women’s Team Pursuit, thank-you for being my best friend and my best teammate over the years. Ed for taking me to that crazy spin class as a gymnast and then convincing me I should try cycling. Dan Proulx for seeing something in me as a 14 year old and getting me on my first track bike. All of the Olympic Oval cycling coaches and staff who got my hooked on cycling. Jeremy Storie for showing me what it really means to suffer on the bike, for convincing me to do the team pursuit in 2008, and for coaching and guiding the Women’s Team Pursuit during its infant years (this man is arguably responsible for 4/5 Olympic team short listed riders!). Richard Wooles for rebooting our track cycling program and giving us the means, ways, and inspiration to reach our potential. Tanya Dubnicoff for taking me to first international cycling race as a junior and now for coaching and developing the Canadians Women’s Team Pursuit into one of the best in the world. The CBLT, the BVC, and Velo Sports Centre for giving me a place to ride. John Evans for absolutely everything because this guy does do everything – he is the quintessential “Jack of all trades.” Dr. Jenn Turner for always fixing me – you are awesome! Thank-you Mike Patton, Doc Smith, Barry Lyster and the Local Ride Bike Shop/Dr. Vie Superfoods+, Nancy Scholz, Kirsten Barnes, Sandy Gilchrist, Steve Sleep, Dr. Janet McKeown, Susan Boegman, Andrea Wooles, and Adam Duvendeck, AthletesCAN, CAN Fund, and all my sponsors! An extended thank-you everyone else involved within Cycling Canada, our Canadian Sport Centres, Sport Canada, and Own the Podium for supporting development and high performance athletes.

This is starting to sound like an Oscar acceptance speech run-on! But I mean it. Thank-you ALL from the bottom of my heart.

38 days and counting…

Put the pedal to the medal!

Right now, if you purchase any product from the Dr. Vie Superfoods+ online shop at https://drvie.com, not only do you support this Canadian natural foods company run by female entrepreneurs, you help me too! I receive 10% of the profits. At the check out, a CODE window will pop up, and if you fill it in with my name, “Laura Brown,” not only are you are doing yourself a favour by purchasing some of this amazing food, you are helping me make it possible to pursue my cycling goals.

A Little Bit About Dr. Vie Superfoods+:

Dr. Vie, Inc. is a Canadian Company based in Montréal, Québec. The Company is family-owned and managed by a Mother and daughter team of east Indian heritage out of South Africa. A family history of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, allergies and diabetes inspired their mission to promote healthy lives in communities across the planet.  Because food is essential to life, Dr. Vie now has a selection of powerful low allergenic, sugar free, low glycemic, 100% natural, gluten-free, vegan and nut-free foods to stimulate overall wellness by enhanceing feelings of well-being and keeping illness at bay.

Dr. Vie Superfoods+ fresh food products:

• Dr. Vie Chocolat singles (6 varieties)
• Dr. Vie Sports and Fitness (3 varieties)
• Dr. Vie Boost singles (3 varieties)
• Dr. Vie Dessert singles (2 varieties)
• Dr. Vie Cupidos 18+ when the time is right
• Dr. Vie ChocoShok snack for kids new in 2011

Benefits of Dr. Vie Superfoods+:

1. Dr. Vie, Scientist at Dr. Vie, Inc. discovers key food formulas to maintain healthy body weight and optimal energy levels for all ages and daily health needs.
2. 15 Delicious fresh foods have key protein, fiber, omegas, antioxidants and nutrients from mother nature to digest naturally in your body and keep you primed.
3. Sustained energy to keep you going with just the right taste of sweetness without the negatives of sugar, bad calories or bad fats. Made right for you.
4. Nourishing for guilt-free breakfast with hot tea or coffee. You won’t want to miss breakfast again!
5. Nutritious and quick and easy for lunch in a sandwich to keep you smiling. .
6. Energy boost during the afternoon for all you workers, students, parents and slackers. No more slacking off!
7. Frozen dessert food without the weight gain. Finally dessert that works for your body guilt free.
8. Emotional lift from the pure chocolate plus natural antioxidants to boost happiness like only chocolate can.
9. Natural fiber so delicious and it keeps you regular -goodbye constipation.
10. Omega fatty acids for your for everyday performance whether your are an athlete or working 8 hours a day or retired. Good Grease is Great Grease^TM.
11. Boost before exercise and during exercise for fitness nutrition. Sports food with yummy protein and carbs the right way.
12. Restabilize after exercise and avoid binge eating after activity. Why spoil the workout, eat right and feel right.
13. Sustained guilt-free energy during a night on the town or at romantic party at home.
14. Delicious, powerful happy food feeds the brain and stomach and keeps the body functioning at its best

