Change and Future

When I first came to the sport of triathlon, B+L was there. I met Scott Rittschof, then owner, thru my good friend and teammate/roommate at Nebraska, Tony Smith. Tony had moved to San Diego for a change of scene, and we were once again roommates, (and trained together enough to be called teammates again!)

Tony is always a well liked guy, and in the past I have described him as "The least lazy person I have ever met", (the guy is ALWAYS doing stuff!) I also have called him, "the most mechanically-inclined person I have ever met." He now works for Ironman, and it was great to catch-up with him again at Ironman Wisconsin this past weekend. (Good news to those who know him, he's coming back to San Diego soon!)

Tony was well liked by Rittschof right away, and therefore Rittschof liked me. (It's funny how when you begin to surround yourself with quality people, that group grows rather well).

I was just an up-and-comer, and with every result and every season, B+L supported me even more. I was a devoted follower and believer in the shop, and probably even more importantly, in the people who were a part of the shop.

The famous Dan Rock actually gave me a bike of his to ride for a while, while I experimented with triathlon. Who could have guessed how far things have come?

Thru some ownership changes at B+L, the same good vibe among the staff toward me was always there, and the opening of a second store brought much of the same with the new staff. They always supported me, and new staff always embraced me, unconditionally.

This morning, I sent an email to a number of members of the B+L staff, thanking them for their devoted support over the years. I had to break the news that the new ownership has chosen not to support me in my endeavors at the level I need to continue to grow the sport, such as my coaching, and my TriJuniors Team. Therefore, a change was needed for my future.

I am now officially on board with Nytro, and I'm very excited to work with an owner who has shown a commitment and excitement level for working with me! I know great things are in store for the sport, the triathlon community of San Diego, and even beyond San Diego.

I will always have a great place in my heart for the people associated with B+L, a famous store. Change is a part of life, and I'm pretty excited about this change. Stay tuned for more!

Vance