Team Evotri

Join Us!

2008-07-17T13:17:00.004-04:00

Team Evotri will be heading to the shores of Lake Michigan in just a few weeks to compete in the Steelhead 70.3. If you'd like to be part of the team's pre-race festivities, drop a line to Team at Evotri dot com and let us know you're coming. We'll forward meet-up information as soon as it's confirmed, and keep you in the hook-up loop.

Thanks, and well see you at the beach!

Congratulations, and Welcome!

2008-07-12T19:51:00.008-04:00

With the help of Inside Triathlon Magazine, we scoured the nation for the just the right person to round out our 2008 team. It wasn't easy narrowing down so many incredible essays, but dang if one didn't fire to the front of the pack and keep gunning right through the homestretch. With a racing record to match, we're excited to announce that John Paul Severin - a senior Spartan from Michigan State University - is the next and final 2008 Team Evotri edition!

A regular Wolfgang Puck in the kitchen, the team is looking very forward to JP's culinary creations. In fact he'll be sharing regular recipes with the world at large in Tri-This, one of the two new columns coming soon to Evotri.com. John Paul will also report the latest happening from the college tri scene, as well as address not only his fellow Spartan triathletes, but clubs from coast to coast in another soon to air column, The Collegiate.

We hope you're able to make it to the Steelhead 70.3 on August 2nd in order to help us officially welcome John Paul to the team, but if you're not, he'll be tackling his first Ironman in Madison, Wisconsin alongside Iron veteran teammate Rural-Girl in just about 7 weeks, so be sure to come out and cheer them both on. In the meantime, have a listen to JPs reaction as he's asked to join the team by clicking here!

Thanks once again to Inside Triathlon Magazine, and to all the incredible athletes who sent in essays. If you'd like to follow along with JP "Pooh Bear" Severin's new journey, you can check in with him at poohbeartri.blogspot.com, which will go live in a few days.

Welcome aboard, JP!

Making the Team: 2008 Update

2008-07-09T12:51:00.004-04:00

We've received a deluge of fantastic essays for the third and final Making the Team: 2008 slot, and it's been an epic undertaking to narrow it down to our top three applicants. We'd like to extend a big thanks to Inside Triathlon Magazine for their partnership in this search, as well as to all the athletes who took the time and effort to apply.

In a few short days we'll be announcing our final 2008 selection, and extending an official invititation to the big race of '08, The Steelhead 70.3. The after race party on the shores of Lake Michigan will be one for the history books, so if you're in the area be sure to join the members Team Evotri, friends, and sponsors in welcoming aboard our newest recruit!

Stay tuned for information on how you can participate, and of course, for the long awaited announcement of who makes the team.

WIBA: 2008 in Pictures!

2008-07-07T15:38:00.008-04:00

Well a fun time was had by all who attended the 3rd annual Wisconsin Brick Adventure in Madison, Wisconsin a few weekends ago, and now the photo gallery is up to illustrate the highlights! Many thanks go out to J. Korn for the photos, as well as for the weekend SAG support.

TriSaraTops Takes a Spin

2008-07-03T21:49:00.005-04:00

By TriSaraTops

Aside from being on cloud nine from receiving my new BMC TT02, I was lucky enough to have this bike fit perfectly by the guys at Spin Bike Shop in Lakewood, Ohio. Spin is an area shop, and is rider-owned and operated, so I knew I was in good hands. Their shop has tons of fantastic gear, awesome rides, tools, clothes, and nutrition--not to mention a wealth of expertise and knowledge in all their mechanics! Greg and John were wonderful to work with and answered all my questions in a simple and easy to understand manner.

John was the one responsible for doing my fitting, and I could tell he had done his homework by all the framed certificates of his training seminars all around the room. He did a range of activities before I even got on the bike so that it would fit perfectly to my body, including flexibility and range of motion tests. He also looked closely at my feet, which, let's just say, have changed dramatically since my son arrived last October! After he added several layers of support and a new insole, I felt like I had a whole new pair of shoes. You know how you never know how old and worn out your running shoes are until you slip on a pair of new ones? Yeah, it was something like that.

