RAAM Coaching Update
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Photo from left to Right: Crew Chief Cameron Oster, Sarah Powers, Jackie Harrison, Tighe Sefcik (Endurance Cyclist & RAAM Supporter), Kristin Swinburne, Kristin Coker, and Coach Owen Shott.
Meet the coaches training our Gears for Good RAAM Team and get their perspective on how training is going!
RAAM Coach - Owen Shott
Frederick “Owen” Shott, grew up in a small town in central Florida called Inverness. He moved to Jacksonville in 1999 on a track and field scholarship to FSCJ. 25 years later Coach Owen has won numerous running, triathlon and cycling races locally in Jacksonville, several State and National Championship titles, and has even competed at the World Championship level in cycling and Ironman events. He is the first to tell you he didn't get there on his own, and credits his successes to his own coaches and other athletes around him. He's a big believer that athletes don't coach themselves- just like surgeons don’t operate on themselves. Along with all his accomplishments he has also helped his athletes achieve similar goals.
He has found great success in coaching cyclists, runners, and triathletes; competing at all levels (5k to Ironman). Whether you’re looking to qualify for a big race like Boston or Kona or simply just want to PR at a local 5k, he has a plan for you. He really looks forward to sharing training techniques and athletic understanding he has learned over the past 25 years and hopes to pass those along to you. Owen has also successfully trained athletes for RAAM and is the personal coach to Gears for Good RAAM Team members, Sarah Powers and Kristin Coker.
Update on Sarah Powers & Kristin Coker
Kristen has been doing an amazing job balancing life while training to hit one of her goals to qualify for the Boston marathon, which she did successfully hit the time standard on January 28th! Along the way she has been building her cycling strength for RAAM and competed in the Tampa Bay Frogman swimming event. With those two key events behind her it is now time to dial in and focus 100% on RAAM. Over the next couple months, she will be tested with some of the hardest training she has seen.
This season for Sarah has been about finding the work, life and training balance. She has learned harder, longer and more doesn’t always equal better. So far in her training she has seen over 10% gains in her aerobic fitness. Which is crucial in her growth for RAAM and as an endurance cyclist. After taking a small break for recovery we will be able to turn up the heat and take the next step in her fitness development.
RAAM Coach - Sarah Woodward
Sarah first found her love for cycling when her dad introduced her to cycling in high school. Fast forward several years, and she entered the triathlon race scene in 2009. She placed 2nd Overall, along with having the fastest Bike Split, greatly surprising herself as she had no background in this sport. She went on to win a series of Time Trials and take overall Female titles in shorter distance triathlon races, often with one of the fastest bike splits. As cycling began rising as her strength within the sport of triathlon, she decided that she wanted to grow and develop more, for the sake of others’ own cycling and triathlon journeys, and she pursued becoming a USA Cycling Coach in 2010 and a USA Triathlon Coach in 2013.
She continued to race mainly in the sport of Triathlon while working hard to advocate for the sport of cycling within the female community especially. She became a local Ambassador for LIV women’s cycling in 2014 and hosted numerous Women’s specific group rides and events for a number of years. She then became the Director of Cycling for a local triathlon group she coached with, and coordinated all group rides, CompuTrainer classes and cycling clinics for multittudes of athletes of all skill levels.
Sarah is also a Licensed Massage Therapist, and believes firmly in the use of mind-body connection for helping athletes achieve their ultimate best in any of their endeavors.
Sarah is honored and excited to be a part of the coaching team for this incredibly strong group of women competing in RAAM 2024 and is the personal coach to Kristin Swinburne and Jackie Harrison.
Update on Kristin Swinburne & Jackie Harrison
Kristin and Jackie have both been putting in plenty of saddle time this past month. No matter how daunting the workout or challenge, nor the complexities life throws at them (i.e. unexpected crashes or brushes with vehicles being driven by someone paying little regard to them), they both manage to continue to get their RAAM training in! Both are heading to Colombia with RAAM Team Coordinator Cameron for a week of riding in the mountains to add to their roster of rides and unique riding circumstances to help prepare them for their part in the RAAM TB team race this June.
They have put in 24-hour ride/recovery days along with 200 mile rides and multiple 5-hour ride days, testing out their resiliency and adopting the RAAM lifestyle, never with complaint and always rising to the challenge! Even when they are thrown unexpected curveballs, they continue to get back on their bikes and find a way to get the job done.
Both of them will be competing in a couple of Gran Fondo’s this Spring, along with Time Trials. They are committed to this RAAM team and are looking forward to getting to do more team riding with all teammates in late February!
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