I wanted to officially share a bit of cool news, and explain how and why it came about.  I have been selected as an Ambassador for the upcoming 2013 GranFondo Niagara Falls, and for a cool clothing brand called Northern Park Apparel.  Check out the links on the right hand side of the blog – see them? OK, now keep reading…

Ambassadorships are a common element of many marketing plans these days, and it seems especially prevalent for those in the sports/fitness industry.  I see them as a lite version of a full sponsorship (with a broad spectrum of support).  The idea is that the organization provides some of their “product” to the ambassador to use and (hopefully) spread the good word to their peers.  At best, it is a relatively cheap way of marketing for the company, and has a low commitment level from the ambassador who just needs to use the “stuff” and share their experience with anyone who will listen.  While some folks seem to collect ambassadorships the way I used do with hockey cards, I am hesitant to commit to a brand unless I believe in it.  In my gear reviews, I post about gear that I have been impressed with and am willing to recommend but as an ambassador, I feel it is even more important to be associated with good brands.  These two both fit that requirement.

The GranFondo Niagara Falls will be happening for the first time in September 2013.  I was interested in participating, and jumped at the chance to be one of their “blog ambassadors” and help spread the word to others through runbikerace.com.  This was an easy choice as I would have liked to ride in the event anyway, and am excited about some of the posts I plan to write leading up to the event.  Check out the first post I wrote about the event here, and check back for many more in the coming months.

Northern Park Apparel is an new and emerging Canadian clothing company that has a great story and vision.  I first picked up on NPA on twitter and liked the simple t-shirt designs they offered.  I read a bit more about the company and was even more impressed with their ideas and what the company stood for.  When they kicked off an ambassador program last month, I applied.  I share much of the same outlook as the guys at NPA and was already trying to spread their story as much as I could.  I even bought my dad one of their shirts to take down to Arizona and display his patriotism!  It seemed a perfect fit.  I was glad to hear that they felt the same way and accepted me for 2013.  Check out their website and learn about what this company stands for… while you’re at it check out their online store and grab a shirt to show your Canadian pride!

So look forward to lots of blog posts, tweets, and facebook posts about NPA and GranFondo Niagara Falls this year.  I’m happy to be associated with both of these organizations, and hope that you’ll check them out if they interest you.

As always, I really thank you for reading runbikerace.com!