K-Swiss/Trek Pro Triathlon Team - A Program to Benefit all Triathlon

Yesterday, Trek bikes announced a strategic partnership with Team K-Swiss. This was done mainly on the back of Chris Leito, who has raced on a Trek for years and recently became a K-Swiss athlete. The team consists of some serious athletes, including, Michael Raelert (70.3 World Champ) and Julie Dibens (70.3 and Xterra World Champ).

In my time at Wheelworks, there has been a movement towards sponsoring athletes with their "pro cards" and allowing them to have the equipment and support they need to win...and then get bigger and more lucrative sponsorships. I use this new program, as a feeder system for new pro triathletes up to the higher ranks...and hope when they are super successful, they come back and buy me lunch!

Getting back to the K-Swiss/Trek sponsorship, here are a few thoughts I had about pro triathlon "teams."

1) For starters, I call it a "team" in the loosest sense of the word. I fully expect Chris Leito and Michael Raelert to try to beat the snot out of each other in every race possible. Instead, I view this as an opportunity for the team to have support for each athlete at every race that individual pros would not have. For instance, team mechanics, masseuses and even managers. This will make the event more comfortable and ideally remove stress that might inhibit race performance.

2) On a completely different side, it brings marketability to the athletes. Brand recognition is so necessary in business, and triathletes are no different. Crowie, Macca & Chrissie are all brand names, and being associated with that name brings instant credibility to a sponsor. Having a team, allows the fans to see the race kits out on the course all day. The more the sponsors see this group of athletes performing, the more the group will benefit as a whole. Trek & K-Swiss view this as their opportunity to be competitive in the growing triathlon market.

3) For the age groupers, this will give more accessibility to the pros. Going off the marketing view, the team will have managers and people in charge of getting these athletes out in the public. How awesome would it be for you local Trek dealer to have Julie Dibens in for a meet & greet before she races over the weekend in your area! It is an opportunity to build a grassroots program that will benefit everyone in triathlon.

Needless to say, I am most excited by programs like these. This isn't a new idea, nor is K-Swiss/Trek the only one. But this one really has the potential to be a killer program because of the companies and the athletes involved.

Cheers,

Coach Jared

Vermont Training Camp (June 11-13, 2010)

Training Camps have been a a staple of pro athletes for years. Football players have "mini-camp" in May, well before the season. Baseball players have spring training just a month before the season.

Pro cycling teams have their camps in December in exotic, warm locations. Even pro triathletes go to race locations to prepare for the biggest events. Back in 2002, 3x World Champion, Peter Reid, lived up on a Hawaiian volcano leading up to the Ironman World Championships in Kona!

However, you don't have to be a pro athlete to benefit from a training camp, even if it is just for a weekend. This is why Competitive Instinct Multisport will be holding its first camp in Landgrove, Vermont this June.

http://cimultisport.com/camps/trainingweekend.html

The first factor as to why I chose this little village as the location is its proximity to amazing biking and running routes, as well as a pool and pond for swimming. Another reason, which I feel is overlooked, is how cell phone and internet is very limited.

Training camps should be just for that, Training. Landgrove is the perfect place to leave your phone, beeper, computer in their cases and just focus on getting in solid workouts. Over the 2+ days, there will be clinics on race strategy and nutrition, a killer 45+ mile base bike ride, with the option to climb Bromley Mountain for those who want extra bike training and an excellent 6 mile dirt road run loop. But the workouts are not limited to those. CI Multisport provides the base workouts and then directs and aids in continuing to train outside of the group.

If you want to ride 150 miles on Saturday, we have a loop. If you want to run 20 miles, we have a route. That is why Landgrove is an ideal spot.

We are also going to be based at the Landgrove Inn (www.landgroveinn.com) which is owned by Tom (a triathlete!) & Maureen. They have opened up their place, including their conference center to CI Multisport and will be providing all meals from their amazing restaurant.

With the Northeast triathlon season kicking off just a week prior, it is the perfect time to get that last big block in before prepping for Ironman Lake Placid, Providence 70.3 or whatever your race is.

Please contact CI Multisport at info@cimultisport.com if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Coach Jared

Holiday Gift Guide

With the holidays right around the corner, as a spouse/family member/friend of a triathlete you may wonder what to get for them. To simplify the effort, think of it this way, your triathlete can never have to much gear.

The place to begin is to visit your local bike shop and seek out the resident triathlete/gear expert/bike nut and see what they would look for in a gift. Most shop employees have everything and when they are looking for new gear, it is the crazy cool stuff that triathletes want.

Here are just a few ideas:

Under $10

To keep things on the cheap, nutrition is always needed. Justin’s Nut Butter comes in 1.15 oz. squeeze packs that can be used out in the field during your workouts. With 9 different flavors, there is always a great choice out there. These come in packs of 10 for $5.99 and are available online or at your local bike shop

Honorable Mention: Nuun Hydration Tablets, Yankz Lace Systems

Under $50

If I had to pick one piece of my gear to have on a desert island, it would be my 2 bottle Helium Belt from Fuel Belt, Inc. Fuel Belt is the authority in hydration belts and the latest generation is by far the best yet. Not only does it fit great and hold 20 oz. of fluid, the small pocket is perfect for nutrition and an iPod. These belts come in at $41.95 and right now you can purchase them through www.fuelbelt.com for 10% off.

Honorable Mention: Bontrager XXX Lite Carbon Water Bottle Cage

Under $100

Bike stuff is expensive, that is just the way it is. That doesn’t mean you can’t “pimp” out your ride with some killer accessories. Nothing says Bling on a bike like Nokon Cable Housing. This German product comes with an internal sheathing and aluminum “Pearls” that link together to form the outer casing. Nokon housing is ideal for the the tight bends on tri-bikes and looks absolutely amazing.

