TriSports.com Blog

Busy week at TriSports.com.

This could be one of the busiest weeks of the year at TriSports.com Retail Store thanks to a few large local events:

EL TOUR DE TUCSON - El Tour is one of the largest cycling events in the United States.  I believe this year they are expecting about 8,000 cyclists from all around the world.

IRONMAN ARIZONA - About 100 miles from Tucson up in Tempe, Ironman Arizona has turned into one of the more competitive late season, post-Kona Ironman races.

It is looking like we will have near perfect weather for both events this weekend.  Expecting a high of 77 degrees (and sunny) here in Tucson on Saturday and 75 degrees (and sunny) up in Tempe on Sunday.  This is the time of year to be loving on the Southwest.  Good luck to all cyclists and triathletes participating and racing this coming weekend.  TriSports.com has several employees entered in both events as well.

It is great to be surrounded by so many athletes who have prepared many days, weeks and months for these events.  There is alwasys a buzz around the shop this time of year even with it being so late in the season.  It is a great way to wrap up the race season before we hit another season… the holiday season (yikes!).

Press Release - TriSports.com Welcomes New Bike Manager to the Team

Tucson, AZ November 13, 2009: TriSports.com is excited to announce the addition of Tom Demerly to the management team. Demerly, longtime owner of Bikesport Michigan, is making the move to Tucson to join TriSports.com and head up the newly developed Bike Manager position. TriSports.com has long been the leader in triathlon retail and, with the recent partnership with local cycling club Eclipse Racing (now TriSports Cycling), is paving the way to becoming a leader in the road cycling market, as well. Demerly’s hiring was the result of a lengthy process during which TriSports.com interviewed many exceptional candidates from around the US for the position. Ultimately, Demerly’s expertise in both road and triathlon bicycles is what convinced TriSports.com that he was the best candidate to take the bike department to new heights. It is no coincidence that Demerly will be joining TriSports.com just as expansion plans begin, specifically enhancing the bike fit and service areas of the destination shop. “Tom Demerly will be a major asset to TriSports.com in both our online and retail bicycle sales and service, bringing with him over two decades of experience in triathlon and cycling retail,” says Seton Claggett, president and CEO of TriSports.com. “We have only truly begun to focus on bicycle sales over the last 12 months, and Tom will be the catalyst to take this division of our company to the next level,” adds Claggett. Demerly is ready to take on the challenge. “Joining the TriSports.com team is the most exciting opportunity I’ve had in the cycling industry. It is the launch pad for customer service goals that only the TriSports.com team can achieve. TriSports.com is dedicated to service and community, contributing to the sport on a local, national and international level. Being a part of that team is the best place in the multisport industry.”

TriSports.com Store

TriSports Cycling.

In case you have not heard the news…  (You will be hearing much more about this team in the very near future.)

TriSports.com Announces Arizona’s Newest Cycling Club

Tucson, AZ November 6, 2009:  TriSports.com has announced the creation of Arizona’s newest cycling club in partnership with Eclipse Racing.  The TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing Club is a joint effort between the two organizations to increase the level of participation in road cycling in the state of Arizona and elevate the quality and experience of road racing events.  “As a retail bike shop with an extensive service department, it simply made sense to begin our own cycling club in order to further our support of cycling in Arizona”, said Seton Claggett, president and owner of TriSports.com.  Through increasing the numbers of active club cyclists in the state, the club hopes to have a positive impact on bike safety and advocacy, with an emphasis on responsible riding by all club members.  The club is split into two different groups – a men’s and women’s supported category 1 and 2 racing team, managed by Scott Blanchard of Pyramid Coaching and Tammy Lamb, and a group of club riders of all abilities.  The club’s official kick-off date and membership drive is set for November 14th and 15th at the TriSports.com Retail Store.  The weekend’s event will include a Sunday “pancake ride” with free breakfast for all riders provided by TriSports.com post-ride.  The club’s official inaugural ride will be El Tour de Tucson on Saturday, November 21st. For more information, please visit www.trisportscycling.com. 

