Just my 2p's worth…
I'd suggest that you take a trip round your local /regional shops, at least the ones carrying the brands that you'd like to work for, and try and have a chat with the manager/proprietor (maybe a free lunch?) and see what they need from a rep – also maybe try and hook up with any local race organisers / big clubs and see what they think about the brands.
You'd then be in a good position to come up with some plans to boost the sales of a particular brand in the region you work in, and have a list of names to drop/relationships to bring with you to the organisation.
This might help, even if you don't have links within the organisations,links with their key customers and a decent plan might go some way to make up for it.
PB