Speaking of that feeling, it about sums up how I felt as I sat on my new Time Machine for the first time. I've been riding an entry-level road bike with aerobars I threw on there since I bought it for my first MS 150 back in late 2002. The feel of this new ride is so much sleeker and is such a different position than I'm used to, and John made sure that it was comfortable at every step of the way. He tweaked the pedals, saddle, and aerobars until the angles and measurements were perfectly aligned with my own frame. I've already added a few hundred miles on my TT02, and I feel better and more comfortable than ever!

Thanks so much to Greg, John, and everyone at Spin Bike Shop! If you're in Northeastern Ohio, be sure to check them out...you won't be disappointed!

Gearing Up for the Tour

2008-07-02T10:00:00.005-04:00

It's just a few days away now, and our very own Simply Stu has teamed up with Versus commentator and Vision Quest head coach Robbie Ventura, who will soon be bringing us the inside scoop from France. Have a listen as the preliminaries get underway by clicking here.

Also, be sure to enter to win the weekly Power prizes from Saris/CycleOps, including the first release 2009 PowerTaps and Pro Series trainers! Click here to enter now.

Big Evotri Weekends!

2008-06-30T12:17:00.007-04:00

Rural-Girl making some men nervous as she races out of the water to T1 at the High Cliff Half Iron triathlon on June 22.

Well it's been a very busy last few weekends for Team Evotri, Rural-Girl dizzied many women in her age group, finishing the High Cliff Half-Ironman in 5:20 - besting her PR on the course by 20 minutes, and setting a new overall PR by three minutes. Way to show them how it's done, Michelle! Be sure to check out here race report and view the video and pictures on her web site.

Sweet had an on again off again adventure with the iconic Hy-Vee triathlon the same day, planning originally for it to be the announced duathlon he'd skip in preference of doing a Midwestern cycling race the weekend before. Now as fate would have it, Sweet did the cycling race only to find out Hy-Vee would in fact be a triathlon after all, at which time the real event became the tap dance he'd do for his wife to smooth over back to back big race weekends - not an easy task with a brand new baby in the house. Be sure to check out the epic report of the day on Chris' web site.

And just this past weekend the whole crew, along with around 70 of their old and new pals, flocked to Madison, Wisconsin for the annual WIBA - Wisconsin Brick Adventure. Tri-Cajun had his first dairy christening in the great state Friday night after registration, which the team is sure gave him his mad climbing and running skills out on the course in the days to follow. Florida will be no match for him in November, nor will the Madison course itself when Rural-Girl returns in September on a mission for her Kona ticket.

Many thanks to event sponsors BMC, CycleOps and Angie Sturtevant, who gave an in depth and very informative Power presentation, 2XU, SRAM, Zipp, Vision Quest Coaching, and Endurance House of Madison. For the weekend play by play from all perspectives, be sure to check in with each team member's web site.

Wrenching with Sweet

2008-06-24T22:26:00.004-04:00

By Chris Sweet

It's been more than 15 years since I first started racing triathlons. For those first races I borrowed my mom's steel Ross 10 speed (that's 10 gears total for you newbies!). The bike was too big for me and never intended for racing in the first place. During one of my first kids triathlons my chain fell off at least two times during a six mile ride. I think I managed to win the race, but the important lesson I learned was about bike maintenance. While I was fixing the chain and getting passed, I vowed to learn everything I could about how my bike worked. After that race I began taking bikes apart and putting them back together so that I knew how each piece worked. In the long run, this has saved me a lot of money, but more importantly I have a dialed in bike on race day as well as the knowledge to handle almost any mechanical problem that may occur.

When I found out that my new Evotri teammate, Charlie who lives in the boonies did not have a BMC dealer anywhere in the vicinity to assemble his new bike, I said no problem, I'll put it together. This video compresses Charlie's bike build from a couple hours down to a couple minutes. Hey, I'm good, but not that good!

