Raise the Bar
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30 Years of Triathlon - What a ride!

7/20/2016

1 Comment

 
Looking from every angle, 2016 has been quite the year for RTB!  Many of you raced at the CDA 70.3 - the most highly attended race by RTB athletes to date at around 35. Other favorite races have been densely populated with RTBers - Chelanman, Ironman events, Lake Meridian(!).  The pictures and the stories keep coming and they are  inspiring, vulnerable, exciting, heart-warming, surprising, etc. Triathlon once again provides the backdrop for fun, shared experiences, and growth.  Win WIN WINNNN!
On Sunday I'm doing Seafair - which was the first triathlon I ever did in 1986 and frankly I've been very sentimental lately because of it.  You can see my maiden name on the results- Patty Pawlowski.  I was 606th of 666 athletes.  Yikes. I had a long way to go and trained for a long time to improve on that.  There were many fun years where I worked hard with my friends and got better and faster. (I couldn't have gotten much slower!!)  I discovered that along with the wife and mother in me, there was also an athlete - never would have guessed!
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Shortly after this photo was taken I was advised to throw that bike in a dumpster. 
And the saddlebag


Like many of you, I've found that over the years, racing gets more of my attention some years than others, but my love of the sport continues. Lately I haven't trained with nearly the discipline and regimen I did in the past - but I still love the training and the sport like crazy!   I find myself doing more of what I enjoy the most (swimming!) and fitting bikes and runs/walks into the cracks and crevices that open up between my time running Raise the Bar, feeding my addiction to my superfun family, gardening, etc.  Many of my runs now are with strollers, or pushing kids bikes along...  It's AWESOME. I'm looking forward to racing in San Francisco next month and, like all of you, looking for the next fun race or adventure to spice things up.
Halfway into my triathlon years Brad Williams dared me to start a team. Like a coiled spring, triathlon was poised to grow rapidly and made its biggest debut in the 2000 Olympics which prompted the everyman to sign for events like crazy. Inaugural Ironman events were cropping up everywhere and Raise the Bar grew happily alongside. RTB's been a fantastic community and what a lucky girl I am to have been in the company of so many terrific people over the years on the team and at our training & events.  These days I have a front-row seat to many people crossing many finish lines and I love it.

Incidentally, You might notice here how Brad did at the same Seafair race in 1986 - 27th overall at 28 years old and easily the most consistent triathlete I've ever known.  Good going, Brad!
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Seafair 1987 - closest photo I could find to 1986
Sunday is Ironman Canada - where many of you are headed with your beautifully fit & tapered bodies and hearts full of anticipation. Have the time of your lives!  Triathlon is one of many tools we have to experience life at the fullest - take every advantage of your trip and enjoy the day as it unfolds. Have FUN!  Not everyone is as fortunate as we are.

I was remiss in the first publishing of this blog to make a mention of Kathy Morrisson - thoughtless really. (Did I mention how self-absorbed I am?  Is that typical of triathletes?)   Kathy came to RTB and the sport of triathlon a few years after I did, but has become a 100% integral person in the running and managing of many aspects of Raise the Bar.  I'm grateful for her and for the great gifts she brings to our organization.  I'm mainly thankful for her friendship.   
THANKS KATHY!!! 




Sentimentally Submitted by Patty Swedberg. Thanks for indulging.
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Kathy and her recently graduated, very lovely daughter Madeline
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1 Comment

Behind the Curtain at Lake Meridian Tri Registration

7/11/2016

0 Comments

 
 At RTB Events,  we watch registration pretty closely  - especially the August Lake Meridian Triathlon. We often get pretty close to reaching our 600-cyclist limit, which is in place to keep a safe and manageable number of athletes on the bike course.  


We close registration when we reach a combined total of 600 individual & relay entries.  We haven't had to close at our 600-limit in the past but that could change this summer.

