Built for Athletes.
Driven by Community.
Raise the Bar started in 2003 with a simple idea: triathlon is better when you train with people who push you, support you, and show up week after week. Twenty-three years later, that idea has become Washington's premier multisport club.
Our Story
RTB was founded in 2003 by Patty Swedberg, who believed triathlon was better when you trained with people who pushed you, supported you, and showed up week after week. Patty and Brad Williams built the foundation of what RTB is today — a team-first culture where every athlete belongs.
Now under new ownership, RTB continues that tradition. What started as a small group of South Puget Sound athletes has grown into a 140+ member club spanning every experience level, from first-timers to Kona qualifiers. We earned USA Triathlon Gold Club status, IRONMAN TriClub recognition, and registration as a U.S. Masters Swimming Club and USA Cycling Club by doing what we've always done: showing up. Coached pool swims, track workouts, group runs, open water swimming — every week, every season.
We also produce three of our own races — Lake Meridian, Black Diamond, and Bonney Lake. Our coaches and owners have toed the start lines of all three, which is exactly how we know what a great race experience looks like.
What We Stand For
Community Over Everything
RTB was built on the belief that training is better together. Whether it's your first sprint or your tenth Ironman, you'll find your people here.
Coached. Structured. Serious.
We're a USA Triathlon Gold Club because we take training seriously. Coached pool swims, track workouts, and open water sessions — every week, all year.
All Three Disciplines
Swim, bike, run — RTB covers every leg. Coached pool swims, open water sessions, track workouts, and group rides. No discipline gets left behind.
We Race What We Build
RTB produces three of its own races each year — Lake Meridian, Black Diamond, and Bonney Lake. We don't just train for races; we build them.
Meet the Team
The people behind RTB — coaches, directors, and the crew that keeps this thing running.
Jake Borrego
Co-Owner
Jake's triathlon journey started with a spontaneous decision in 2022 — signing up for his first race before he even knew how to swim. He watched the start of the Maple Valley Ironman and was hooked. He showed up to his first RTB pool workout in baggy board shorts with nothing but determination, embodying what might be his personal motto: commit now, figure it out later. With guidance from RTB members and coaches, Jake went from complete beginner to Ironman 70.3 World Championships competitor in under three years. Along the way he completed his first full Ironman, a Spartan Trifecta, and five Ironman 70.3 events before earning his spot on the world stage. Now co-owner of Raise the Bar, he races competitively across triathlon, OCR, cycling, and marathons — while dedicating himself to helping others push their limits and reach new heights, no matter how impossible the goal might seem at first.
- ✓Ironman Finisher
- ✓Ironman 70.3 World Championship Finisher
- ✓Spartan Trfecta Age Group Winner
Chris Wallace
Co-Owner
Chris's triathlon journey started with a happy accident — literally riding his bike into the middle of the Maple Valley Half Ironman and thinking, what is this? Curious and hooked, he tried to teach himself to swim, quickly realized he needed real coaching, and showed up to his first RTB workout ready to learn. The coach didn't sugarcoat it: he was terrible. But that honesty came with a commitment to help him improve, and that was all Chris needed. Like Jake, he started in Lane 6 and worked his way up — eventually completing Ironman races around the world. Off the tarmac he's equally obsessed, chasing gravel miles and mountain bike trails. Chris is proud to be an RTB team owner and loves stepping in as a substitute coach to help athletes do what RTB did for him.
- ✓Ironman World Championship Finisher
- ✓UNBOUND 200 Finisher
- ✓USAT Certified Race Director
Ashley Sutherland
Head Coach · Marketing Director
A former University of Arizona team captain and US Olympic Trials competitor, Ashley brings elite swim credentials to her role as Head Swim Coach at Raise the Bar. Since discovering triathlon in 2021, she's finished on the podium at her first full Ironman, raced at Ironman World Championships in Kona, and run the Boston Marathon. But her journey into multisport wasn't easy — requiring her to overcome several running injuries and a deep-rooted childhood fear of open water. Ashley's coaching philosophy centers on meeting athletes where they are, and helping them unlock speed they didn't know they had.
- ✓USMS Certified Coach
- ✓US Olympic Swimming Trials Competitor
- ✓Ironman World Championship Finisher
- ✓Boston Marathon Finisher
Skyler Kottenstette
Track & Open Water Coach · Athlete Manager
Coach Sky learned to swim before she could walk and hasn't stopped moving since — through triathlon, gravel cycling, ultrarunning, and mountaineering. She's raced ITU World Championships, USAT Collegiate Nationals, and Age Group Nationals, and taken on solo adventures like the Wonderland Trail 100 and White Rim 100. An aerospace engineer by day, Sky embodies the whole-athlete approach: helping time-crunched athletes prioritize, train smart, and build a love of sport that lasts a lifetime.
- ✓IRONMAN Certified Coach
- ✓USA Swimming Coach
- ✓NASM CPT & Nutrition Coach
- ✓B.S. Astrophysics · CU Boulder
Linda McCandless
Coach
Linda came to triathlon at 40 from a competitive soccer background and never looked back. She's earned age-group wins, top-5 finishes at 70.3 distances, a 2nd-place finish at Ironman Arizona 2022, and raced the Ironman World Championship in 2023 — plus two Boston Marathon finishes and a 50K. Her coaching philosophy is simple: life is bigger than triathlon, and the best training plan is the one that fits your life.
- ✓USAT Level 1 Certified Coach
- ✓Ironman World Championship Finisher
- ✓Boston Marathon Qualifier
Erika Link
Volunteer Coordinator
Erika Link started her triathlon journey in 2018 when she talked a friend into signing up for the Lake Wilderness Triathlon with her. She enjoyed it so much that she quickly signed up — without that friend, who didn't enjoy it quite as much — for the Black Diamond and Lake Meridian Triathlons that same year. It was at those events that she discovered Raise the Bar and the wonderful community it contained. Erika has participated in every triathlon distance from Sprint to 70.3, as well as road and trail running events from 5K to the marathon. She excels at every pace from Party Pace to mid-packer and always has snacks to hand out on a group ride. Her favorite volunteer role is Bike Sweep.
Ready to Be Part of It?
140+ athletes, three coached disciplines, three races a year — and a community that shows up for each other on the hard days and the good ones.