Life After "The Biggest Loser" Continues to Be a Challenge for Rebecca Meyer

DES MOINES, IA -- The Midwest states are officially in the record books and it's on to more distant race locations for Rebecca Meyer's 50 in 50 by 30 Challenge for 2012.

"It's going to be a really busy year," said Meyer. "I'm looking forward to traveling and racing throughout the country, but what I'm most excited about is adding triathlons to the mix."

Rebecca is a novice triathlete, but she's excited about kicking off her experience at the HITS Triathlon Series Corpus Christi event on her way to becoming more experienced amateur triathlete. Thanks to sponsorship from Giant® Bicycles and Des Moines' Bike World, Meyer will be racing triathlons in at least three states so far this year but more events could be added.

• • 5K, Sat., Feb. 4, Run Like a Girl Retreat, St. George, UT
• • Sprint Triathlon, Sat., Feb. 18, HITS Triathlon Series, Corpus Christi, TX
• • TowneBank 8K, Sat., Mar. 17, Yuengling Shamrock Marathon, Virginia Beach, VA
• • 5K Fun Walk, Sat., Apr. 14, Gristmill Grinder Half Marathon, Babcock State Park, WV
• • 8.15 Run, Sun., Apr. 15, Kent Island Metric Marathon & Half Metric Marathon, Stevensville, MD
• • Mini-Marathon, Sat., May 5, OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, Indianapolis, IN
• • 5K, Sun., May 6, Capital City Half Marathon, Columbus, OH
• • Sprint Triathlon, Sun., June 3, Land Rover TriRock New York, New York City, NY
• • Sprint Hybrid Triathlon, Sun., Jul. 15, Land Rover TriRock Seattle, Seattle, WA
• • Half Marathon, Sat., Sep. 22, Women's Running Magazine Half Marathon, Nashville, TN
• • Marathon, Sun, Oct. 7, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Chicago, IL

Later in the year she will participate in two TriRock Triathlon Series sprint distance races, one in New York and the other one in Seattle.

"I have to extend a huge heartfelt thank you to Giant and Forrest Ridgway at Bike World," noted Meyer. "Now I can train and compete in triathlons on my new Avail 1, which is really exciting for me," said Meyer.

In addition to support from Giant and Bike World, Champion System is providing race apparel for all Meyer's races.

But racing isn't the only challenge Meyer has faced since becoming the Season 8 $100,000 at-home winner of NBC's "The Biggest Loser". In fact, Meyer acknowledges that her "Biggest Loser" experience was just the beginning for her.

"It's been a little over two years since I left the ranch and started my life back in Des Moines, and I've learned a lot about myself and training in that time" noted Meyer. "The journey of lifelong health and fitness has no end. There is no being 'fixed.' Rather, it's allowing myself to be my own normal and embracing what that is at every step in every configuration."

Meyer has spent the better part of the last two years speaking to groups large and small about what she's learned during her transformation from an overweight, sedentary person to an ISCA certified personal trainer. When she's not speaking or participating in a race, she and her now fiancé Daniel Wright, also an alumni from Seasons 7 and 8 of "The Biggest Loser," spend their days training others through their new company, FitnessWrightNow, LLC.

Athletes who have completed more than 100 events to be honored

USA Triathlon announced today the launch of the USA Triathlon Century Club, a program that will honor multisport athletes who have completed more than 100 triathlons over the course of their careers.

Athletes who have completed 100-plus races are asked to submit to USA Triathlon a year-by-year breakdown listing the number of events finished. All completed triathlons -- domestic and international -- are eligible for submission.

To be recognized in the initial Century Club listing, athletes must submit their event totals to centuryclub@usatriathlon.org by March 1. USA Triathlon will then honor Century Club members based on 100-race increments -- the 100 Race Club, 200 Race Club, 300 Race Club, 400 Race Club and even the 500 Race Club.

Athletes will receive commemorative items of increasing value as they progress to higher levels. Additionally, all Century Club members will be recognized on the USA Triathlon website and in USA Triathlon Magazine.

"Our aim was to develop a way to recognize and reward the true veterans of our sport," USA Triathlon CEO Rob Urbach said. "I look forward to welcoming the initial members to the Century Club in March. I believe the USA Triathlon Century Club can become a motivating factor for our members to stay active and keep fueling the multisport lifestyle."

After the initial Century Club listing, USA Triathlon will add new additions to usatriathlon.org once per quarter. USA Triathlon may perform random audits of submitted lists at any time.

Additionally, USA Triathlon is seeking guesses for the number of initial members of the Century Club. The individual with the closest guess to the number of Century Club members as of March 1 will receive a USA Triathlon-branded Rudy Project helmet. Guesses can be submitted to centuryclub@usatriathlon.org.

About USA Triathlon
Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon - one of the fastest growing sports in the world - as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. USA Triathlon sanctions 3,500 races and connects with more than 150,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including ITU World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the International Triathlon Union and the United States Olympic Committee.
www.usatriathlon.org
 

Jarrod Shoemaker, the Olympian and Professional Triathlete behind the first Age Group Draft Legal Race in Florida adds another race like it in New Jersey. The Harvey Cedars Triathlon in June will feature both Professional as well as Age Group Draft Legal races. The event will also have a standard USAT non-drafting option as well a USA Triathlon Junior Talent ID Race.

"We are proud to continue our success in Clermont, Florida and add a second age group draft legal sprint race to our series! Draft legal racing is such a thrilling event to race and to watch. For the athlete it is constant effort and a totally different race experience. For the spectators they will be able to cheer their friends and family on the multi-loop course."