Here's how the 2008 Evotri Team Bikes are spec'd:

BMC TT02 Frame
Easton EC 90 Aero Fork
Zipp 606 clincher wheelset with Wireless Powertap
Zipp Vuka aerobars
Zipp VumaQuad Crankset
Full SRAM Force groupset

If you want to improve your wrenching skills I recommend either of these books: The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance and Repair (5th edition) or Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance (2nd Edition). A few of the best websites are: Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Technical Info and The Bike Website.

Don't be afraid to try something yourself. Yeah, you'll probably screw something up along the way, but figuring out what you did wrong is one of the best ways to learn!

2008 Contest #3

2008-06-20T07:46:00.004-04:00

Today is the day, if you haven't sent in your Inside Triathlon essay of 500 words or less explaining why you should be the next member of Team Evotri, please do so before 11:59 PM PST tonight. Essays will be reviewed until mid-July, at which time we may request a phone interview before making the final decision, along with the team sponsors. If you have submitted your essay already, please make sure that you have access to the email account from which you sent it in case we'd like to call you.

And if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Let us know you have what it takes to make the team!

Evotri Events Director Announced

2008-06-18T15:58:00.004-04:00

As the 2008 tri season unfolds, we're seeing fantastic progress and even greater potential for the Team Evotri Mission, so much so that we're already looking into planning the 2009 season!

With so much unfolding and so many opportunities on the horizon, it's our pleasure to welcome a new Events Director to the team. Robby B., as many know him, will now be coordinating all Team Evotri events, including working to develop some very special projects for the Team Ambassadors in the near future.

Robby comes to us from Madison, Wisconsin, and if you've ever done the Ironman there, chances are he and his wife Kris have probably stripped for you... as in your wetsuit upon coming out of Lake Monona that is. In edition to being captain of the peeling team, Rob is an accomplished swimmer and triathlete, and by day works as a traffic engineer planning and organizing the greater Madison metropolitan area. We think he has what it takes to do the same for the handful of us. To learn more about the man behind the clipboard and calendar, check out his web site.

Welcome to the team, Robby B.!

Sitting Down with Tri-Cajun

2008-06-16T21:11:00.005-04:00

Team Evotri Southern gentleman Tri-Cajun recently talked with local media about his contest and team experience, as well as his passion for fitness and sport. Tune in now to learn more about the man who won the hearts of so many!

Evotri Youth Initiative Takes Off!

2008-06-13T09:23:00.004-04:00

Having just recently joined the team, our newest teammate, TriSaraTops is proving her transition times are nothing flat. She already has a few summer races lined up for her youth triathlon initiative, as well as training plans in the works.

If you're in the area and would like to come out to support a bunch of great kids who have worked hard to finish their first ever triathlon, just follow the hoots and hollars of their mentor once you get to the gate of the Huntington Sprint Tri on July 20, and the Greater Cleavland Tri on August 10! Click here for more details on the training involved for Sara's inspiring plan.

70.3, Southern Style!

2008-06-10T08:44:00.005-04:00

Entries are going fast for the inaugural Ironman New Orleans 70.3 on April 5, 2009, which a good cut of the Evotri crew has already put on their calendars for the upcoming season. Come along as we make the commute to Cajun-country to soak up the culture, and most importantly, to race alongside 2008 Team edition Charlie Parsiola and his wonderful wife, Lisa. We're looking forward to meeting their entire family, as well all the awesome folks in Morgan City. And of course, to celebrating post race...Southern style!

Click here to join us!

Do You Have What it Takes?

2008-06-06T11:32:00.006-04:00

The deadline is drawing near for all those who would like to become the newest member of Team Evotri, who has proudly partnered with Inside Triathlon Magazine in announcing their third and final contest for the 2008 tri season.

The print article with all the contest guidelines is on the stands now, and you can also check out the bonus online article here!

All entries are due June 20th; do you have what it takes to make the team?

