The Kitsap TriBabes
by CoachRyan
There is a group of triathletes in the Kitsap county area (on the Olympic Peninsula across the sound from Seattle for those that don’t live here) that simply amazes me more and more each time I have the opportunity to come in contact with them. They call themselves the Kitsap TriBabes and they are fearlessly led by Lisa Ballou, the self-proclaimed "Tri Turtle". Why is she known as the Tri Turtle? Well, because her goal in every event is simply "finish upright before the sponsors take the finish line down". She has taken this "can do" attitude and turned a group of women into the most prolific and dynamic group of triathletes that I have ever seen. She has taken the TriBabes from a group of 7 women that completed the Danskin women’s triathlon in Seattle in 2003, to a group of 130+ TriBabes that finished the Danskin women’s triathlon in 2010! How amazing is that! The total number of TriBabe members is well over 200 now and they range from age 13 to 65 and weigh anywhere from 90 lbs to 300 lbs. There are all levels and abilities. They train together, they support each other, they support the community (park cleanup and donations), and they race together.
The TriBabes proudly display the quote "the miracle is not that I finished; the miracle is that I began." Yet, the TriBabes boast in that, to this day, every TriBabe that has started a triathlon has finished that triathlon! What an accomplishment!
This last weekend, I had the privilege of watching the Danskin Women’s Triathlon (my wife was competing), and I must say that the Kitsap TriBabes presence was more noticeable than any other group at the triathlon. Now that might not seem like that big of a deal since there were 130+ of them there racing, but this is not your average sized triathlon either. The Danskin in Seattle had somewhere on the order of 3,300 participants this year. Yet, it seemed like there was a TriBabe around every buoy on the swim, over every hill on the bike, and around every corner on the run. There was an inspirationally loud, cowbell-wielding support group at the finish line as well as at various other points along the course and they were all there until the very last TriBabe came across the finish line. I was very impressed…they own that triathlon.
Then, just two days after the Danskin, I had the privilege of running a free open water swim clinic for the TriBabes in place of their normal Tuesday open water swim workout at Wildcat Lake. I was so amazed at the turnout. There had to be at least 75 women there…most of which had just raced two days prior! I was humbled by their organization and camaraderie. They listened to everything that I said, asked questions, thanked me, asked more questions, complimented me on my swimming, and just plain impressed me. I gave them some focal points to work on to help swim straighter and faster and also showed them some sighting techniques and a little fancy buoy turning. It was such a great time.
If you want to know more about the Kitsap TriBabes, visit them at their website http://www.kitsaptribabes.com/
I would love to see more groups like this started across the country. The TriBabes promote health and fitness, community involvement, charity work, teamwork, and just plain fun….and they love Total Immersion! How many other groups are out there like this already? Do you know of one? I would love to hear about it!
Ryan Chapman
B.A.S.E. Training