Triathlon: Harvey Cedars Triathlon
When: Sunday, June 3, 2012
Where: Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars, NJ
Divisions: Professional, Age Group, Juniors
Website: www.harveycedarstri.com

Age groupers looking to experience the thrill of draft legal racing should register quickly as the race field is limited to 75 select male and female spots (150 spots total).

Harvey Cedars, which is about 90+ miles East of Philadelphia, PA or 100 miles South of New York offers an outstanding course. Athletes participating in this race will:

• • Experience the thrill (some for the first time) of draft legal racing.
• • Be part of a big time race.
• • Get to meet some of the best triathletes in the world!

The course is set in Harvey Cedars Sunset Park off Salem Avenue. The sprint distance race will consist of a 750me swim, 20km bike, 5km run. The swim will take place in the bay, water temperatures should be in the mid 60s. The bike course will head north and will be two loops in closed lanes on LBI Boulevard. The run course will head south on LBI Boulevard before turning around and heading back to finish in Sunset Park.

USA Triathlon's Junior Talent ID Race Series provides a gateway for young athletes into the development pipeline. The Harvey Cedars Triathlon is thrilled to offer an exciting opportunity this important group of athletes! Participants will experience triathlon in its traditional, non-drafting format, officiated using USAT Competitive Rules. Regional Athlete Development Coordinators monitor results and contact participants who may be well-suited for camps or national-level events. This race is a great way to meet peers who enjoy triathlon in addition to school sports. Athletes will also be able to see the professional triathletes in action! To learn more about this Talent ID Race Series go here.

"Harvey Cedars is a place that I love; I spent summers lifeguarding and relaxing on the beautiful beaches. I learned to water ski in the bay and watched fireworks on the 4th of July at Harvey Cedars Sunset Park. I ran the Dog Day Road Race in the heat of the summer and swam the length of Harvey Cedars in the ocean."

"The sport of triathlon has filled my life with strong relationships with friends, competitors, and sponsors and I am passionate about giving back to the sport that I love. For the past couple years, I have been working to create a series of draft legal races for age groupers. Bill Burnett and I have successfully created a draft legal event in Clermont, Florida, and we look to carry on our success in Harvey Cedars, New Jersey." - Jarrod Shoemaker

For more information and registration options for the new Harvey Cedars Triathlon event visit: www.harveycedarstri.com For information on the Draft Legal Challenge at Clermont visit: www.draftlegalchallenge.com.

The events is being put on by Streamline Events, which hosts the the popular Sprint Distance Commonwealth Triathlon Series in New England and the Draft Legal Challenge in Florida.
 
 
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Swim. Bike. Run. These three words have taken on new meaning as people across the country are taking up the call to be fit for life by becoming a triathlete.

There aren't many things out there that can compare to the exhilaration you feel the first time you race. But what happens once you have accomplished your first or even your tenth triathlon. After awhile the rhythm of the race starts to seem mundane and the only thing that challenges you is forgoing the towel dry so you can shave a few seconds of you transition time.

To all those people out there who think that participating in triathlons becomes boring after awhile and that most running races place too much emphasis on individual times, do not despair. Dave Ballard, CEO of Round House Racing has an alternative and it's called: Tri-Umph.

2012 Tri-Umph Adventure Triathlon Locations

When: September 1, 2012
Where: Vail Lake Resort, CA

When: September 22, 2012
Where: Portland, OR

When: October 13, 2012
Where: Reveille Peak Ranch, TX

Website: www.triumphrace.com

Tri-Umph was born out of the idea that traditional triathlons need to be shaken up. Tri-Umph is the first of its kind to combine the challenge of the off-road triathlon and the excitement of a mud run. The entire race is laced with obstacles that you might see at a mud run... except Tri-Umph has obstacles in the swimming and biking portions as well. Tri-Umph is a sprint distance (750me swim, 20km mountain bike ride, 5km run) triathlon where each leg will test and thrill you. So whether you're a triathlon pro or just a mud run freak we guarantee you've never seen anything like this before.

Triathlon Redefined starts off with swimming where athletes quickly find obstacles like a floating balancing log or an inflatable mountain they have to climb. There are obstacles that provide a resting spot for those that need it like the lily pad leap and others where they have to swim over and under pipes.

The race then transitions to the biking portion where participants find themselves mountain biking on dirt trails through a myriad of obstacles. It then concludes with the running portion of the race. However, the mud-run style 5km offers unique and fun obstacles that haven't been seen anywhere else. When participants pass the finished line exhausted they know what it means to Tri-Umph.

Ballard tells that the idea for an off-road triathlon came to him while he was running a race that overlooked a beautiful mountain lake setting thinking how a triathlon should be held there. He knew that a lot of people avoided triathlons because of the swimming portion.

"I thought what if you could put rest areas along the way or somehow break up the monotony of the swim," said Ballard. "Then it hit me we need to have water obstacles. Obstacles will allow people to have a rest from the swim and provide a fun challenge to everyone. If people are having fun swimming or running for that matter than why wouldn't people do that race."

The format of this one-of-a-kind race is designed to get more people involved in triathlons by making the swim portion more fun. The obstacles, such as the floating lily pads, have more appeal to those who are hesitant to swim for an uninterrupted amount of time.

The minimum age to compete in the race is 16 years. The inaugural race of the Triumph series will be held September 1, 2012 in Vail Lake, California.

Please visit the event website for race details and updates. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to find out about special race giveaways, sponsors, training programs, dates and locations of the Tri-Umph races.

Journalists interested in covering Tri-Umph or participating in an event free of charge should contact Julia Fullmer at juliaf@roundhouseracing.com or by phone at (801) 472-5959.
 

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