About TriSports.com

TriSports.com is an industry leader in triathlon, swim, bike and run retail, starting out of the home of Seton and Debbie Claggett in April 2000.  Nine years and two moves later, TriSports.com occupies 22,000 square feet of retail, warehouse and office space with 50+ employees, with expansion plans in the works.  TriSports.com is more than just a retail presence, however; the company is also very involved with growing the sport through partnerships with races, clubs, teams and other endeavors.  TriSports.com has been recognized as one of Outside Magazines Best Places to Work (April 2009), by Comerica Bank as one of Arizona’s 50 Companies to Watch (October 2008), Seton and Debbie Claggett were recognized as one of BizAZ’s Top 35 Entrepreneurs Under 35 (June 2008), and by Wells Fargo with their Copper Cactus Award for Business Growth (October 2005).  Learn more about TriSports.com online at www.trisports.com/info.html.

TriSports Cycling Jersey - we’ll see you on the roads.

Top 3 Run Comments

I have been doing triathlons for quite some time now and over the last several months I have had some of the most bizarre things said/asked of me while running.  Here they are:

1) Wildflower 2009: I am running with a few guys just out of T2 and we are running the opposite direction of the folks finishing up the mountain bike triathlon.  I go running by a lady in her 50’s who is finishing up her run and she says “Thank You”.  I must have looked a bit surprised and she continued with “Thank you for having such nice tight a$$es”. 

2) Training Run: About a month ago I was out for a training run and I came across a lady on her road bike on the side of the road.  I stopped and asked her if she needed some help and she says “well, see there is this bunny” - sure enough in the gutter is a bunny rabbit that had just been hit by a car.  It was still alive but was badly hurt.  The lady says “I was hoping to move it out of the gutter, do you have a shovel on you?”.  A shovel?  Sorry, forgot my shovel today.  Needless to say she had a plastic bag and I moved the bunny out of the gutter for her.

Summary of my run stories

3) Vineman 2007: I was just leaving T2 and had to hit the Port O Potty.  This event has 2000+ people and they had three Port O Potty’s in T2.  Two of them were in use so I went for the one in the middle that had the “green for go” flag up.  When I opened the door there was a man in there (a volunteer that wasn’t racing).  I hopped right in and did my thing while he was doing his - he says “wow, I didn’t think I would ever share a Port O Potty with another man.”  Sorry, kind of in the middle of my race.

Triathlete’s Gift List - Week 2

Week two of an eight week series! Planning to give or receive a triathlon-related gift this holiday season? Check out our ideas in this series to see what is hot on our staff’s real-life lists. Today’s list is from Mike O. in the buying department.

Gender: Male
Age Group: 35-39
Athletic Level / Years Experience: Beginner / 5 Years Cycling, 1 Year Swimming
Activities I enjoy: Swimming and cycling.
Distance I typically compete at: My first race will be a half ironman.
Road Cycling Helmet. My old helmet is cracked and I need a new one. I’d suggest the Bell Furio Road Helmet for a great helmet at a great price.

Road Cycling Shoes. 5 years of riding and I’ve never had road shoes. I would appreciate the performance benefit! I’d suggest the Shimano SH-R220 Custom Fit Road Shoe because nothing is more important than your comfort!

Heart Rate Monitor. I would like to start interval training, but do not want to overdo it. I’d suggest the Suunto t1c for it’s basic functions and focus on fitness.

“The Commuters Corner:” I don’t dehydrate.

One of my favorite memories with a bike comes from a time my friend Rich and I decided to mountain bike on the hottest day of the year.  It was sort of an impromptu ride and pulling up to the trail turn off Rich asks if I needed to get more than one bottle of water.  I laughed and told him, “Don’t worry about man, I don’t dehydrate.”  Two hours and one mad rattlesnake later, we are lost, out of water, and I am of course severally dehydrated.  We survived and made it back to the car well after sunset but I learned an important lesson.  I, in fact, do dehydrate. 

