TRPA Wellness in high gear with Tough Mudder, Tahoe Marathon

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency staff have been on a roll of fitness-related activities over the last few weeks with participation in the Tough Mudder event, the Lake Tahoe Marathon, and other challenges.

“TRPA employees are active members of the Tahoe community and we’re happy to join our neighbors in events that push our fitness levels and help the local economy,” said Julie Regan, TRPA’s Chief of External Affairs. “Between the normal stresses associated with working at TRPA combined with the deadline to deliver an updated Lake Tahoe Regional Plan, we’ve ratcheted up our focus on exercise this year and we’ve found it’s made us more productive and healthier.”

A snapshot of TRPA’s recent fitness challenges:

A team of 10 TRPA staffers completed the Tough Mudder at Northstar on September 22 representing nearly 15 percent of the Agency’s workforce including: Trey Griffin, John Hitchcock, Julie Kolowith, Jill Larson, Lief Larson, Bridget Cornell, Jeanne McNamara, Julie Regan, Megan Scheeline, and Judy Weber.
Trey Griffin finished fourth in his age class (35 – 39 year olds) in the Lake Tahoe Marathon on September 30 having run 26.2 miles in 3 hours 41 minutes, winning 21st place overall.
Karin Edwards took 5th place in the National Championships for Marathon Mountain Bike Racing in Bend, OR on September 15.
Gary Weigel and Patrick Dobbs summited Mt. Whitney, the highest summit in the contiguous United States with an elevation of 14,505 feet, on September 22.
Jill Rozier completed the Wicked Thorn, a 12k (7.25 mile) trail run in the Galena Forest near Mt. Rose on September 30 with a time of 1:25:55.

The Agency just celebrated the one-year anniversary of its employee-built gym “the Underground” where staffers Jill and Lief Larson run CrossFit-style workouts during lunch for any staff members who want to participate. Employees purchased their own equipment and outfitted the Agency’s lower level warehouse space on weekends to transform it from empty storage to a functioning fitness environment. About a third of the Agency’s staff routinely workout in the Underground.

The idea to participate in the Tough Mudder as a team came from employee Lief Larson, owner of Carson City CrossFit with its motto Train for Life. “I thought it would give us something to train for and it did,” Larson said. “I was really proud of our teamwork and determination at the Mudder. It was a blast.”

“Keeping employees healthy is crucial for any organization to meet its goals and TRPA is no exception,” said TRPA Executive Director, Joanne S. Marchetta. “The culture of fitness we’re developing at TRPA is serving us well.”

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency cooperatively leads the effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region now and in the future. For additional information, call Kristi Boosman at (775) 589-5230 or send an email to kboosman@trpa.org.