Honorable Mention: X-Lab Torpedo Mount and Cage

Under $1,000

Powermeters are available for under $1000, thats right, it is. The iBike Aero comes in at $899 and accurately measures how much wattage is produced through a complex series of mathematical calculations utilizing a mini wind tunnel on the front of the unit. By mounting this small, cell phone sized unit on your stem the rider gets all the power data of its significantly higher priced competitors

Honorable Mention: Mavic Ksyrium SL Wheelset

Under $5,000

Buy a Bike: Cervelo P3; Specialized Transition Pro or whatever fits your fancy!

Honorable Mention: Shimano DI2 Groupset

Under $20,000

Go ahead, build your dream bike. Start with a Storck Aero frameset (comes with aerobars). Shimano DI2 gruppo and a set of Zipp Zedtech wheels. The $4,000 SRM Dura Ace powermeter will fit your data needs nicely. This is the best of the best and even if you aren’t fast, you will look good!

Honorable Mention: Buy a car

The Company Car - 2009 Cervelo P4

Tips for Winter Riding

With the winter rolling in (although it is 70 degrees right now), here are few things to know about continuing to ride outside:

1) Prepare your bike for winter riding. For example, run wider tires or studded tires with lower tire pressure. If you are thinking about a second, winter bike, get a cyclocross bike. They can run really wide, very nobby tires and can be ridden off-road, which is a whole lot warmer than road rides.

2) Apparel is key. Think a) Base Layer - This is designed to wick the moisture away from your body. A wet base layer will make you even colder than no base layer. Also, companies such as Craft make these in different levels based on how cold and how long you will be out. b) Thermal Layer - This is what keeps you warm on top of the base layer. This is based solely on how cold it is. c) Element layer will keep the wind and weather outside your body. This is so incredibly important because wind chill makes a huge difference.

3) Winter riding shoes are a killer idea since they are typically a bit bigger to allow thick socks, are weather resistant and can take a beating. Much more pleasant to destroy winter clothing than you shiny riding shoes that you race in.

4) If possible, try to change your work schedule so you can ride mid-day. Light becomes an issue as the days are getting shorter.

5) Here is a good rule of thumb..."there is no such thing as a cold riding day, just poorly chosen apparel.

Happy Winter Riding!!!

Turkey Day Special!!!

If you contact CI Multisport between now and 11:59pm Sunday night (11/29/2009).

You will be eligible for the CIM Discount Rate on our Coaching Plans!

info@cimultisport.com

www.cimultisport.com

Coach Jared Builds A Bike

Finally, after 3 months of waiting, my new weapon for 2010 showed up.

It is the new super-fast, ultra-sleek Cervelo P4. I am so excited to finally get on this beast after racing on a P2 (2008), a P3 (2009) and now the big gun for 2010.

One thing I find incredibly interesting when it comes to bikes is the process of building and fitting it.

1) The geometry of the bike is exactly the same as the P3, so I duplicated my saddle and front end. My saddle height remains 76.2cm with a virtual seat tube angle of 79.5 degrees. I use a 100mm stem with a -8 degree angle and 3cm of spacers under. This gives me an 11cm drop from my seat to my pads.

2) The Build is something I have always had a lot of fun with.

a) I am a firm believer in the Bontrager XXX Lite Aerobars with the S-Bend Team extensions. They have a ton of adjustability and fit me absolutely perfectly. Also, they weigh a mere 630 grams, which makes them as light as some of the best bars of the market!

b) I have found that for me, the Fizik Arione Tri 2 (the most popular tri saddle on the market) just doesn't fit me well. I ride way up up on the nose and have found the Specialized Tri-Tip with the 50mm nose, fits me best. That was one of the few things I kept from my P3, just because I like it so much. It adds a bit of weight, but it is so comfortable, it is well worth it.

c) For this specific bike, I am trying something new when it comes to the cable housing and chain. The P4 has some real extreme bends for the cables. Therefore, I am running Nokon Cable housing for their aluminum links that make the housing bend really well. It also is known for preventing cable stretch. For the chain, the KMC X10SL is about 50 grams lighter than traditional 10 seed chains

d) Hydration on the Cervelo tri bikes is always an issue. The P4 has an integrated waterbottle above the bottom bracket this is a real long reach. The only benefit of it is the aerodynamics it adds. Therefore I have always run the XLab Sonic Wing with a pair of Specialized Rib Cage Pro cages. This is the best way I have found to hold bottles behind the saddle without launching them. This year, I will be running a different front end hydration system. In the past, I have used the Profile Design Aerodrink set up. This year, I will be using the X-Lab Torpedo Mount, which holds a standard waterbottle on the aerobars. Should be pretty cool and very versatile

c) Other parts of the bike that will be used. It comes stock as a Sram Red bike...which is killer. The few adjustments I made is to use a 54-tooth TT chainring as well as the killer Sram R2C Shifters (they always face one direction, hence Return 2 Center).

d) I will continue to use Shimano Dura Ace Pedals...because they are GREAT! As for wheels, I will use the stock Easton Wheelset that comes with the bike, then as race season nears, I will decide on what type of aero wheels will be appropriate.

Right now, the bike is in a box waiting for a few parts to show up. I hope to have it built within the next 2 weeks and I will post pictures, weight and all the various info about it.

See you at the races (with my bike)!

Cheers,

Coach Jared