True Story Behind SBR Fun

How a pandemic triathlon, a rebuilt leg, and a lot of balloons sparked a movement. Sister's Super Sprint Triathlon & Relay 2020 Part Endurance Leadership Therapy… Part Origin Story… Part “I’m Tired of the Shade” This week all started with a snarky remark from an athlete/friend… “I thought y’all weren’t a club, and now I see you’ve got a pre-ride PT doc presentation and free stuff at your weekly ride?” Yep—that was some underhanded shade and frankly, a little jealousy. I’m not in a blow-it-off mood. I’m in a FAFO  (Find Out) mood — so here’s the real deal  about who we are and why we do what we do. And trust me, when it comes to organizing events, supporting athletes, and building community, we definitely  know what we're doing. COVID Made Me Do It. I was recovering. I was alone. Just two days after pulling off a pop-up Sisters Super Sprint Triathlon & Relay  for my gal pals who kept training through the pandemic — I had major reconstructive surgery on the back of my right leg. Flat on my back, in recovery, all I could think about were the finish line smiles  from that weekend. I was hooked. Athlete Julie O Heading to T1 from her Sprint Swim We had trained hard. Races were canceled. But we weren’t about to let all that effort go to waste. So we threw together a socially distant triathlon at Lake Georgetown with nothing but heart  and some balloons  for course markers. Grassroots? More like grass. roots. for. realz. Ms. Miriam generously and spontaneously sponsored food & drinks (real MVP). One athlete’s husband just showed up with a speaker and became our race announcer. Another brought a camera to capture the magic. Each relay team had their own pavilion transition zone because, COVID y’all! And when those women crossed the finish line? It was electric . One danced through the tape. Another cried. Every time someone broke a new finish line ribbon, we did a conga line . It was pure magic. Yeah, I might’ve even invited a few random women to join teams just because I wanted all kinds of women  there—tall, short, melanated, spicy—you name it. I wanted us to prove that we all  can do hard things and succeed together. Bestie Jennifer held her brand-new puppy the entire race  as our bike marshal, while my family ran the dismount line. Straight-up #FamilyAffair. Jennifer A & Sandra and our Special Honoary Bike Marshal Patrol Pup Chole Recovering + Rebuilding + Rebirthing What most folks don’t know? I was recovering from major leg reconstruction surgery  at the time. Post-op. Couch-bound. But dreaming big . While healing, I signed up for the USA Triathlon Race Director and Coaching Certifications . I was serious — I dove straight in. USAT Training Certification Once you start organizing a bunch of adventurous people doing epic things, you realize real quick: you need structure, guidance, and best practices. Truth is, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. So I went to school on that couch , barely able to get to the bedside commode. Certified awesomeness = ✅ I knew I’d never race the same again, so I leaned in. Those who can’t do? Teach. Mentor. Build. Lead.  And so, my rebirth began — as a coach, a race director, and a community architect. Camille Couching - Post Back of Leg & Tendon Reconstruction Surgery What Came Next: Swim. Bike. Run. Fun. That pop-up grew into what’s now Swim Bike Run Fun Club & Events  — an inclusive, nonprofit-powered endurance community where people of all ages and abilities show up to train, race, and truly belong . For Athletes. By Athletes. We specialize in triathlon, cycling , and open water swimming —and we don’t just throw events. We build community. Here’s how:
Weekly tempo + social group rides Small group training tailored to all stages and abilities Swim clinics + online blogs + training plans PinkStrong Ride  — a breast cancer–themed cycling event full of community, power, and pink PinkStrong Duathlon  — our Women’s History Month collab with Cal Tri Austin Hippo Dash 5K  — our hometown classic supporting scholarships & food pantry Fun Open Water Swim Program  — the biggest tri swim game  in Central Texas Why We Don’t Do Dues — But We Do Pay-for-Play (Sometimes) Here’s the real talk: We don’t do dues. Period. When we offer training that isn’t free (about 50% of the time), it’s a small pay-for-play fee  — just enough to cover insurance, venue rental, coaching, and MVP hospitality. We always give more than we take. We want our training and events to be safe, accessible, and welcoming  for everyone. No hierarchy. No gatekeeping. Just a place where you can show up as you are, train how you want, and high-five your way to the finish line. So... Why “Club” in the Name? People often ask: “If you’re not a club, why’s that word in your name?” Legally - We are Swim Bike Run Fun Club & Events. Here’s the scoop: We needed a catch-all to hold all the training rides , group meetups , clinics , and growing community support. We were even a registered USAT Club for a sometime. But honestly? Paperwork was blocking our purpose. Paperwork — and even a $50 membership fee — were keeping folks from trying out events they weren’t even sure they wanted to do yet. Why make it harder to say YES to something new and fun? I'd rather crawl through mud than file the same race report four times. Our very first official triathlon was in June 2022. It was magical. And then... in November, people were emailing about their USAT points  for ranking or Team USA. 🙃 Sis, I have no clue. That wasn’t in the training manual. I emailed results three extra times. But I'd already moved on to the next event and USAT still had not updated their system. So instead of fighting red tape, we built a better model. One centered on: Inclusivity Next-level safety and training standards Fun and flexibility Accessibility over elitism We still follow USAT best practices—we’ve just remixed them Texas-style : Bigger. Better. Smarter. Athlete-to-lifeguard ratio? Platinum. Courses? Clearly marked, thoughtfully supported, and safe as heck. Vibes? Inclusive, joyful, and just plain dope. We love clubs. We welcome clubs. The community needs them. We just don’t want to run a traditional one. Fun Open Water Swim Safety Crew About Our MVPs: More Than Volunteers We don’t call them “volunteers.” We call them MVPs — Most Valuable People . They’re former athletes, mentors, marshals, and human Swiss Army knives . They know the sport. They know people. They keep the experience safe, joyful, and five-star. They double as mentors, protectors, hype squad, and decision-makers. Yes we are selective for our MVP Team. SBR Fun wouldn’t be SBR Fun without them.
We’re a Nonprofit Too 💖 Yup — we’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit , which means your support fuels everything we do. Donations help us: Offer event scholarships Cover insurance, permits & venue fees Feed & train our MVPs Keep our community clinics + programs  running Offset supplies and make events safer and more accessible Got spare $50gazillion spare cash laying around? Unused gear? A case of hydration powder? 👉🏽 Donate here: https://www.swimbikerunfun.net/donate We’ll put it to good use. Guaranteed. PinkStrong Duathlon 2023 Start TL;DR? We’re not trying to get you to join a club . We’re trying to get you to feel something . To bring out the beauty and the beast  in you. To move. sweat. laugh. finish. To come back stronger next time. To accomplish something you didn’t think you could. To high-five a stranger and say, “Damn, I did that.” If a coach, vendor, or sponsor wants to bless you with something — we’ll make sure it lifts you higher. If you’ve ever raced with us, trained with us, volunteered, donated, or just followed our journey? Thank you. You’re part of the story. And if this is your first time hearing about SBR Fun ? Now you know. And now you belong here, too.