Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
Moving forward is exactly what Joel Rackham did, along with his four friends. They founded the club Intermountain Live Well 9 years ago. Each of these friends enjoyed biking together. Because of the friendship they had built, it helped them to further improve their cycling and fitness abilities. Rackham tells us that, “Ultimately we started the club to help people live healthier lives through the sport of cycling.”
Intermountain Live Well is a club open to all skill levels. You do not need to be a member of the club to enjoy the ride. Each of the original founders balances family, career, and cycling. All understood the importance of involving those who support cyclists in these other important activities and pursuits.
In the last 9 years, the club has grown to become one of the largest in the state of Utah. Riders range in all skill levels from beginners to elite. The Elite compete with other Continental Pro teams in races across the U.S.
In 2010, Intermountain Healthcare began sponsoring the team as an extension of its Live Well program. Today, there are outstanding benefits to each club member. Friendships continue to be strengthened while supporting healthy lifestyles, and many community outreach efforts promote health and safety.
In order to receive the benefits from Intermountain Live Well, there is a $50 yearly membership fee, which goes fully to the club activities. Benefits of the Road Cycling Club include:
Weekly group rides
Club activities
Two free fully supported Centuries to our members: 1. F.A.T. Century (Flat as a Tortilla) West Weber, Utah. 2. Hills, Hills, and More Hills Century in Mountain Green, Utah.
Member pricing on the best kits from DNA cycling
Discount to Bountiful Cycle (Kaysville and Bountiful Locations)
Complimentary 3-month Gold’s Gym membership (valid at Ogden, Roy, Syracuse and Layton locations).
Weekly member update email
Race Reimbursement (for qualified cycling , cyclocross, Triathlon, and running races)
Race support for selected races
An exciting addition was made to the Intermountain Live Well club recently: Mountain biking. According to Rackham, “In 2016, I twilighted and ended our Elite/Pro program to invest that time into building a mountain bike-focused group.”
Along with the road cycling club and the mountain biking club, ThresholdGives, the parent company for Intermountain Live Well, does helmet safety clinics and bike safety rodeos throughout the state of Utah from Logan to St. George. These events mainly gear towards serving underprivileged populations or special needs.
The Mountain Biking Club officially launched through ThresholdSports also offers a range of fantastic benefits which are:
Weekly group rides with support from local shops: Bountiful Bicycle, Biker’s Edge and the Bike Shoppe.
1 Endurance ride (2-5 hour options) with: Full support, Nutrition and Hydration, Lunch for the member and their immediate family, and/or significant other
3 skill training sessions which includes Pros who come to lead and train sessions based on skill level
Up to $45 in reimbursement: 3 race reimbursements of $15 for each completed race, regardless of placing
All participants must be at least 12 years old to participate in official club rides. If under 18, you must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. There is also the option to sign up for both clubs which is a $70 yearly fee.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Intermountain Live Well Club for either Mountain biking or Road Cycling please check out their website at www.teamintermountainlivewell.org
Whatever you choose to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle just remember to “Keep moving forward.”
