Fellow Swamis, we have a lot to share with you in this newsletter, including a new president, new benefits from our partner sponsors, and more!

Presidential news

We want to express our deepest appreciation to outgoing president Ryan Meskimen. His leadership kept the Swami’s membership strong through the challenges of the pandemic and ready to take on exciting upcoming activities and initiatives. Having recently retired from the navy and become a grandfather, Ryan will be moving to Texas with his wife to be near their daughter and new grandchild. We wish him and his family all success and happiness in their future endeavors!

Taking the reins from Ryan will be our new president, Mark Steele. Many of you know Mark as a leader of group rides of many levels, and he has been just as active behind the scenes as on the road. We welcome Mark and look forward to his contributions as president of Swami’s!

Summer Kit Order

The 2022 kit design, developed in collaboration with Eliel, has become an instant classic. We will soon announce a new kit order that will include the lightweight, summer-friendly Diablo style. Keep an eye on your inbox over the next several weeks for the announcement of the upcoming order window and more details!

Partner News and Perks

The Feed

Annual credit at thefeed.com

Our partners at The Feed are offering Swamis members an annual $80 credit for merchandise at thefeed.com. Here’s the offer in their own words:

How would you like $80 to spend on any nutrition brand or product that you love? That’s right, as a Swami's member, your newest perk is a $80 annual credit at The Feed.

New to The Feed? We are the largest online store for endurance athletes to get all the nutrition, performance supplements, and recovery gear you need to make your next workout even better.

We have every major brand (Skratch, Maurten, Clif Bar, Hammer, and over 500 more!). The best part is that you can also buy “single servings” to mix and match flavors and try new products without buying a whole box of 12. Shipping is free on every order over $50.

To join the Swami's Club at The Feed:

• Claim your $80 annual credit at this link. 
• Register email and verify your phone number.
• Spend your first drop of $20 right away. Additional $20 Feed credit drops will occur every 90 days.

Zoom session with The Feed

The Feed has also started an educational webinar series featuring various experts in the sports nutrition industry and  professional athletes who lend their fueling and training strategies around a host of topics – from fueling for a specific event (e.g. Ironman, endurance gravel race), to getting back into racing postpartum, how aging and hormonal changes present challenges in how we fuel and recover and so on. They will talk about whatever you want to learn about! This is an opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and take away invaluable knowledge to apply to your own personal training and race goals. A Zoom call for Swami’s members will be scheduled for April. Stay tuned for more details!

Columbia Employee Store

Our partners at Columbia have announced a sweet deal, valid from March 11 to April 3, at Columbia Employee Stores for Swami’s members:

• Store Pricing: all product is current season merchandise and is priced up to 50% off retail cost.
• Guests must show their valid offer (available at this link) plus a work ID for access and can bring up to 4 additional people with them.
• Military and First Responders have year round access with a valid work ID.

See the websites for Columbia Employee Stores in Carlsbad and Oceanside.

Padres Pedal the Cause

Let's ride for one of our own! This year, in lieu of creating a Padres Pedal Swami's team, we are going to rally behind a team riding for a long-time Swami's member, Amber Haldane. A year ago, Amber was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma, a type of rare cancer that grows in the smooth muscles. She underwent surgical and chemotherapy procedures and was thought to be in the clear. However, her cancer recurred, requiring additional treatments and possible surgery. 

For those that have ridden with Amber, you'll remember her as always being cheery and positive, even on a double-digit grade climb.  Let's encourage that positive attitude in showing our support of the team, created in her honor, Muffy's Angels. Why Muffy? That's the name she would always give when she ordered coffee.

Here's the link to the team: https://support.curebound.org/team/405659. To keep up on Amber's progress, visit https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amberhaldane

Swamis who register for PPtC can get $25 off registration until March 14 by using the code COOLEYCURES.

New Swami’s Board Members

Swami's Cycling Club is excited to announce some changes to its governing board. Every two years, the board elects new directors to fill roles that are essential to the club's operation. Board members are volunteer representatives of Swami's who are dedicated to the objectives of the club. They're committed to making all of you feel welcome. Click through to the Swami's website for more about the board.

All About that Base

With Daylight Savings Time starting on March 16, now is the perfect time to build your base mileage. Long, steady-state rides – commonly referred to as “Zone 2” training – help build your aerobic engine, increase capillary density in your muscles, teach your body to become more proficient at burning fat, and will allow you to recover more quickly.  

Zone 2 is not easy recovery spinning, but it should be comfortable for up to several hours. You should be able to maintain a conversation while focusing on smooth pedaling. 

A great way to build endurance is a Zone 2 training ride following a hard Saturday workout. Our Long Steady Distance (LSD) Sunday rides are ideal for base-building. Check out our ride calendar on the club website or watch for Facebook event posts for Swami's Sunday LSD rides.

"Bicycles may change, but cycling is timeless."

Zapata Espinosa