LEAD SPONSORS

< Back to News

March 20, 2007

Kona Qualifier Katie Bolling Opens Season in Support of World Bicycle Relief

by World Bicycle Relief

Northfield, Ill.-based triathlete takes 2nd in age group at March Madness Half Marathon on Sunday

CHICAGO (March 20, 2007) – Kicking off a year of racing in support of World Bicycle Relief, 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship qualifier Katie Bolling took 2nd place in her age group and 9th overall for women at this weekend’s March Madness Half Marathon in Cary, Ill.

“It was a very encouraging way to start the year,” Bolling said. “I was within 20 seconds of my goal time, which is a good indicator that my fitness is where it needs to be.” Bolling ran a time of 1 hour, 32 minutes and 6 seconds, a pace of 7:01 per mile.

Bolling, 30, of Northfield, Ill., will be a competitor at the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in October. She has dedicated her training and racing this year to raising awareness for World Bicycle Relief, a charity that is providing 26,000 bicycles to volunteer, community-based HIV/AIDS care workers in Zambia, Africa, in partnership with World Vision.

“I have seen first-hand the power of bicycles in cultures around the world,” Bolling said. “In particular, I remember seeing a family of five all on one bicycle in Vietnam; it was their main mode of transportation. Here at home, our bicycles are recreation – the role they can play in other cultures and countries is a much more vital resource.”

Bolling plans to use her Ironman training as a way to raise resources for the efforts in Africa. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to use my bike as sport,” she said. “For the people of Zambia, the bicycle provides access to healthcare, education and economic development, and can truly change their lives.”

Bolling raced last season in support of World Vision, earning All-American honors in her age group and a 4th-place finish at Ironman Wisconsin, stamping her ticket to Kona. She also won her age group and was 3rd amateur overall at the Spirit of Racine Half Ironman.

“When I learned about World Bicycle Relief and the partnership with World Vision, I knew where I needed to focus my efforts this year,” she said. “These two organizations are doing so much to change the world, and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

Bolling, a coach with Vision Quest Coaching in Chicago, will make her next appearance at the Lakefront 10 Mile running race on April 29 in Chicago.