Tri & Triumph: Stamp Set! Endurance-themed Creative Resources

As endurance athletes, we may be quiet pre-race, but once we cross the finish, we like to talk about our race experience, reliving the good and bad. We gather in circles with our race buddies, talk with our families, take notes on the drive home or call up our friends and family. Our experiences matter, so let's extend them a bit in a creative format.

Last fall, as part of my triathlon manuscript project, I helped my friend Kim brainstorm image ideas for triathlon and endurance-themed stamp sets. There are few resources for scrapbooking or card-making triathletes and I knew Kim's company Raisin Boat would come up with a final product worth talking about!

Talking about triathlon creatively was SO fun! I dragged out gear, tri magazines, books and demonstrated all the crazy fun that goes with our sport! I gave her concept ideas, style suggestions and talked about current trends and demographics within triathlon. It was awesome.

I also gave her a disc with nine million pictures from my families' 15+ years of triathlon events and experiences. Raisin Boat is releasing the finished sets this week. Check them out & the sample cards and scrapbook pages too! No more boring seen-it-already clip art--or stick people--now you have endurance-specific images to wish someone luck or preserve your own training and racing experience.

sample layouts (see more online):
My niece and brother-in-law are featured. Layout designed by Kim Ziehr.

center: Look, it's me wearing my GOTRIbal visor (rocks) at IronGirl Racine! Layout designed by Bobbi Lemanski.

Finish line card: Card sample designed by Kim Ziehr.

The sets are on special this week. Nonmembers pay $11.99, members pay $9.59, offer expires 3-13-11. Learn more about buying or renting stamps here.

MORE INFO

Raisin Boat is the first company to offer online stamp rental, like a netflix for stamps. You can rent or buy stamp sets. Kim and her friend Bobbie created Raisin Boat, you can read more about them and the company here. Special note: I think Kim is awesome & she is my friend. But it's important to clarify that I am not getting money from sales, though I think I get the tri set for free.

Questions for You:

- How do you preserve your race experience? Save the bib? Take notes? Photos?

- What's the best good luck/well done endurance card you've received or given?

Triathlon is an Experience

Triathlon is more than a sports event, it's an experience. One of the things that impressed me most about my first triathlon was the camaraderie.

At my first race 13 years ago, the women I was swimming with got all tangled up. One lady shouted support and encouragement to us all and we got through the rest of the swim just fine. Later on the bike and run, men and women would smile, wave and cheer me on as we passed each other on the course. And at the end, each finisher got a huge round of applause, no matter the finish time.

The fun and encouragement triathlon offers is helping it take off as a sport, especially among women. This picture (above) is of my sister and I sprinting together to the finish line at a race this summer. Can you see how much fun we're having? I hope it's obvious.

If you think triathlon sounds like fun, sign up. There are many online resources with beginner training plans and advice. Depending on your current fitness level and goals, you can be ready to race in a few months.

Go ahead and get moving. You'll have a blast!