Ever since that day I have made sure that I always have enough water while I’m riding.  This year I went to Interbike for the first time and had the opportunity to go out early for the Outdoor Demo Days.  We left in the morning and flew to Vegas.  After landing we got in the car and grabbed a bite to eat on the way.  We all watched in amazement as Erik (our Retail Manager) put down a 20″ Cheese Steak before riding all day.  I made it a point to pack a camelbak so that I could have water, unfortunately I was not able to fill the Camelbak until later in the day .  Long story short, I do not know if it was the lack of water, the plane ride, or the different climate, but I began to slowly fade. 

Flash forward to the end of the day, and things go from bad to bloody.  We grabbed a few demo road bikes for a quick ride and I got off to a late start so was pushing to try to catch up with rest of the group.  I had barely caught up with them when my face exploded.  My nose began gushing blood and I had to pull over and try to stop the bleeding.  That took a while.  Eventually I took off my base layer (an old white cotton t-shirt, not the smartest) and ripped a piece off and plugged the nose.  With the remainder of the shirt I began to franticly try to scrub the quickly drying blood off the $7,000 demo bike.  After the bike was clean and the bleeding stopped, I began the ride back to the tents to return the bike.  Luckily we weren’t very far out but it was a bit of a climb and I am not a great cyclist.  Oh, and I had just lost a pint of blood.  If it wasn’t for Mark giving me a push at the end, I do not think I would have made it without walking. 

So what did I take away from all this?  First, always know your limits.  I knew that I should not be riding any more but I couldn’t resist.  Second, water isn’t enough.  I had always been from the school that water is all you need and everything else is just marketing and capitalism.  I was wrong, probably not as wrong as the time I said I don’t dehydrate but fairly close.  When you’re on the bike for longer than an hour you are going to lose performance without something extra to help refuel your body.  So look into some different nutrition options and see what is right for you.  Everyone is different but for me I am finding that I do well with Hammer Nutrition Heed.  If you have any other suggestions let me know.

Triathlete’s Gift List - Week 1

It is official, the holiday shopping season has arrived. And while the season seems to roll out earlier and earlier each year, somehow I always find myself scrambling at the last minute, trying to figure out what “the perfect gift” will be. If you have an athlete in your life that you’re planning on showering with gifts this year, each week I am going to try to help you out. I have asked the great employees of TriSports.com to send me their wish lists for triathlon or sports related gifts. While I may not be able to play Santa to their lists, I’m hopeful this will help you play Santa to someone else’s. And to kick it off, I will share with you my list, because you never know who might be reading!

Gender: Female
Age Group: 30-34
Athletic Level / Years Experience: Advanced / 10 years
Activities I enjoy: Racing tri’s, trail running, walking my dog, weekend training get-away’s
Distance I typically compete at: Half Ironman

My Wish list:
Power Meter. I’m behind the times and have not yet been able to incorporate this into my tool box yet. 

Oakley Enduring Pace Sunglasses. As a female with a smaller face, these fit really nicely. Oh how I long for the day that my scenic rides and trail runs aren’t marred by scratched and perpetually smudged lenses. I’m out in the sun enough that my eyes probably deserve the best protection available.

Lazer Tardiz TT Helmet. I borrowed one for my last race and this is honest-to-goodness the most comfortable helmet I have worn. I’ve never been a big aero helmet fan, but this one leaves space for my ponytail, which means my hair isn’t destroyed heading out for the run. And yes, that matters to me.

