On behalf of the entire WSI Cycling Team, I’m excited and proud to introduce you to one of our most amazing teammates, Kathy Roche-Wallace. I’ve known Kathy for years, in fact she was even one of my “groomsmen” when my Alicia and I got married over 15 years ago. She’s completed Ironman™ triathlons, tripple “Iron-distance” triathlons, multi-day adventure races, ultra-distance runs, 12-hour mountain bike races and in 2011 was the first 50+ woman to complete the solo Race Across America. During her 2011 RAAM event, she even won the Queen of the Mountains award for summiting the major mountain passes faster than any other woman. Despite all this, she’s going back to RAAM again this year to do even better.
When you hear these accomplishments, one may assume all she does is ride, run and workout but that’s not true. While she certainly does train more than most, she’s got a “real job” with the local fitness center, a wife, mother to six children and a proud grandmother. Yes, I said grandmother and this “granny” will ride circles around you (I know first-hand because it’s happened to me!). I think that’s one of the special things about Kathy. While she did get official sponsorship as a professional cyclist in the 90s, she’s been racing and competing “for the fun of it” for well over a decade and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
Coming up next month, Kathy will throw her leg over her Cannondale and start her second 3,000 journey across the country in her second RAAM event. She’s got a great crew to help take her across the United States (and have been there for the past several months on training rides and team meetings). Unless you’re part of that elite crew, you’re not going to be able to physically travel with Kathy for those 12 days in June. But, you CAN offer your support and help to ease the financial burden, as well as support charity at the same time.
At Kathy’s RAAM 2013 contribution page (http://bit.ly/raam2013) you can make a donation with a credit or debit card directly online. There’s instructions on how to send a check if that’s a preferred payment method. Either way, your support will help to ease the financial burden of competing in an event of this magnitude. Plus funds received beyond expenses will be donated to charity.
Kathy starts RAAM on June 11th in Oceanside, CA and updates will be shared on her Facebook page, GoKathyGo. If you’ve not visited and become a Fan yet, stop by and click the LIKE button. The crew will be posting photos, videos and updates from the road so you can keep tabs on Kathy’s progress. Her goal this year is to compete the race in under 12 days and I’m excited that Alicia and I will be there in Annapolis, MD this year when she comes across the line.
Eric
P.S. Join me this week on Wednesday, May 29th when Kathy joins me on my weekly webinar show, Free Webinar Wednesdays. The show starts at 1 pm Eastern and we’ll be talking all about RAAM and the many things that make Kathy so special.