TTL Bulletin - Some Epic Race Recaps!
by: Olivia Vallone
by: Olivia Vallone
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Kate Podiums In France!
Photo via @Ironman on Instagram
On Saturday, Kate raced Ironman 70.3 Les Sables finishing in 3rd place in a competitive pro field!
Kate is on a roll! This was her fourth race of the season but her first event on the other side of the pond. After strong performances in her first year as a pro at St Anthony’s Olympic, St. George 70.3, and Oceanside 70.3, Kate has most definitely earned her spot on the podium.
It was a gloomy day at Les Sables d'Olonne, a coastal town in the Vendée department of western France. The cooler climate essentially matched the water conditions with both temps holding around 66° F / 19° C.
This was anyone's race. the four athletes in the front pack, including Kate, glided across the calm bay waters and used the fast channel waters to their advantage.
The chase pack was right on their tail heading into T1. The gap was constantly ebbing and flowing, with such a strong field. Athletes surged from the chase pack to join the leaders, some fell back. At the peak, there were over 12 athletes riding together. Very few were dropped from the lead heading into T2, which indicated an incoming run battle was in store.
While Kate lost some time in the crowded transition, she caught up to the leaders by the 5 mi / 8km mark. Kate embraced the challenge and maintained her speed and position, all while flashing a radiant smile. Kate rounded out the podium, finishing in third with all three women breaking the previous course record, finishing within just 40 seconds of each other!
In just her first year as a professional, she has exceeded our expectations and continues to wow us not only with her performances, but with her relentless excitement and positive demeanor - a refreshing aura for a highly competitive athlete! Kate is someone who truly values the process, lets the results come and we love being a part of her journey.
Way to go, Kate! Hope you celebrated with some beans on toast!
Heather Jackson Finishes Western States 100 Mile Ultramarathon!
Eric and Paula made the trip from Bend to Olympic Valley, CA to support their long time friend, Heather Jackson (co-founder of Dirt Brigade), in her 100 mile race through the breathtaking yet unforgiving mountains of the Western States Trail!
Starting at Olympic Valley, California, and ending in Auburn, California, the WS100 is one of the most arduous organized running events in the U.S., truly the “Ultimate Challenge” for even the most relentless athletes and driven distance runners like Heather.
Runners ascend over ~16,000 ft / 5,000 m throughout the duration of the race, running day and night throughout the entire weekend.
Heather CRUSHED it, finishing in just a bit over 17 hours In 7th place! A truly amazing feat to even the most elite athletes. We are so proud to have Heather as a friend and loved supporting her out there! Way to go, HJ!!
More Trail Running!
Eric and Ryan also scurried through some trails last week at the Bend Trail Series! @eric_lagerstrom got the W in his trail race debut while @rweald went top 10 looking FRESH in his TTL top!
This is a super fun summer-long series hosted by @gobeyondracing with races once a month, check it out if you’re in the area!
Photo via @samanathaweald
Podcast
PODCAST 🎙️
Last week on the Pod, We Discussed:
🚐 Eric’s experience at Adventure Van Expo
🇨🇦 Paula's process of deciding to go for Canadian Double
✈️ How to not lose your mind when your bike gets lost in travel
🏃♀️ Race Recap: What actually happened (immersive experience)
🏆 The tense atmosphere at Canadian Time Trials
🧐 What are pro briefings?
⛈️ Racing in challenging elements
❄️ How to dress for cold races
and more!
Timeless Triathlon Collection Drop!
APPAREL SOLD OUT! BOTLES STILL LEFT!
The idea for this launch was curated on a camping trip with @linseycorbin. Linsey was wearing a hat that simply read “Salami” and it felt like something you’d find in a thrift shop from a bygone era when things were simpler and life was undoubtedly more fun and carefree. This feeling is what we wanted to capture with our first installment of the Timeless Collection. So go ahead, get nostalgic!
Coming Soon: Shred til’ Bed Pt.2!
Miss out on the last Shred til’ Bed Collection? Want to get the second poster to go with the first? No sweat, we have another drop coming soon! Be on the lookout for more updates on how to get your very own handmade canvas and t shirt!
Stay stoked,
-Eric & Paula
(and Olive, the intern)