We are a proud sponsor of the Naples Fitness Triathlon and have been helping out with their clinics as a build up to the race on June 4th at the Naples Beach and Golf Resort.

This week's clinic was on tri transitions.  Here are a few tips from today...

1. Go over your race list the night before, and gather everything you need.
2. Have a transition bag where you put everything.
3. Get to the race and transition area early, minimum 1 hour before the race.
4. Make sure you have your race chip, race tat's, body markings, and all numbers on your body, helmet and bike.
5. Race your bike ASAP.
6. Gear goes on the side your wheel is down.
7. Bikes alternate in transition area.  
8. Start Garmin (have on auto stop).
9. Make mental note of where your bike is (find a landmark)
10. Jog in and out, know bike out / in, run out and in (if du or reverse)
11. Check over your bike right before transition closes, wind, knocked over, moved…
12. During the race as you head to transition area, relax and mentally visualize what you need to do, and then do it!

 
Race List (Items you need to take to race):

1. Running Shoes
2. Bike Shoes
3. Helmet
4. Sunglasses 
5. Westsuit
6. Goggles
7. Towel
8. Body Glide
9. Running Glasses (and visor cap)
10. Nutrition (Gu...)
11. Garmin
12. Running Watch
13. Heart Rate Strap
14. Fluid / Water / Bottles
15. Endurolytes if you are prone to cramping.
16. Rain-Cape
17. Arm, leg warmers
18. Gloves if cooler
19. Pump
20. Multitool
21. Race Numbers
22. USA Triathlon and Driver's License (for photo ID)

We wish everyone luck and a great race!  If anyone is interested in learning about the Trek Segafredo Tri Team you can learn more on the team page which also has a link on our homepage.

​In this cycling profile we feature a success story about a talented young triathlete from Naples Florida, Graham Pimentel.  Graham is a natural runner who competed in his first tri at age 12 and got hooked!
 
Several years later Jane and Joe Du Bois, the owners of our eight Florida based Trek Bicycle Stores, met Graham at the Naples Fitness Challenge Triathlon and were so impressed that they helped him out with sponsorship. 
 
Trek Bicycle Stores have sponsored Graham ever since, and recently hooked him up with his dream bike.  A custom Trek ProjectOne Madone, complete with Bontrager Aeolus 5 aero carbon fiber wheels,  the ultimate weapon for the elite draft legal tri circuit.  Graham is currently 19 and attends Queens University in Charlotte and he just got a pro triathlon contract for the Carolina Gliders in Major League Triathlon.  His first MLT Pro race will be May 20th in Charlotte.  
 
We wish Graham luck!  Check the Trek Bike Store USA FaceBook page for race results and updates on Graham's season.
 
Read on for a short interview with Graham…
 
How old were you when you did your first triathlon?
12
 
Where was it and what was the result?
Sudgen Park, don’t remember.
 
What sports did you play in High School?
Cross Country and Track freshman year. Swimming sophomore-senior year.
 
Did you receive any scholastic sports honors in High School?
Most valuable player, most improved, school records, 5 varsity letters.
 
What was your first big result in Triathlon?
First big result in triathlon when I was 16, I placed 16th at the North American Junior championships and qualified for that years Junior Pan American championship. (Junior elite category is 16-19)
 
When did you decide your athletic focus would be triathlon?
Decided triathlon would be my main focus when I was 14 after my first national championships and got to see what it was like for the people who stood up on the podiums. (I finished 45th out of the 75-man field)
 
What is your best discipline swim, bike or run?
Run, always was natural
 
Do you prefer the Olympic Distance Draft Legal races?
I actually prefer sprint draft legal races, even faster.
 
Congratulations on your recent pro contract, do you race for a sponsor or a team?
I'm now racing for the Carolina Gliders in Major League Triathlon.  Go Gliders!
 