Today it's 32 days before the race and we have 377 registrations.  That doesn't sound even close to 600, but it's closer than you might think.  Usually 50% of total registrations come in the last 3-4 weeks before the race.  We're at 63%.

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Confirmation List
For those of you still awake or interested, we share this information because if you're planning to participate at the LMT on 8/13 and you haven't registered yet, you might want to keep an eye on the numbers. So we've posted the confirmation list and you can find it Here.

If you've already registered - Great!  We are working hard getting ready to make the August 2016 race better than ever.  The mouth-watering breakfast?  Happening. Thousands of Dollars in prizes?  Yep.  Pint glasses for the top 5 finishers in each age group? Check.

Finally - We have about the best group of sponsors a race organization can ask for. These aren't faceless businesses - These are real people who represent great businesses who support the events that you enjoy. So have a click below and learn more about them.

See you at the Finish Line!


Sponsors of the Lake Meridian Triathlon

Allied Waste
blueseventy
Cannondale
Center for Diagnostic Imaging
Garmin
Hester Law Group
Kriss Chiropractic




Maple Valley Physical Therapy
Murphy Sports & Wellness

Northwest Tri & Bike
Outpatient Physical Therapy
Profile Design
Road ID
Zoot

Looking for another Great RTB Event this year?

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0 Comments

Why I Tri? by Kelly Christensen

7/6/2016

 
PictureAfter Finish of First Race
I’ve been doing triathlons for nine years, and my mother STILL can’t believe that I can swim with my face in the water.  Apparently we tried Mommy and Me swimming classes and I was the only baby that flunked out.  All the other babies giggled with joy after their mothers dunked them under the water, but I bawled (“but hey, I think that lady might have just tried to kill me!”).  It didn’t end there.  Hair washing time usually included tears.  I can remember the day I called my dad at work to tell him that Mommy washed my hair and I didn’t even cry.  Yes, I was old enough to dial a rotary phone the first time that happened.  Needless to say, my real swim training would have to wait a few years (actually, more like a few decades).

PictureBlack Hills 2016
I stayed pretty active as a kid – riding bikes all over the neighborhood, a little soccer, basketball, track, and some recreational swimming with my face mostly above the water.  But distance running?  No way!  I was a sprinter & jumper on the Junior High track team.  The coaches would occasionally make the entire team run one or two miles, and it was my worst nightmare.  Everyone would take off, leaving me and the shot putters pulling up the rear with side stitches and nausea.  Where was “Couch to 5K” in 1982?  Running was on my “Do Not Do” list for many years after that, and I was one of those people who thought runners must be a little crazy.  Well...one could still make an argument.

Anyway, as a rather unlikely candidate for multi-sport, how did I get here?  Three events led me to my first venture in triathlon during the summer of 2007.  First, I attended a brown bag presentation at work called “Triathlon 101”, led by a former RTB member.  Honestly, I’m not sure why I went – at this point I had only dipped my toe into walk/run intervals, had only mastered the side stroke and the doggy paddle, and didn’t own a bike.  The speaker was very enthusiastic but not intimidating, and made tri-sport sound like a fun challenge.  That same summer I started treatment with a chiropractor for back spasms.  He just happened to be a triathlon superstar and I heard all about his adventures…ok, this was sounding pretty cool!  And finally, while laid up in a hotel room in Chicago with a truly miserable 24-hour flu bug, I saw a Bryant Gumbel special on triathlon’s Team Hoyt.  If you haven’t heard of them, please check them out.  Their story brought me to tears and inspired me beyond belief.  One evening a few weeks later, my friend and I decided to sign up for a race.  I can’t remember if wine was involved...maybe so.  Our first step was to spend the next seven weeks trying to learn to swim – with our faces IN the water.  Yea, minor details.  Let’s just say I survived my first two races by flipping over and backstroking as hard as I could. 

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t seemed like life converged (or God conspired) to bring me into this tri-sport lifestyle, and I know it was meant to be.  The sport and the community have brought so much good to my life, it’s impossible to quantify.