Taking the CAF Challenge

This past weekend was the San Diego Triathlon Challenge, by far my favorite triathlon event of the year. I have been on the starting line at this event with people like Robin Williams, Will Ferrell, and current, former and future triathlon world champs. For instance, I had a little chat with Macca on the way down to the swim about how crappy the heat is in Kona, and chatted with Michellie Jones post-race. The coolest thing is that none of these people are the stars today. They are all there on the same playing field as the rest of us, and all of us are there to help raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. The stars are people like Cody McCasland, Rudy Garcia-Tolson, Sarah Reinertsen and so many other inspirational athletes.
We first learned of CAF when a customer asked us for a donation. Interested in what he told me about the organization, I looked into it further. With an Ironman on my horizon, I decided that the CAF event would be a great first half for me to do. I raised funds on my own, almost $10,000, and Seton and I traveled to and participated in the event (it is not a “race” as no awards are given for time, only for money raised). We were hooked! You can’t watch someone take off their arms and legs to go swim and not be moved. I can’t even describe the feelings I got that day watching these incredible athletes overcome their challenges to compete on this very difficult course (luckily I only had to do the swim this time, and I loved my TriSports.com Rental Wetsuit – so flexible and comfie!). CAF uses the money raised for various programs to give grants to athletes in order for them to pay entry and travel to competitions, for education and mentoring, to help them buy necessary equipment that insurance won’t cover, and lots of other things that most of us never think about as we prepare to race.

TriSports.com CAF Relays

In 2004, we began our non-profit, TriSports Racing, which produces the Deuces Wild Triathlon Festival. A large chunk of the proceeds from this weekend of events goes to CAF, and we encourage our staff to fundraise and attend the event so they can see firsthand where this money goes and why we have adopted CAF as our charity of choice.
There is no way to really explain everything this event represents, so I recommend getting out there and doing it yourself. We have participated 4 of the last 6 years, missing only the year I was very pregnant and the year it was cancelled due to fires, and I anticipate being there every year I possibly can. There is no greater gift than knowing you helped give someone else the freedom of independence and hope.

TriSports.com Brand Quality

Several years ago I was looking for a hat that was of high enough quality that I would put the TriSports.com logo.  The answer finally came when I ran across a startup company called Headsweats.  These hats are common place now but 7 or so years ago they weren’t. 

TriSports.com Headsweats Hat

Ever since this time we have been very particular about what products will bear our logo. I bring this up because every now and then I get the chance to go to expos and hang out in our retail store and I will occasionally hear comments from customers like “is this cowbell free?”, “can I just take a lip balm?”  Obviously, as consumers, we have all been conditioned to the free cheap logo’d schwag that is out there.  Below are two of the products we sell that have our logo and some history as to why we don’t sell it on the cheap.

TriSports.com Cowbell - as athletes we know the sound of a good cowbell.  Too high and it is lame, too low and it sounds like an obese bovine is walking behind you.  There is just the right sound of the perfect cowbell.  We actual sampled 15-20 cowbells from several different manufacturers until we found the right one.  This, my friends, is the best cheering cowbell money can buy.

All we need is a little more TriSports.com Cowbell!!!

TriSports.com EcoLips - Debbie was a Blistek connoisseur and when she couldn’t find the type she liked anymore she went on the hunt for not just a replacement, but a better replacement.  We were at Timberman out in New Hampshire a couple years ago and she got a sample of EcoLips.  She was hooked.  EcoLips is an organic lip balm that is made here in the USA.  They are VERY protective of their brand and will only co-brand with companies that share the same business philosophies as them (StonyField Farms is one example).  Thankfully they liked our company enough to co-brand.  Sorry Blistek, EcoLips is the best stuff on the planet.

TriSports.com EcoLips

Rubber Revolution.

It happened this week.  While we won’t remember the exact time, day or week down the road, Emilio De Soto has changed the wetsuit game with the official introduction of the De Soto T1 Water Rover.  10mm of rubber in the legs.  Yes, you read that right - 10mm!  And 8mm of rubber in the arms.  For those of you who are thinking that this suit is definitely illegal, think again (as long as you are racing in the US under USAT rules).

Check out more information here.  If you are interested in the suit, I would HIGHLY encourage you to pre-order because they are moving fast and will sell out.  Welcome to the new world of triathlon wetsuits.