A Triathlon Retiree at Age 90, Mary Stroebe to Be Honored, Serve as Official Race Starter at July 12 Life Time Fitness Triathlon
Life Time Fitness, Inc. (NYSE:LTM):
WHAT:
Trading her wetsuit, bicycle and running shoes for a race start horn, 90-year-old Mary Stroebe of Madison, Wis., will be honored as an official starter alongside Minneapolis Mayor, R.T. Rybak, at this year's Life Time Fitness Triathlon.
WHO:
An inspiration to millions of triathletes and fans around the world, Mary Stroebe recently and reluctantly ended her extraordinary amateur career.
"I didn't really decide," she says with a laugh. "It decided for me. If I had my way, I'd still do it." By "it decided for me," Stroebe refers to a back condition that's caused increasing difficulty for her during training, making it "impossible to do the things I need to do."
After getting involved in triathlon for first time in her mid-70s, Stroebe gained international fame and media attention for continuing her passion for the sport throughout her 80s, including a finish at last year's Life Time Fitness Triathlon at age 89. She completed the event five times.
For years, Stroebe's fellow triathletes and many other admirers have followed the story of the "octogenarian triathlete." Her fans marveled at her determination to compete in triathlons after setbacks, including a skiing injury in her late 80s that left her with a metal rod in her leg. And mostly, they simply loved to cheer her on race day - watching her go by as she left generous amounts of inspiration in her wake.
The soft-spoken great-grandmother has enjoyed being in the spotlight, she admits, but continues to view her fame with characteristic humility.
"It's been nice - more than I deserve," she says of her notoriety. "I won't let it go to my head. I just think it's something other people could do if they put their minds to it. You have to train for it, but that's part of the fun."
DETAILS: ONSITE
-- Event: Strobe will be Official Starter for the Pro Women's
Division with interview availability immediately afterward.
-- Race start: 7:00 a.m., Saturday, July 12, 2008
-- Location: Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis
DETAILS: B-ROLL PACKAGE
-- Transmissions: 3:30-3:45pm CT and 5:30-5:45pm CT, Sat. July
12, 2008
-- Coordinates:
Horizon 2, Transponder 15 analog KU band
Downlink frequency: 11900 Vertical
6.2 / 6.8 audio
-- Trouble Line : 612-330-2771
About the 2008 Life Time Fitness Triathlon
The 2008 Life Time Fitness Triathlon will take place on Saturday, July 12 at Lake Nokomis in downtown Minneapolis. The event will feature participation by more than 3,000 participants, including 40 of the world's top professional triathletes, 11 of whom are 2008 Olympians. The professionals will compete for a share of the event's $250,000 prize purse.
The Life Time Fitness Triathlon is a part of the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series Race to the Toyota Cup and a signature event of the Minneapolis Aquatennial, a premier, 68-year-old community tradition in the Twin Cities. For more information or to register, visit www.ltftriathlon.com.
2008 Life Time Fitness Triathlon Sponsors
Life Time Fitness is proud to recognize the 2008 Life Time Fitness Triathlon sponsors:
-- Toyota
-- Orbea/Shimano
-- TYR
-- Jennie-O Turkey Store
-- MGD 64
-- Edge(R) - Available at Target(R)
-- Janus
-- Ameriprise Financial
-- Polar
-- PowerAde
-- Twin Cities Orthopedic
-- Bluegreen Vacations
-- Hormel Natural Choice
-- Chi Chi's
-- Cub Foods
-- Triathlete Magazine
About the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series
The Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series was launched in 2006 and created the first-ever connection among four of the most prominent triathlon events in the United States. The Life Time Fitness Triathlon (ltftriathlon.com), held in Minneapolis, is produced by Life Time Fitness, Inc. The Accenture Chicago Triathlon (chicagotriathlon.com) is produced by Creative & Production Resources, Inc (CAPRI Events). The Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon (LATriathlon.com) is produced by Pacific Sports LLC. The Nautica New York City Triathlon (nyctri.com) is produced by Korff Enterprises. In 2007, the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series was expanded to include a Championship event, the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon Dallas. In 2008, the Series announced the Race to the Toyota Cup to award the top female and male triathletes in each of three separate divisions: Professional, Elite Amateur and Age Group at the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon in Dallas. Overall, the 2008 Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series offers $1.45 million in cash prizes for the Professional Division.
2008 Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series Event Timeline
-- Life Time Fitness Triathlon (Minneapolis) - July 12
-- Nautica New York City Triathlon - July 20
-- Accenture Chicago Triathlon - August 22
-- Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon - September 7
-- Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon (Dallas) - October 5
About Life Time Fitness, Inc.
Life Time Fitness, Inc. (NYSE:LTM) operates distinctive and large, multi-use sports and athletic, professional fitness, family recreation and resort and spa centers. The company also provides consumers with personal training consultation, full-service spas and cafes, corporate wellness programs, health and nutrition education, the healthy lifestyle magazine, Experience Life, athletic events, and nutritional products. As of July 8, 2008, Life Time Fitness operated 74 centers in 17 states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Virginia. Life Time Fitness is headquartered in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and can be located on the Web at lifetimefitness.com. LIFE TIME FITNESS, EXPERIENCE LIFE, and the LIFE TIME FITNESS TRIATHLON SERIES are registered trademarks of Life Time Fitness, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Source: Life Time Fitness, Inc.
Released July 8, 2008