Tag Archive for: Big Climb

2017 Foundation Climbers

There is one more week of the CrossFit Games Open season and one more week until the Big Climb!

At 788 feet of vertical elevation, the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle stands as the second tallest building west of the Mississippi. It takes 69 floors, or 1,311 steps, to reach the highly acclaimed observation deck with breathtaking views of the entire Puget Sound region. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Big Climb event raises money through individual and team fundraising, sponsorship and entry fees which is then invested in its mission to fund blood cancer research and support services for patients. In 2014, the event sold out in 13 hours and raised $2.42 million for blood cancer research and patient services. Registration for the 2015 Big Climb sold out in 9 hours and raised a record-breaking $2.92 million! Big Climb 30 sold out in a record-breaking 8 hours and raised an incredible $2.74 million. Big Climb 31 raised a record breaking $2.95 million. Big Climb Seattle will be taking place this year on Sunday, March 25, 2018.

We have an awesome group of athletes with their family/friends participating as our team, Foundation Climbers:

  • Anthony A.
  • Jake A.
  • Paul B.
  • Conor B.
  • Lauren B. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Michael B.
  • Vanessa B.
  • Doug B.
  • Andrew B. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Ryan B. – fundraising goal of $1,000
  • Guillaume C. – fundraising goal of $200
  • Michael D. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Joe D. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Brian D. – fundraising goal of
  • Jon E.
  • Ilene F. – fundraising goal of $200
  • Jeff H. – fundraising goal of $1,000
  • Abhi H. – fundraising goal of $1,000
  • John H.
  • Patrick H. – fundraising goal of $1,000
  • Jo K. – fundraising goal of $300
  • Tony L. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Hugh M. – fundraising goal of $350
  • Brannon M.
  • Kris M. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Doug M.
  • Nathan M. – fundraising goal of $300
  • Randy M.
  • Margy M.
  • Artur R. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Olivia R. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Ryan S. – fundraising goal of $200
  • Andrew S. – fundraising goal of $150
  • Stuart W.
  • Corinne X. – fundraising goal of $1,000

The names highlighted with fundraising goals are our athletes and are linked directly to their donation pages. If you are able to please consider making a donation through any of their links to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. Since the first funding in 1954, LLS has awarded more than $1 billion for research specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. LLS has invested $3.6 million in ten research projects in Washington state, including eight at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and two at the University of Washington. Since the mid-1990s, LLS has invested over $30 million in local research.

We are proud to have so many of you participating in a fitness event that benefits our community. Wishing everyone the best of luck at this year’s race! Climb, climb, climb and get those PRs!

The first FCF Big Climb Team in 2008

While the last weekend of March signaled the end of the CrossFit Games Open, that Sunday many of our members competed in an arguably more important physical competition: the Big Climb 31. These athletes, several of whom had just finished VERSUS X/CGO 17.5 the day before, scaled up 69 floors (or 1311 steps) up the Columbia Tower in order to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help in the fight against blood cancers.


The latest 2017 FCF Team

Out of 233 teams that raced that day, Team Foundation Climbers placed 20th overall, based on the aggregate of the top three times. That put us one spot ahead of Orange Theory (just throwing that out there)!

Everyone on our team performed amazing at the race, but what they really should be proud of is fundraising over $4,000 for an important cause!

There are a lot of people to recognize for their efforts in making this event as big of a success as it was.

First, there is the team who sweated it out in the stairwell- FCF athletes Paul Barkshire, Lauren Brogan, Joanne Kiesanowski, Emily Moss, Olivia Rother, Nathan Motsinger, Abhijit Hegde, Patrick Hodder, as well as friends and family like Anthony Aamodt, Conor Brogan, Michael Brogan, Vanessa Brogan, John Hodder, and Lennon Ward.

Secondly, a big thank you goes out to Tony and Nathan for putting our team shirts together. They were able to pull off a miracle in order to make sure the team was representing Foundation CrossFit in style.

Finally (and most importantly), we need to thank the donors for their incredible generosity. It is truly inspiring to see this community come together to support something meaningful.

The first 2011 FCF Team

If you are interested joining our great team next year, we will be posting instructions and start training in fall. In the meantime keep training!