It’s time for cross again (#crossiscoming, etc.) and that means new team, new kits, new equipment, etc.  Last year I had a really successful season just putting together my own sponsorship and being master of my own destiny.  While having a team on the road is amazing and necessary for success, in cross I’ve always preferred to kind of freelance my “team” and sponsors.

It’s super likely that this loaner attitude of mine is inspired by the greatest cycling movie of all time.

It’s also entirely likely that I’m pissy and controlling and want to be able to spend cyclocross season racing on my own terms and according to my own schedule, but really who’s to say.

So the question then becomes, how do I get sponsors?  Of course I’ll be working again with Jamis Bicycles, Bikesport NW, and Psimet Wheels because they’re all the best but how do I get cold hard cash to fund the season.

I first tried to go to other companies in the bike industry but quickly realized that much like me, no one in the bike industry has any money. Then I thought about maybe sharing my vast knowledge with the world and fundraising by writing a cookbook and nutrition guide and sharing my unique vegan perspective.  This seemed better in theory than in practice.

Once I realized that my cookbook would not be the overnight success I had hoped for, I decided that what I really needed to do was get real famous, and quick.  Enter my awesome buddy Robert Grunau a freelance journalist and ROAD Magazine. Together they wrote and published a really great article about me which makes me look like way less of a dip than I really am! Thanks guys! I figured that the article would make me an overnight sensation and the sponsor dollars would just start pouring in! While the article is beautifully written and laid out and did net me several more twitter followers I was disappointed to not wake up the morning it was released to millions of sponsor dollars on my doorstep (maybe I should have put my home address in the article?)

So in the last week things have started to get a little more real.  I finally decided to just pound the pavement and look for people who want to give a 34 year old angsty pro cyclist money to help her pedal her bike.  So far it’s been slow going but I’m sure the momentum will pick up soon, maybe when I move to a new street.

So onward to cyclocross season whether I’m ready or not!  I’m super grateful for the support I do have and for the support that continues to pour in.