BPC Performance Coaching

08/28/2026

ATHLETE HIGHLIGHT | Cameron Gambrell | Beaverton, OR

One year ago, Cameron Gambrell became a mom. And like a lot of new parents, she wasn't sure her fitness would ever really come back.

This year she answered that question. Twice. Overall women's podium at two sprint triathlons.

Not "finished." Podium. Overall.

Here's what that took. Not a perfect setup or an open calendar. It took waking up a little earlier, getting the workout in before the baby woke up, then heading into a full workday. Over and over. That's the whole secret, and it's the hardest one there is.

When we asked Cameron what this meant to her, she didn't talk about splits or times:

"I had a baby one year ago and I wasn't sure how my fitness would return postpartum. These results have proven to myself that I can be a mom, work full time, and still accomplish my own triathlon goals."

That's the part worth reading twice.

She works with Coach Heather here at BPC, but make no mistake about who did the work. Cameron set the alarm. Cameron showed up tired. Cameron stood on the podium.

And the moment she says she'll never forget? Not the finish clock. It was seeing her husband (his BPC athlete highlight is next week!) and daughter on the side of the course, cheering her on.

Next up, she's pointing her training at building more bike and run specific fitness. No ceiling in sight.

For anyone on the fence about starting this sport, Cameron keeps it simple:

"There is a triathlon distance for everyone, and you never know until you try."

Mom. Full-time professional. Two-time overall podium finisher. All in the same year.

Congratulations, Cameron! Coach Heather and the entire BPC family are proud to be in your corner. We're jazzed you're part of the BPC Community.

07/24/2026

ATHLETE HIGHLIGHT | Ben Lasher

100 miles. 22 hours, 28 minutes. 2.5 hours AHEAD of his best case scenario goal.
And here's the twist: this wasn't even his A race for the season.

Ben had trained specifically for the Walking Tall 50K just three weeks earlier. And it didn't go as planned. Which makes what happened next even more impressive.

Somewhere on lap 3 of 7, things turned dark. Anyone who has gone deep into an ultra knows that place, where your legs are done arguing and your head takes over the negotiation, hunting for any reason to ease up, walk, or stop altogether.

Ben didn't stop. His pacers and crew which included Coach Dale, got behind him and helped keep him moving, eating, drinking, and on a faster pace than he had even considered possible. He ran through the night, minimized stoppage time, and ran it all the way home, crossing the line in 22:28, a full 2.5 hours ahead of his A goal. One hundred miles. Buckle earned.

Ask him about the hardest part and he'd tell you it isn't race day. It's the consistency.

"Some days the thought of a 6-plus hour training run with another 3-plus hours the next day is hard to stomach." That is the work nobody sees and almost nobody talks about.

The moment he'll never forget wasn't the finish line or the finish time. It was the sprint down tent city, and the hug waiting for him from Master Crew Chief (his wife) Mel. In Ben's words, part of him didn't want that hug to end, and the other part physically couldn't stand up without it.

For anyone staring at this sport and wondering if they could ever do it, Ben keeps it real:

"It will suck and you will question life choices. But then you will accomplish something very few people do in their lives, and that is a pretty cool feeling."

What's next: Ben knows crewing an ultra is its own brutal job, so he's working to get faster and be more help on crew for Mel. And next season will likely bring his first Backyard Ultra. That one is going to be interesting.

Congrats, Ben. This one was special. Proud to have you in the BPC family - the journey keeps going!

07/22/2026

We don’t know who needs to see this…BUT IF you struggled on your workout in this insane heat in the southeast today, you are excused.

110+ heat index = much lower watts / pace and much higher HR to do it.

07/02/2026

Little TRI’D course update. If you haven’t signed up to join us next Friday evening, what are you waiting for? Your first tri awaits.

Huge thanks to Shelby Farms Park for partnering with us on this. The triathlon community needs more of this!

06/12/2026

ATHLETE HIGHLIGHT | Richard Stegura

On mile 19 of the run at Ironman Chattanooga, his calf locked up. Sitting on the ground trying to get it to loosen it's grip, a volunteer rolls up in a golf cart and offers a ride.

Richard looked at him and thought: are you out of your mind? I've got 7 miles left.

Not only that -- he was actually doing the math on whether he could still catch the guy who'd just passed him.

That's who Richard Stegura is.

Richard is a triathlete from Hernando, MS, who recently qualified for both USAT Age Group Nationals and 70.3 Worlds. Not because everything went perfectly. Because he kept showing up when it didn't. And this season he started by taking down Ironman Jacksonville.

