My name is Becca and I'm raising funds for our Swim Team Coach, Kate Mathews, to help her attend the Ironman World Championship race in New Zealand. As you can imagine, it's a very expensive trip so I am helping Kate fundraise to reach her goal. Here is a little of Kate's story:

Hey everyone! My name is Kate Mathews, and I am a local triathlete, swim coach, and healthcare worker in Salem, Oregon. I grew up in Salem, graduating from Sprague High School in 2013. From a young age, I have developed a life structured around being an athlete, swimming competitively from the age of 10. Currently, I am focusing my efforts on the Ironman 70.3 distance, and have an opportunity to compete at the world championships in New Zealand this December. I need your help to get there!

After graduating high school, I moved to Alaska to swim for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. What few people tell you is how much your life will change after college athletics. At certain times, you feel lost as you just spent your whole life working towards this goal and then it is just over once you graduate. Uncertain of what to do after college, I was offered a full-time position as aquatics director and started swim coaching. After teaching swim lessons for 8 years, this made sense. Little did I know how much life would change by choosing this path.

I was thrown right into my first coaching job, as I was hired only two days before the season started, but I loved it. Once the season was over, I walked away with an incredible feeling, and I immediately knew that I wanted more. After 2 years of coaching, I finally started thinking about competing again. Enter triathlon.

I hired a coach in January of 2021 with my first race set in May. A sprint triathlon in Fairbanks. I did not make it to the start line because I decided to hurt myself. Plan B, first triathlon will be a half Ironman distance out in Alaska, called the Sourdough Triathlon. I would be lying if I said I was only a little nervous. It was absolutely pouring rain and I was freaking out. I finished in2nd place… and it was a moment of “oh man, I can do something with this”. I absolutely fell in love with training and the sport.

Since July of 2021 I have competed in 5 half ironman triathlons and haven’t looked back since. I am currently ranked in the top 2% in the world in my age group. In August of 2023, I competed at the 70.3 World Championships in Lahti, Finland, placing top 5% of all females competing. My final 70.3 race of 2023 was 70.3 Indian Wells in La Quinta California. I placed 2nd in my age group, competing on a stress fracture (Not recommended) and earned a spot to the 2024 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand. Recently, I competed in 2 races in Oregon and won overall female at both races. Which are my first two wins ever. It made me realize quickly that I need to give 70.3 Worlds in New Zealand a chance.

Most of the year I am working two jobs, coaching, and working at Salem Health. I work between 50-55 hours a week and trying to train anywhere from 15-20 hours a week.

Sports, especially triathlon, can be incredibly expensive. Both fortunately and unfortunately, the more you want to grow as an athlete, the more you need to travel and show up to races, which only adds to the rising costs of competing at an elite level. I am trying to chase my dreams of achieving my professional athlete license. So here I am, asking for your help to reach my dreams. I am asking for donations to help cover the costs of travel, lodging, race fees, and equipment, equalling to over $7000. I have spent countless hours training for this dream, and in turn showing the kids that I coach what hard work and determination can do. I earned my spot to compete in New Zealand. I want to be able to show up on race day and show myself, my friends, family, and athletes that going for it, and chasing your passion, is worth it.