Dr. Vie Health Food Properties:

• 100% natural vegan nut-free gluten-free
• Low-glycemic sugar free goodness
• High antioxidants from the ingredients
• Superfood ingredients including acai, goji, lucuma, coffee cherry, acerelo cherry, coconut, pure cacao, ginger, matcha green tea, ginseng, rose etc.
• Low allergenic, zero sesame, zero milk, zero nuts, zero gluten, zero soy, zero corn, zero honey, zero preservatives
• 100% pure dark cacao chocolate
• Proprietary cellboost formula
• Proprietary manufacturing process
• Natural energy boost
• Individually made with love
• Biocompostable non-toxic food-free paper bags
• Bags are manually cut at our factory
• We are planet friendly – the planet eats our bags
• We consume our products daily- we share it with you
• The key ingredient in our products is 100% love

The 2012 Pan American Cycling Championships were held in Mar del Plata, Argentina. After about 30 hours of travel (including a 100km bus ride that ended up being almost 8 hours) we arrived to the beautiful ocean front, European inspired city.

We were only able to train twice on the track before race day so we were quick to learn how to ride the track as a cohesive unit and get over the travel and jet-lag. It is autumn in Argentina right now and during training we were faced with up to 50km/h wind gusts and some rain. Usually, the elements would not be an issue in track cycling competitions, but the Mar del Plata’s velodrome is 250m outdoor concrete. Thankfully the three of us (Steph Roorda, Allison Beveridge, and myself) are experienced track riders and grew up racing on outdoor concrete velodromes in Canada (CBTL!). We knew how to ride a team pursuit in the wind and we knew that not only our fitness, but our technical abilities would set us apart even more from the other teams present. We were confident and excited going into the qualifier on March 5.

We qualified 2nd next to Venezuela and earned our ticket into the Gold medal final later that evening. Despite posting a slower qualifying time than the other team, our team was motivated to show that we can go faster and stepped up with a new race plan and crossed the line in first place. It was a great feeling knowing we executed our plan perfectly and would go home with a gold medal.

Steph and I have been national team and road racing teammates for many years now and it was great to be able to ride with youngster Allison Beveridge and get her hooked on WTP! She is fresh out of the junior racing category and this was her first senior Pan American Championships. It was inspiring to ride with such emerging talent and be able to share as much experience with her as possible.

The 2012 Pan American Championships were the 2nd last event to gain Olympic qualification points and the final race before the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia in the beginning of April. Over the past 2 years we have been traveling the world, racing, and picking up points. Our WTP was sitting 7th ( the top-10 teams qualify for the Olympics) and it was critical to come to this race and well, win, to  further solidify our ranking. After winning the gold medal, picking up a couple hundred points, and taking home a Pan American champions jersey (and a quick dip in the Atlantic), we feel like the mission was accomplished. Now I will recover and begin my build for the final race of the track season before the 2012 Olympic Games, the World Championships.

Thank-you to Mike and John – our two lone staff members who handled the entire team from airport pick-up logistics to gluing tubular tires. You guys are awesome!

Thank-you to everyone back home from their constant support and encouragement. I am thankful to have so many people behind me and our team. And a big thank you to Local Ride and Dr. Vie Superfoods+  for all you do!

PS. It is pretty cool to have won the Pan Am Games and the Pan Am Champs in the same year