VSP Active

Eye Ride with Kyle

Posted on October 15, 2009 by Renee Mc.

Renee M. is a member of VSP's Corporate Marketing & Brand Management team.

This past Wednesday, one of my cycling dreams came true as I received a two-wheeled escort across Golden Gate Bridge from Kyle Rose, a member of the 2009 Team Type 1 Elite/RAAM cycling team.

Having never biked across Golden Gate Bridge, let alone alongside a pro, I was stoked when Kyle offered to take me out a few hours before our scheduled video shoot of his annual eye exam (a pretty big deal since it was through an annual eye exam that the then 16-year-old Kyle discovered he had Type 1 diabetes).

Despite the thick fog and damp weather (that’s summer in the Bay for you), our ride was awesome, especially bombing down the twisting switchbacks of Hawk Hill. Thankfully for me, Kyle kept a casual pace (he had done his real training the day before) so I could pick his brain about anything and everything that came to mind: Team Type 1’s recent mountain stage victory at the Tour of Ireland; the good, the bad, and the ugly of semi-professional cycling; his favorite local rides (Hawk Hill being one); the not-so-favorite aspects of training in the Bay (i.e. tourists who come to a dead stop on their rented bikes in the bike lane); and his future (January 2010 he plans to move to France – where he was born and raised – to train and race for Team Type 1 in the European circuit).

We also talked about life beyond cycling (Kyle plans to study business while living in France) and things he’ll miss most about San Francisco. Like most good times, our ride ended much too soon. But I’ll always have my memories! And my cool helmet cam footage!

Top Ten Reasons I’m a Fan of Kyle Rose:

10. He likes to chase down and pass cars on Marine Drive.

9. He speaks French fluently.

8. He’s passionate about sharing the Team Type 1 message.

7. He thinks helmet cams are cool.

6. He isn’t afraid to get his eyes dilated (a key step in making sure your eyes are healthy).

5. He is uber-polite (didn’t even blink when I flubbed my video intro).

4. He doesn’t mind trying on tons of frames, even ones that I pick out that make him look a little nerdy (hey, I happen to think geek is chic!)

3. He knows what a figure eight knot is.

2. He agreed to my request to be pen pals while he’s in France.

And the number one reason I’m a fan of Kyle Rose: he’s a person who lives and breathes the mantra – don’t let anything stand in your way.

Filed under: Team Type 1 | Tagged: Team Type 1, VSP Vision Care, Kyle Rose, Golden Gate Bridge | Leave a Comment »

And the winner of last month’s Where in the World contest is…

Posted on October 9, 2009 by Melissa W.

Jason C. from Auburn, Alabama! Jason was one of the people who guessed correctly that this picture was taken in Ireland. Congratulations Jason, and your prizes are on their way.

Check out this month’s Where in the World contest here.

TT1 Water Bottles

Team Type 1 Competed in Tour of Ireland

Seven members of Team Type 1′s professional men’s team recently competed in the Tour of Ireland, which is a three-day, international stage race. For the second consecutive year, Matt Wilson earned the Tour of Ireland’s King of the Mountains title for Team Type 1. Here are a few more pictures from the race.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Team Type 1, VSP Vision Care, Tour of Ireland, Where in the World | Leave a Comment »

Kyle Rose Shares How He Manages Diabetes

Posted on September 16, 2009 by Melissa W.

VSP held a 24-hour spinathon to raise awareness about diabetes and support the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure. Here’s a video of Team Type 1′s Kyle Rose at this event sharing the tools he uses to manage diabetes.

Filed under: Team Type 1 | Tagged: Team Type 1, Kyle Rose, Tour de Cure | Leave a Comment »

UV Protection – Protect Your Eyes

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Melissa W.

What we call a “rainbow” is the spectrum of light energy from the sun that we can see. At each end of this visible light are other forms of invisible energy— from radio waves to x-rays. Some of this energy is in the form of ultraviolet waves, or UV. UV is not normally visible, but you might have seen its purplish glow from a special “black light” bulb that makes things glow in the dark.

While we can’t see ultraviolet radiation, it can see—and harm—us if we are not careful. Even on an overcast day, UV light from the sun can cause sunburn of our

Team Type 1's Kori Seehafer wearing Nike sunglasses.

skin and the cornea of our eyes, which is called “photokeratitis.” Over a long time, it can increase your chance of cataracts (a clouding of the lens of the eye) and damage to your retina that might lead to total blindness.