Online Registration Closes for WIBA: 2008

2008-06-03T14:46:00.009-04:00

Online Registration is now closed for the 2008 Wisconsin Brick Adventure in Madison, Wisconsin. All are welcome for the semi-supported workouts throughout the weekend; if, however, you would also like to participate in the free clinics and event meals, please email WIBAinfo at Gmail dot com to reserve one of the last few seats. Spots will be reserved on a first come first served basis. For more information, or to confirm your name is on the participant list, please visit WisconsinBrickAdventure.com.

See you in Madison!

Harness the Wind

2008-05-30T14:45:00.004-04:00

Unstoppable. By headwinds, by hills, by anything. It's official, parent companies Zipp Speed Weaponry and CycleOps Power are proud to announce the union of the sleekest wheels in town to the master of energy application. The offspring of such a partnership? Record smashing speed and precision performance analysis.

Finally available to the public are PowerTap fitted Zipp disk wheels, weighing in at just a fraction over the total weight of unTapped disks. Featuring a 2.4GHZ wireless transmission and absolutely no hindrance in strength or aerodynamic efficiency, the Power is yours.

Team Evotri partner Inside Triathlon Magazine details the several varieties of disk wheels now available, complete with price breakdown here. Have a look, and take the first step in harnessing the wind this season.

Evotri Hits Madtown!

2008-05-28T08:21:00.002-04:00

Teammates Simply Stu and Rural-Girl show off their bling post race!

What a rockin' weekend in Madtown ladies and gentlemen. Evotri teammates Simply Stu and Rural Girl hit the streets for the Madison Half-marathon this past Sunday where they both finished in blazing time.

Be sure to check out the ever-striving Rural-Girl's recap of the brutal race, as well as Stu's rundown on the rest of their holiday weekend adventures.

Well done, team!

A Peek at a Training Week

2008-05-23T13:08:00.001-04:00

Emily Cocks and TriSaraTops

It's time again for another peek at a training week, this time with our newest recruit, TriSaraTops and her Vision Quest coach, Emily Cocks.

Well it's without a doubt our little sister is in great hands with Emily, who grew up in Albion, MI and was a four-year varsity swimmer and honorable mention All American, as well as an Olympic trials qualifier in the 100 meter breaststroke at U of M. Currently Emily lives in Chicago, IL with her husband Andy and their two cats, Storm and Jaromir. In addition to coaching for Vision Quest, she is now the assistant men's and women's swimming coach at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Emily's main triathlon focus is the half-Ironman distance, two of her favorite races being St. Croix 70.3 and Escape from Alcatraz. "I use triathlon as an excuse to travel to great destinations - so far it has taken me all the way to Australia and New Zealand. I also love to challenge myself physically and mentally, and training and racing allow me to do that on a regular basis!"
Emily goes on to describe Sara's general season plan as follows:"Sara is making her comeback this season after having a baby. She has started off the season exceptionally well with a five-minute PR in her half marathon just this past weekend. Her focus this summer will be the Steelhead 70.3 in St. Joseph, MI. To prepare for this race, Sara will be focusing on increasing her training volume along with adding in some intensity in all three disciplines.

She is also going to do a smaller triathlon (Olympic or Sprint distance) in July to help get ready for Steelhead. This will give her a measuring stick to see how her training is going and allow her to get into racing mode after taking some time off from triathlon to become a mom. She is excited and confident heading into the summer, which can only serve her well in preparing for her upcoming season."
Follow Sara's finely tuned training and progress by visiting her web site, and be sure to check in next time for the verdict on Tri-Cajun's efforts to convince his coach that beignettes are the perfect recovery fuel...

PR City!

2008-05-19T16:10:00.005-04:00

And big smiles all around as we extend a big congrats to Evotri's newest teammate, TriSaraTops, who shattered her half-marathon PR by five minutes at the Cleveland 13.1 this past weekend!

Just seven months after giving birth it's clear our new kid on the block is back and better than ever. Be sure to read her race report for all the details.

Well done Sara, we look forward to all your future successes!

Evotri Gets It Done

2008-05-16T10:33:00.005-04:00

As you may have noticed we had a little outage here on Evotri.com this past week while switching service providers, but now we're back and would like to bring you up to speed on a few very important performances. Big congrats go out to Evotri Teammates Tri-Cajun and Sweet who hit it out of the park these past few weekends.