He's been at this a long time. And the thing he's most proud of isn't a podium or a PR.

It's staying consistent over time.

That's a harder thing than most people realize. When fatigue is high, when life gets messy, when the training block feels long and the race feels far away -- that's when most people find a reason to skip or take a break. Richard continues to find a reason to keep pushing.

He works with Coach Dale here at BPC, and the data doesn't lie: he keeps getting stronger. Everyone sees it. That kind of quiet confirmation, built over months and years of showing up, is what turns a good athlete into a dangerous one.

Next goal to conquer? Top 10 at AG Nationals. And a Kona qualification.

Neither of those goals is a stretch for someone with his brand of work ethic.

When asked what he'd tell someone who thinks they're not ready to start this sport, Richard didn't mince words:

"You have to start where you are. Saying you'll start after you lose 50 lbs is just a huge cop out."

And when it's all said and done?

"We're blessed just to be able to do this."

Hard-nosed competitor. Grateful human. That's Richard.

Rich, congratulations on the Worlds qualification! On behalf of Coach Dale and the entire BPC family - we are jazzed to be in your corner and a part of your awesome journey!

06/05/2026

BPC Athlete Highlight | Thomas Ratliff

Thomas Ratliff is 65 years old. He's an oncologist. And he just finished his 7th 70.3.

Let that sit for a second...

While most people his age are easing off the gas, Thomas spends his days fighting for patients in one of the most demanding professions and then he trains in the pool, on the bike and running. Seven half-iron distance triathlons. Plus placing in the MRTC off and on road race series along the way.

He's the kind of athlete who shows up. Quietly. Consistently. Without needing anyone to notice.

Here's the moment that's stuck with him. Coming out of the water at Chattanooga 70.3 and seeing his swim time on the clock. Because when Thomas started this sport, he was always last out of the water. Every single time. He didn't quit. He didn't blame his age or his schedule. He got to work, stayed consistent and focused and now he's passing people.

When asked what he'd tell someone on the fence about getting into the sport, Thomas kept it simple. Get a coach if you can afford it and stay as consistent as you can on all the workouts.

And he's not done. His next goal is to run the entire time during a sprint distance triathlon without stopping. He's the first to admit that it sounds easy, but for him it’s not. That kind of honesty is exactly what makes someone worth rooting for.

So here's to Thomas. The doctor who saves lives by day and quietly stacks 70.3s on the weekend. The guy who started last out of the water and refused to stay there. The athlete who reminds us that 65 is not a finish line. It can be a starting point if you decide you want it to be.

Thomas - on behalf of Coach Heather and the rest of the BPC crew, we're jazzed you're part of the BPC family!

Onward!

Interested in starting your own fitness journey? Hit us up...we'd be happy to chat.

05/28/2026

If you’ve ever wanted to try road racing, this weekend is the perfect low cost way to do it! And only an hour from home. Let’s go!!!

10.6 mi, +433 ft. Bike ride in Jackson, TN

05/22/2026

ATHLETE HIGHLIGHT | Levi Richardson

Levi Richardson lost nearly 90 pounds in 10 months. You read that right...

Not with a "weight loss" program, not with a challenge, not with a bet.

With a coach, a plan, and a decision to start showing up before he could see it working.

That last part matters. Because the hardest thing about the early months wasn't the miles or the heavy legs. It was trusting someone else's vision when he couldn't yet see the progress himself.

He kept showing up anyway.

At some point, something shifted. He got stronger. He got faster. He got more disciplined. And then...in his own words..."one day, the growth I had been working for simply arrived."

That is not a quote from someone who did it the easy way. That is a quote from someone who held on long enough to let the process work.

The result that put a number on all of it: the Regional One Health One-Mile Championship. 11:59.
Sub-12. A personal best. A line he had been working toward for a long time.

But he'll tell you the race wasn't really the moment. The moment was realizing he was no longer the same person who started.
There was a training day he won't forget. He texted his coach, Heather Nichols, to complain and say he wasn't sure he could handle it.

Her response: "I know."

Two words. He knew exactly what it meant.

"You've got this. Let's go."

"You do not have to see the whole journey to take the first step. Trust the process, trust the people helping you, and give yourself permission to grow slowly - because one day you will look up and realize you are stronger, faster, and more capable than you ever believed."

Next up for Levi: the full MRTC Road Race Series.

So what's that big goal you've got that you think is impossible?

All you need to do is learn from Levi - get started, keep showing up, never quit.

You're capable of more than you think!

Levi, we are fired up to have you in the BPC family. The journey is just beginning!