Welcome Rach McBride, pro triathlete and our first sponsored athlete!
We instantly fell in love with Rach(a.k.a. The Purple Tiger), which is why this Valentine’s Day announcement is ever-so-perfectly timed. They exude so much personality and charisma for life and the sport of triathlon that it is no wonder why people are constantly inspired by Rach to get outside and move. Plus, how can you not fall for someone who runs a 6:38 beer mile?!
If that wasn’t enough, Rach bounced back from injury last season to place 3rd in the ITU Long Distance World Championships, 2nd at Ironman 70.3 Calgary and 5th at Ironman Cozumel, their first crack at the full distance! They’re also a two-time Ironman 70.3 Champion and top-10 finisher at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. And that’s just to name a few!
Known for blazing bike splits, Rach is one of the strongest cyclists on the word triathlon circuit today. At the Ironman 70.3 distance, they have been first off the bike 6 times and clocked the fastest bike splits 8 times! This year, Rach is ready to elevate their running game after discovering Topo Athletic shoes at their favorite local running store, Distance Runwear, located near their home in Vancouver.
“When I donned my first pair of Topo Fli-Lytes, I may have actually heard my feet sigh with relief. I had walked into my local running store (Distance Runwear) looking for a new shoe that might be a better fit for my excessively wide foot. My previous shoes had become much too narrow for my troublesome paws.
“I had actually never heard of Topo before I was handed a pair in the shop to try on. Immediately, my toes felt uncramped and unhindered, yet the rest of my foot felt snug in the shoe.
These low-drop beauties were stable, responsive and allowed my foot and toes to splay naturally. With two thumbs up from my podiatrist, I hit the ground running in my Fli-Lytes and never looked back!”
We look forward to sharing Rach’s journey with Topo Athletic here on the blog and on all of our social channels. Welcome to the team Rach! #movelikeatiger
Rach has been racing full-time as a professional triathlete since 2011, but they are also an accomplished cellist and a board-certified genetic counsellor with two graduate degrees! Stay tuned into Rach’s updates online at rachelmcbride.com or on social: @rachelmcb on Instagram, @Rachel_McB on Twitter and @RMcBrideRacing on Facebook.