Here are just a few things that pulled me in and keep me coming back for more: 

1. Fun!  As a really wise team owner told me recently, “well it’s supposed to be fun so…”  Sounds simple, right?  If you are participating in triathlon, and not really having fun, then something needs to change.  Peg the “fun meter”!  If you still can’t find the fun, help someone else have fun.  That’s fun too.

2. Fitness (physical and otherwise)!  There are obvious physical benefits from training for three sports, which by themselves are a great incentive to stick with it.  But for me, the mental benefits are just as valuable.  I find training to be my best solution to managing stress.  It also is one of the best antidotes for dealing with any type of bad mood, even depression.  I always finish a workout with a better attitude than I started with, and I’ve experienced runners high, which is amazing (ok, runners, you’re not totally crazy).  In addition, I love the mental challenges of learning the sport, setting goals and achieving them.  Breaking mental barriers is enlightening.  Most of our limitations are self-induced, these little boxes we put ourselves into. But we can decide to take ourselves out of those boxes too.  I’m still learning this lesson and how to apply it.  It’s never appropriate to say “I can’t” or “I’ll never”, unless you’ve made a decision to stay in that box.  They say you have to believe it to achieve it, but sometimes you just have to say what the heck and fake it ‘til you make it.  Try something new (or harder) knowing that it might not work, but that sometimes it will and you can surprise yourself. 

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3. Family & friendships!  I’ve met some of my favorite people through triathlon and Raise the Bar, and have created some amazing friendships.  This community provides incredible support, whether your goal is to stand on the podium or to finish your first race or a new distance with a smile on your face.  When you get hurt, they are there to help.  When you succeed, they are there to cheer.  When you fail or fear, they are there to encourage.  This is a true community in the best sense of the word.  I’m also very blessed to have great support at home.  My husband Denny is my favorite bike mechanic, riding partner, and cheerleader.  My son Alec has been cheering me on for years, even getting up early to volunteer at races.  I love those guys so much, and I couldn’t have had all this fun without their love, support, and sacrifice.      
 
I’m very grateful that triathlon found me.  My life has been incredibly enriched, be it from the beauty of a good run outdoors, the meditation of a morning lake swim in glassy water, the exhilaration of race starts, or the satisfaction at the finish line celebrating with friends.  It’s a gift I will continue to enjoy and share, hopefully for many years to come.

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  • Home
    • SEASON KICKOFF!!
    • New to Triathlon?
    • About >
      • Contact
      • Mission
      • History
      • Staff
    • Blog
    • Sponsors
    • Privacy Policy
  • Members Only
    • Log in
    • Team Directory >
      • Directory Guide
      • Manage your Directory Listing
    • RTB Member Login
    • Andy Potts Racing & Coaching >
      • AP Coaching Options
      • 70.3 Training Groups
      • More at AP
    • Discounts >
      • Andy Potts Benefits
      • Multisport & RTB Lite Members' Sponsor Benefits
      • Multisport Members' Event Discounts
      • Swim Member Sponsor Benefits
      • Swim Members' Event & Training Discounts
    • Forum
    • Team Calendar
    • Race Plans
    • Helping Teammates
  • Team
    • About the Team
    • Sign Up!
    • Andy Potts & RTB
    • Where we are >
      • RTB South
    • Benefits
    • Team Sponsors
    • Team FAQs
  • Training
    • Andy Potts Racing & Coaching >
      • AP Coaching Options >
        • Compare Plans
      • 70.3 Race Groups
      • More with Andy
    • Swim >
      • Winter Weather Swims
      • Coached Pool Workouts
      • Open Water Wednesdays
      • Swim Workout Library
    • Bike
    • Run >
      • Monday Night Track
    • Swim Clinic for Aspiring Triathletes
    • Bike and Run Safety
  • Events
    • Volunteer Here!
    • Event Services >
      • Pricing
  • Store