With eyes on the bottom line and the finish line, triathlon business owners have the competitive...

Like most small business owners, Vinu Malik is passionate about his product. And as an accomplished triathlete, he is equally passionate about his sport. By blending the two disciplines, Malik is part of new niche of triathletes in business who manage to not only run a company, but literally to run?and bike and swim?on a daily basis.

Malik often starts his day with a pre-dawn swim at a local pool followed by a quick session on the weights in his home gym. Then it's off to his office in Barrington, RI, where he is president of Fuel Belt, Inc., a thriving triathlon hydration accessory business he founded seven years ago. During the day, Malik often manages a run and sometimes also gets in an evening bike session. Workouts vary depending on Malik's race and work schedules, but the pace of his days, like the nature of triathlon itself, is non-stop.

"I started the business because I thought the Fuel Belt could really help athletes and I believe we've accomplished that goal," says Malik, who has competed for 20 years and has completed more than 200 triathlons.

Malik is not alone in performing the dual role of business owner and athlete. Such companies as Oomph, De Soto Sport, Fast Lane Clothing, and Penguin Shoe Care Brands, along with retailer Inside Out Sports, are also owned and operated by triathletes that have notched dozens of Ironman wins around the globe, all while simultaneously racking up sales for their companies.

"When we started our company we saw [operating a company] as an avenue to fuel the growth of the sport, and we like to think that we are giving back to the sport and helping to support it's growth," says Scott Gix, an Ironman triathlete and owner of Oomph, a Vancouver, WA-based apparel maker. He and his wife, Julie, a former top-ranked competitive swimmer and graduate of New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology, founded Oomph in 1993.

"At Oomph we make unique, high-performance products designed specifically for triathletes," notes Gix. "Our ongoing conversation with athletes has led to the development of Oomph-exclusive features that offer comfort and forward-looking design."

Knowing exactly what a triathlete wants and needs has also been a driving force behind De Soto Sport's success.

"My motivation in designing tri apparel is I don't want athletes having to think about what they're wearing. If I don't hear complaining?about chafing or durability, for example?then I know I've done my job," explains Emilio De Soto, who founded his company 15 years ago and has helped usher in a second generation of performance-driven, triathlon-specific apparel and accessories. "Our customers are comprised of a small, sophisticated group of people who are very athletic, very driven professionally, and do their research before buying any product," he says.

Indeed, Emilio De Soto estimates that he has competed in about 400 triathlons over the past 25 years. He continues to work out about three hours each day, and competes in about a dozen triathlons annually.

While Jon Reichlin, owner of Penguin Shoe Care Brands, is newer to the triathlon world than Malik, De Soto and Gix, he is just as passionate. Reichlin was inspired to take up the sport after his wife competed in the Danskin Triathlon in Seattle six years ago. Since then, he has participated in a sprint, Olympic-length and half-Ironman events, as well as the Escape from Alcatraz race. He has also been active professionally, having bought the Sorbothane insole brand two years ago, and recently purchasing the Nathan line of running and triathlon accessories.

"I liked that I could develop and market products that would help people perform better, and in the case of Sorbothane, offer products that can actually enhance an athlete's longevity," remarks Reichlin, who will turn 49 this month. He says he plans to participate in triathlons until "everyone else in my age category is so old and infirm that I will actually win."

Lori Davis decided to try out the business side of the sports world after years of competing as an amateur triathlete. Her company, Fast Lane Clothing, targets the active women's market with fun, flattering exercise and racewear. Her newest line, Moomba, is distinguished by its unique in-seam pockets that allow wearers to carry anything from a cell phone to a stopwatch, thereby eliminating the need for a bulky pack.

Davis and others have discovered that helping athletes achieve their goals with products that perform well, and are comfortable to wear, is good for business.

As Malik observes, "Triathletes have always been the first to push the boundaries of technology and are quick to adapt to change. This has helped Fuel Belt grow from one product to more than 100."

Cid Cardoso, Jr., owner of Inside-Out Sports, is also boosting sales by concentrating on the needs of triathletes. In 2002, the retailer opened its new headquarters in Cary, NC, in the center of the Raleigh-Durham area. The new, free-standing, 5,000-square-foot store contains an Endless Pool for swim stroke analysis, and a Computrainer for Dynamic Bike Fits. A treadmill and indoor track are used for stride analysis and to test running shoes.

"Eleven years ago, I was one of the first tri-stores to open and people said to me, 'Man, you're crazy,'" recalls Cardoso. "But now the sport is healthier and more stable than ever." Cardoso usually enters two Ironman competitions a year, in addition to running his two stores and raising three young children.

"Triathletes are dedicated, driven, type A personalities and passionately involved with their sport," Cardoso comments. "They are not afraid to spend money on their sport if they think the product will help them perform."

These same personality traits are also prevalent among tri business owners. Says Reichlin, "When I did my first event in Vashon Island, I looked around and thought, 'what is with all these type A crazies?' And then I realized, 'Oh my, I'm one of them."

Yet this need to succeed on the racecourse and in business is propelling the sport of triathlon forward. These company leaders are creating product to help athletes perform better, and are also involved in the triathlon community. Next month, Reichlin and a partner will launch the first City of Philadelphia Triathlon. The race will boast 1,500 participants and will raise money for a variety of charities and community organizations.

Such efforts, concludes Gix, "all stem from wanting to raise the bar and help the sport grow."