Sunscreen protects your skin from overexposure to UV rays. Proper lenses can safely block UV radiation and protect your eyes.

Be Glare Aware!
Glare, or extreme brightness, can be distracting and even dangerous. The direct rays of the sun are the most powerful source of glare and UV radiation, but glare can also be reflected off roads, buildings, water, and snow. Special “polarized” lenses reduce or eliminate glare and reflections. They work by selectively absorbing the reflected glare while transmitting useful light from the scene.

Source: eyedidntknowthat.com

Filed under: Team Type 1, Wellness | Tagged: UV Protection, cataracts, UV Radiation | 2 Comments »

Fabio Calabria – First Rider with Type 1 Diabetes to Finish Tour of Missouri

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Melissa W.

Fabio Calabria became the first rider with type 1 diabetes to finish the Tour of Missouri on September 13. Read how he managed his diabetes along the way on Team Type 1′s blog.

Fabio Calabria fuels up before Friday's time trial. Photo by Bob Cullinan, CycleTo.com.

Filed under: Team Type 1, Tour of Missouri | Tagged: Diabetes, Fabio Calabria, Team Type 1, Tour of Missouri | Leave a Comment »

GetFIT – A VSP Wellness Program

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Melissa W.

Good health starts with you! It’s about eating right, exercising, and having the courage to make changes in your life. VSP’s GetFIT Program is designed to help you do just that.

Are you ready for a change?

There’s strength in numbers. Studies have shown that to reach your personal wellness goals you need encouragement and the right resources. Whether it’s a friend, co-worker, spouse or personal trainer it’s best to start with a team of support.

VSP’s GetFIT Teams

VSP currently has 41 teams made up of 281 employees participating in a 16-week GetFIT session. It’s week 13, and they’re gearing up for a great finish. So far teams have logged more than 700,000 minutes of exercise and 12 million steps. Way to go!

Get Started!

Would you like to start your own GetFIT team? This program has been so successful internally, that we’ve made it available for you to participate, too. You can access the GetFIT program resources through our web site. Let us know how it works for you!

Filed under: Wellness | Tagged: GetFIT Program, VSP Vision Care, Wellness | Leave a Comment »

Tour of Missouri – A Look at Stage 6 in Pictures

Posted on September 13, 2009 by Melissa W.

Photos by Casey B. Gibson

The sixth stage of the Tour of Missouri was one of the most picturesque. Beginning in the quaint town of Chillicothe, Mo., and traveling west to St. Joseph, Team Type 1 and the rest of the field averaged 29 mph for the 110 miles – a record for any stage of the Tour of Missouri.

Here’s a look, in photos, at what transpired Saturday:

DSCN6616

Team Type 1 soigneur Sergey Davidenko (left) makes sure Moises Aldape has everything he needs before the race – including his Nike Max Optics sunglasses.

Tour of Missouri, 2009

Every day that he has worn the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains jersey, Aldape has started in the front row.

Tour of Missouri, 2009

Michael Creed tucked his Nike Max Optics away in an unusual place for a few miles.

Tour of Missouri, 2009

After a long day in the saddle, Aldape gets to showcase the team and his Nike Max Optics sunglasses on the podium.

Filed under: Team Type 1, Tour of Missouri | Tagged: Team Type 1, Moises Aldape, Nike sunglasses, Tour of Missouri, Michael Creed, Chillcothe, Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains | Leave a Comment »

Tour of Missouri’s Health EXPO

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Melissa W.

Melissa W. is a member of VSP's Public Relations team.

Melissa Warren just came back from a trip to St. Louis representing VSP Vision Care and sharing the message about the importance of annual eye exams.

VSP was part of the Tour of Missouri’s Health EXPO which took place on Monday, September 7, at the first stage of the race in St. Louis. It was very exciting to be back in this city interacting with the community. We met lots of VSP members who were happy to see us. It was great to hear from people who loved their VSP benefit and planned to re-enroll in their plan. We gave out backpacks and eyecare information. We even met people who were wearing VSP backpacks they got from us last time we were in town.

Clarkson Eyecare joined us at the event and helped work the booth. They were great to work with and full of eyecare tips for people who stopped by with questions. Our booth was positioned right in between Team Type 1 and the American Diabetes Association. This was a great way for all of our organizations to team up and show our support for diabetes.

We look forward to making it back to St. Louis again in the future!