Welcome To Vitesse Press

20% Off  

Vitesse Press's latest book, "It's Not About Winning," by Jack Rightmyer is now available and receiving great reviews and response.  You can order from our secure web site and get 20% off the list price.  This is a great gift for Father's Day or for any runner/parent you know.  Order now.

As a high school freshman, Jack Rightmyer had dreams of playing basketball, but due to a lack of height, speed and ability, that wish never came true.  He became a distance runner instead.

In his new book “It’s Not About Winning,” Rightmyer writes about his journey from being the worst runner on his high school team to becoming the school 2-mile record holder and a division 1 college athlete.  This book describes the teachers and coaches who changed his life, the influence his dad had on his athletic career, and the struggles and joys of being a dad to athletic children of his own.

Coach Jack Rightmyer has been an English teacher for over thirty years and during that time has coached numerous state champions in track and cross country.

His first book “A Funny Thing About Teaching” (2008) was popular with teachers across the country, and this book will appeal to parents, coaches, teachers, athletes, runners and all of those who dream big and never want to give up.  Order a copy right now.

6" X 9"  144 pages  $12.95

ISBN   978-0-941950-42-8

Read what others say about this book:

“It’s Not About Winning is a terrific read for all runners.  Jack Rightmyer has captured the feeling of those first days and weeks of starting to run which is something not many have written about.  It captures the glory and struggles of high school running, and the struggle between kids and parents to understand each other in such an incredible time in their lives.  I love Jack’s attitude about running, coaching and teaching.  All coaches should read this book.”

Bill Rodgers, 1976 Olympian, Four-time winner of the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon

"Jack Rightmyer set out to write a modest memoir for his two children, but he accomplished much more. He wrote a little book that's positively bursting with love for sports, running, coaching, family and fatherhood. Every word rings deep and true."

Amby Burfoot ,Editor-at-large  Runner's World Magazine, 1968 Boston Marathon winner

"It's Not About Winning is a sweet story of a running father's love and tenderness through sports--a tapestry of everyday life that takes on power as the author finds enlightenment in his every stride. It's a winner."

Marc Bloom, Runner's World Senior Contributor and award-winning NY Times writer.  Publisher of The Harrier high school cross-country and distance running magazine.

Vitesse Press is a Vermont-based company which publishes books on fitness and health topics. The name Vitesse (pronounced 'vee-tess'), which means "speed" in French, reflects our beginnings as a bicycle racing publisher.  We think that it also represents the way we get ideas into print and book orders into customers' hands.

Back in the 1980’s, Dick Mansfield was a runner who fell in love with cross country ski racing and then wrote and self-published two books about it.  “I did a lot of things wrong,” he said.  “The first book was too long to fit on to a bookshelf and the second had a cover painting that was pretty amateurish.  However, we got some good reviews and strong sales, and started looking for book projects by local authors.”

Mansfield was on a local cable channel running show about how to train for skiing along with a fellow runner/skier, Joan Marie Butler.  Afterwards, walking to their cars on a snowy Syracuse evening, they talked about Joan’s idea for a book.  An experienced nurse-midwife, a! mother, and a multi-sport  athlete, Butler wanted to share her ideas of how to stay fit while pregnant. The resulting book, Fit & Pregnant -- The Pregnant Woman's Guide To Exercise, which was republished recently, has sold over 10,000 copies and is now available as an ebook.

“I publish books on sports and activities I’m interested in – skiing, canoe racing, mountain biking, cycling,” Mansfield notes. “It’s fun to work with first time authors and to share information with other athletes.”

Mansfield bought Vitesse Press and merged it with Acorn Publishing, his first business. He rejuvenated many of Vitesse’s cycling titles and began publishing new books under the Vitesse imprint.  Several of the Vitesse Press long-time favorites: Bicycle Road Racing, Road Racing – Technique & Training, and Tales from the Bike Shop, are out of print but will soon be available as ebooks.

“As I  get older,” the publisher says, “the book cartons seem to get heavier.  I love selling ebooks – it’s good for my back and our bottom line.  I’m excited about working with MindsetSports.

Vitesse Press’s next book is a new venture for them – the personal reflections of a runner who is a high school coach and a parent.  It’s Not About Winning will be available in May.

Vitesse Press has focused on cycling, touring, canoe racing, fit family, and fit pregnancy titles in the past.   We work with a number of associates including:
Book Design -- Linda Mirabile   Ravenmark
Cover Design -- Jim Brisson     JBGraphics
Sales & Distribution -- Alan C. Hood

We enjoy talking to prospective authors, fellow publishers, and people interested in Vitesse Press publishing topics.  Please browse through our titles, send us a book idea, or ask us a question. Right now, in spite of weak economy, we are looking for new projects, particularly regional titles. We are putting all new books on Kindle and other ebook systems. 

About the Publisher
Dick Mansfield runs, hikes, cross-country skis, paddles a racing canoe, cycles, and enjoys running/hiking in his woods with his dog Penny.  He cuts, splits, and stacks wood for exercise and to feed wood stoves.  Indoors,  he rows, lifts, and rides the wind trainer.  

Other interests include social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), birding, aviation (He flies a 1948 Luscombe), beekeeping, and grandchildren. Mary, his spouse of over four decades, is a great editor and supporter.

Contacting Us
Contacting us is relatively easy.  Dick Mansfield works out of a home office partnering with a consortium of folks who write, edit, design, and sell Vitesse Press books.  He enjoys talking with prospective authors and publishing peers.  The office phone is 802-229-4243.  His cell is 802-233-3874.

We are always looking for book projects.  If you have a proposal that you think fits Vitesse's genre, please query us by email.   Right now we are interested in regional health/fitness/recreation projects.

Other Ways to Connect
You can:
    * Follow Dick on Twitter 
    * Friend Dick on Facebook 
    * Connect with Dick on LinkedIn 
    * Meet Dick on FriendFeed