SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (December 5, 2019) — Burke “T-Bird” Swindlehurst’s Crusher in the Tushar will be joining the Life Time family of events starting in 2020, alongside notable endurance events such as the Leadville Trail 100 MTB and Emporia’s Dirty Kanza. Swindlehurst will remain at the helm as Crusher’s Event Director, but will now have the added resources and wealth of experience that the Life Time team brings.
Before I spill the proverbial frijoles, I want you all to know that this news comes as the culmination of extensive soul-searching, counsel and consensus within our family. It was a decision that was not made in haste and was arrived at with one goal in mind: securing the future and legacy of The Crusher for many years to come.
It’s with great excitement that I’m proud to announce that Crusher in the Tushar will be joining the Life Time family of events!
I’m sure many of you are already familiar with the Life Time name for their role in producing such venerable events as the Leadville Trail 100 MTB in Colorado, the Chequamegon MTB Festival in Wisconsin, and more recently, the Dirty Kanza in Kansas. And with tremendous pride, the Crusher will join that distinguished list.
Before arriving at this decision, I was invited by Kimo Seymour, Life Time’s Senior Vice President of Media & Events, out to Colorado shortly after this year’s Crusher to get a feel for how they do things at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. I went not only to observe, but also to participate in the race itself (my legs still hurt!) to get a feel for how the “rubber meets the road.” While there, I was able to meet Life Time’s Founder and CEO, Bahram Akradi, and I quickly learned he wasn’t in Leadville just to shake hands and kiss babies. He was there chasing his “Big Buckle,” a distinction reserved for those having finished 10 LT100’s, which he did! I also learned that Kimo was racing that weekend to keep his own Leadville streak alive as the current holder for the record of most consecutive finishes under 8 hours, which subsequently now stands at 13.
That said, I had quite a few “takeaways” from Leadville, and the one that stood out the most is that these are people with a true passion for cycling. They don’t just talk the talk. They walk the walk. But, what really cemented the experience for me was seeing firsthand the amount of philanthropic and community enrichment that Life Time initiates within its host communities. These are good people doing good things. The upshot is that I left Leadville knowing that a partnership with Life Time will not only enrich the event for our riders, but it will also enrich the greater community.
I want you all to know that the heart and soul of Crusher is here to stay. I’m not going anywhere. I will remain at the helm as Crusher’s Event Director with Mrs. Crusher by my side. We will never forget our humble roots, and rest assured, we will continue to C*R*U*S*H you for years to come. Who knows, I might even be able to get out there and join you on the bike one of these years. I hope to see you in July!
As ever,
-Tbird
The 10th Annual Crusher in the Tushar will take place on Saturday, July 11, 2020 in Beaver, Utah. The date when Registration opens is still to be determined, but is anticipated to be mid-February 2020.