Tri-Cajun braved the waves down in Florida for the Gulf Coast Triathlon, making much more than a metaphor out of the term swimming with sharks! Check out the first installment of his eloquent and exciting race report here.

Sweet also delivered at the Multisport Mahem triathlon in Neoga, Illinois, simply demolishing the bike course and claiming the 4th fastest split in town. It's clear the man has his sights focused on the big island this year, adding an impressive 20+ watts to his average power. Check out all the details in his impressive race report now.

Nice work gentlemen!

Zippcast #48 - Brand New Drop Bars

2008-05-09T11:36:00.011-04:00

With 20 years of crafting the finest performance pieces on the planet behind them, Zipp has created some of the lightest, strongest and stiffest bars to date in the SL, the SLC2 and the Contour SL. Featuring newly customized graphics, these drop bars surpass even the highest standards in strength and stiffness, all the while setting new standards in comfort and ergonomics.

Check in with Zipp's David Ripley as he talks with Simply Stu and explains all the exciting changes on Zippcast #48, click here to listen now.

Podium Worthy Perspective

2008-05-06T07:27:00.011-04:00

The photo above is brought to you by Evotri teammate, Bolder, who just raced the Napa Valley Half Ironman this past weekend in fine "sub-fun" fashion.

Taking in the sights, visiting wineries and truly making the experience of his race the focus of his trip rather than the splits is a perfect example of his new philosophy this year towards training and racing. Together with his Vision Quest Coach, Karyn, the two are going to see if Bolder's "minimum training for the maximum results" philosophy will carry him through the quickly approaching Ironman CdA race next month.

It seems to be working out quite well so far. A few days before the Napa Valley race, Bolder had this to say about slowing down and smelling the roses:

"At my previous training levels, I would race at 20mph, and run at sub-10. From a swimming perspective, I've always been used to getting lapped. But now, I get excited when I ride above 20mph and below 10... I'm living the life I've always wanted to live."

We'd call that podium worthy perspective for sure. Congrats to our fellow teammate on a great race (and here's wishing him a Happy Birthday today too!). For more, be sure to check out Bolder's recap.

Making the Team: Contest #3 Hits Inside Triathlon!

2008-05-02T09:28:00.003-04:00

As the season officially gets into full swing, Team Evotri is proud to partner with Inside Triathlon Magazine in announcing their third contest for the 2008 tri season.

The print article with all the contest guidelines will be in the new June issue, which hits the stands next week. Be sure to also check out the bonus online article here!

All entries due June 20th; do you have what it takes to make the team?

Become an Evotri Ambassador!

2008-05-01T22:09:00.007-04:00

If you have an interest in being part of the evolution of endurance sport, as well as in connecting all endurance athletes in ways that facilitate working together to give back to the community in various ways, we want YOU!

If you're enthusiastic, generous, and interested in becoming a vehicle for growth in our sport, and most importantly, if you're passionate about the lifestyle we lead, please send your name, state of residence, and link to your blog or web site if applicable (we will send you official membership graphics for your site) to team@evotri.com. You will then be listed here on our team web site, as well as among the first included in all our future team projects, contests and opportunities. When composing your email, please write "Membership" in the subject line.

Summoning the Power

2008-04-30T08:26:00.011-04:00

The human spirit is fascinating. Riding 112 miles for an Ironman is enough to widen the eyes of any would-be challenger, and double the distance plus is nearly inconceivable. Add to the mix sub-freezing conditions and life-threatening related circumstances, and you have the latest test of raw power and will of one Rocky Reifenstuhl and his trusty PowerTap Disc Brake Hub.

The two set out together across the 2008 Alaskan Iditarod Trail Invitational to tackle the 350-mile and 1,000-mile race not for glory or fame, but for the reason anyone dares the seemingly impossible - to see if it could be done. Click here to read the incredible physical, mental and mechanical trials by fire, -er... or should we say ice? We're sure you'll be as awe-inspired as we are.