Strider's Marty Martinez Awarded Commuter of the Year!

Wednesday, May 6^th– The City of Rapid City, hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department, Presented Strider’s own Marty Martinez for the Commuter of the Year Award. In honor of National Bike Month the city holds an annual Bike to School Competition. Despite the rainy conditions, 76 students participated in the event.

The Parks Department notified Kent Jacobs, Strider US Sales Manager in advance of his award, and they must know how we love a great surprise!

Marty said “I get this text from Ryan [Strider founder, chief enthusiast and CEO] saying he needs some help picking out a bike for Kristi [Ryan’s wife] at Black Hills Bikes.  He said it would give us a chance to “talk“so I was kinda sweating bullets you know?! Boss needs help picking out a bike and wants to “talk”.  So we get in the truck and head on down toward the bike shop, we get in the turn lane to go into Founder Park. Still no clue of about what’s to go down.  When we get out I notice the Strider van as we are walking I see Charlie [Strider QC] and start wondering what kind of event does he have planned? Then I see my Wife Julie with my youngest daughter, that’s when Ryan said that I had won the Commuter of the Year Award, I’m still not buying into it, but then more and more people start to show and well, the rest is in the books.”

Based upon his Strava statistics, he is averaging 65 miles per week and has logged nearly 1,000 miles since January 1.  He averages about 20 days of biking to work each month, “not counting the fun rides in the forest with friends.” Marty says he isn’t training for anything right now, (although he has been known to kick butt in a race or two) but has the Xterra Aspen Valley and Xterra Buffalo on his radar.

He said one main reason he started commuting is because he made a deal with his daughter that if she got a job he would let her buy his Subaru. Of course she took him up on his offer…

Since his award last week, we received an email from Ryan letting the Strider Headquarters Staff know that Marty will be moving away from Striderville at the end of this month.  Marty’s wife Julie had an amazing opportunity to take a new job in Boulder Colorado, and with their family’s love for the outdoors and skiing, Colorado seems like the perfect place for them.  Thankfully though, we are excited to say that Marty will continue to represent the Strider Brand as an account executive from his new home in the Rocky Mountains.

Best of luck, Marty, on your new adventures. Stride On!

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