How did you get connected with the Trek Bicycle Store of Estero?
I had the great opportunity of meeting Jane and Joe Du Bois during the Naples Fitness Challenge.  They liked what I wanted to do with the sport and I loved trek the company, so they’ve been helping me ever since.
 
How have they supported and helped you over the years?
Jane and Joe helped me by providing me with an opportunity to race at the high caliber level that I am with the proper equipment.  I was able to get my bike serviced whenever I had a problem for no cost.  Tony Catalina and the staff was always so helpful to me whenever I had an issue.
 
How do you like your new Trek ProjectOne Madone?
Two words. Sooooooooo stiff. Not to mention aero.  Everytime I ride it, or even just look at it, the bike reminds me of more of a machine rather than just a bike.  It doesn’t just get the job done, it excels at doing what it’s supposed to do.  Go fast.
 
What is your dream goal?
ITU World Champ has a nice ring to it.  That’s just talk though.  Lots of sacrifice if I want to get even near that point, but more than willing to do it.

In just 60 days the creation of a Trek Triathlon Team went from being an idea conceived on a training ride to an official USA Triathlon Team with 34 members and strong sponsors!
 
Trek Bicycle Stores have long been a strong supporter of the triathlon community in SW Florida, sponsoring many great races including...

• The Naples Fitness Challenge,
• Marco Island Tri
•  The Captiva Island Tri
• FGCU Eagle Sprint Tri
•  Cape Coral Triathlon.

 
Not only has Trek supported events, Trek customers and employees represent some of the top multi-sport athletes in the region.   This core group became the nucleus for the team:

• Ross Lenehan: USAT All American, 2016 Winner of Naples Fitness Challenge and Captiva Triathlon.
• Kayla Schmidt:  Winner of 2016 Marco Island Tri
• Susan Fleming:  USAT All American, Winner of 2016 Captiva Triathlon, FGCU Eagle Sprint Tri, and Lake Avalon Tri.
• Greg Pelican:  USAT All American, 2nd Overall 2016 Lake Avalon Tri, 5th Overall and Grand Masters Champ Marco Island Tri, 2009 Duathlon National Champ, 2X ITU Bronze Medal.​
• Jo Muller:  2nd Overall 2017 HITS Naples Olympic Distance

 
The formation of a Trek team was both organic and natural. 
 
Support for the new team was immediate.  Trek Bicycle Stores found a strong co-sponsor in Segafredo Zanetti, the Italian Espresso brand that is the co-sponsor of the Trek pro road racing team.  Segafredo loves the demographics of triathlon and they see Florida as a key market.  The team also attracted a terrific local micro-brewery, Momentum Brewhouse, for the perfect combination of world class bikes, coffee and beer!  Rounding out our sponsors are the Naples based law firm of GADC, Glamour Paws, A. Sardina Exterior Detailing, The Run Shoppe and Geared Up.
 
 The Team had its Kick-Off Meeting on April 28th in Momentum Brewhouse’s hip tasting room. Triathletes learned about the new club while sampling great local beer.  The team welcomes athletes of all ages and abilities.  34 members signed up that night, and ordered custom uniforms made by Castelli.

“ Our core values are good sportsmanship, race hard, help each other, have fun and be great ambassadors for our sponsors and the sport of triathlon”.   
 
The team got off to a flying start 5 days later at the Lake Avalon Reverse Triathlon with three members placing in the top 10 overall.   Greg Pelican was 3rd overall and Masters Champ with a time of 54:43.  David Bassel was 9th overall and Grand Masters Champ at 1:01:43.  Roshale Gaytmenn was 4th woman overall and Masters Champ with a time of 1:12:21. And Amber Pachew was on the winning woman's relay time with a time of 1:12:08. 
 
We wish the team good luck racing this weekend and anticipate strong performances by Ross Lenehan and Kayla Schmidt at Ironman Florida 70.3 and also by our team members competing in the FGCU Eagle Sprint Triathlon.

Follow the team's results on Facebook or learn more how to join.