FareStart Cycling Team

Kauper WINS TPR Style

2012-11-28T20:26:00.002-08:00

(Tutu style)

Event Name:	SCX Season Finale @ Monroe
Date:	November 25, 2012
Description:	The final race of the Seattle Cyclocross Series took place Sunday at the Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA. Significant rain fell the few days before the race and despite some sunshine, the course had its mud and slick spots. Utilizing the small elevation gains on the property, the course had racers working through mix of twisting turns, off-camber areas, a short run up, a mud pit, and some packed sand. With double points and series overall titles on the line the course and conditions would help make for an interesting day of racing. (credit Kenton Berg CX magazine)
Cat 3 35+ Men:	1st - Greg (the Tutu) Kauper

In the back of Greg Kauper's mind this was going to be the LAST race TPR would participate in. With the team disbanding and cyclecross season coming to an end this event would truly mark the end of the TPR era.

Kauper held no hope of winning a series championship and no prize money dreams. This effort was fuled strictly on the desire to end the TPR era with a 'W'.

Kauper got the hole shot and led the race from the gun. Brian Buton from Audi managed to close in on the Tutu on the last lap but Kauper out kicked him from the final turn for an exciting two up sprint finish.

piece, and keep leaving prints

Closin out MFG TPR Hooalgantic Style

2012-11-17T12:19:00.002-08:00

Event Name:	MFG Woodland Park Series Finalie
Date:	Nov 2012
Description:	As reported in CX Magazine (http://www.cxmagazine.com/daniel-fisher-claim-woodland-park-wins-seattle-cyclocross) Cool temperatures, darkening skies, and a fast, tacky race course was the order of the day for the final race of the 2012 MFG Cyclocross Series. With overall series wins on the line in many of the categories the racing was already primed for a contentious day, but add in huge crowds and a fast course and the action was brought to a new level. Woodland Park, the iconic setting just north of downtown Seattle, has been the scene of all four season-ending races in the MFG series and has traditionally seen some of the biggest crowds and racer turnouts of all local races. This year was no exception as Terry Buchanan, co-founder of the MFG series, noted that 1126 racers took part on the day. This number represents a near doubling of the racer count from the introductory year of MFG in 2009 and is a testament to the product the folks at MFG have delivered since first introducing their series to the cyclocross-crazy Seattle scene.
Cat 3 Mst Men:	3rd - Kauper 18th-Dean 19th-Woerner
Cat 4 Men:	9th - Jasper 12th - Seeley

The TPR Tutu Crew showed up ready for some serious cross action and less serious post race Hoopla.

The Cat 4 fields saw record attendance at over 275 races. TPRs Lane Seeley and Dean Jasper pulled off respectable results admist multiple crashes and mechanicals.

The Cat 3 fields saw less entrants but the steaks were high as Kauper was attempting to gain a second placing in the overall series. Toeing the line were Kauper, Dean, and Woerner.

"Quality not Quantity" Kauper muttered as racers were called to the line. Aparently trying to chanel the facial hair energy (see The Hairy Tuth http://www.thumbprintracing.org/2011/10/hairy-truth.html) , Kauper sported a fresh new look for the event.

Crashes again hampered the TPR crew's attempts at podium steps.

Jeff Woerner went down but managed to 'flex' his might on the field finishing in the top 20.

Ryan Dean also had a strong showing. Het got of to an early lead but was duped by a couple of single speed "ringers" disguised in sheeps clothing.

Greg Kauper unfortuately did not get the result he was looking for. Series winner Brian B. got away early and was not seen again. Kauper led the chase after the first lap and was not able to close in on BB. Kauper miscalculated the final turn and over cooked it losing second place to one of the single speed ringers.

All in all it was a fantastic event. TPR member, friends and family heckled afternoon racers and 'left prints all up in the place'.

Tutu's on Top

2012-10-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

Event Name:	Sprinker Cross Race
Date:	October 27, 2012
Description:	Fast and semi technical course in Tacoma. Promoted by Seattle Cyclecross.
Cat 3 35+:	1st - Greg Kauper 5th - Ryan Dean

Ladies and Gentlemen Kauper has won again.

This is his first 'W' in the rough and tumble Cat 3 mens 35+ field. He clawed his way to a leading role on a field that included Martin Turek and never looked back.

"Front of the bike race!", "Coming through!" was heard across the whole field as he charged his way past riders Jess Cutler and Erik Anderson to name but a few.

He also rode the spine-chilling off camber switch back to the cheers and jeers of the hoots of NW cross fans...

"I knew that if I could get a good start and stay upright, the training and technical skills would carry me past the competition. Lately, crashes and mechanicals have hampered my results. I'm looking forward to Woodland (MFG Season Finalie 11/14). I might not be the strongest, but I like to think my technical skills should help me post up one more time this season. Hopefully the course will not be "dummied" down.

Big thanks to SCX Promotor for offering prizes for the category winners, Greg's and Ryan's families ate Sunday night.

Cheers!!

TuTu Power

2012-10-26T21:48:00.002-07:00

Event Name:	Magnuson Park Cross
Date:	October 21st, 2012
Description:	Another cross race for the masses. A pretty mundane course on the shores of Lake Washington. Nothing technical, just a full throttle cross race.
Cat 3 35+:	2nd - Greg Kauper
Cat 4 Men:	4th - Dean Jasper

RAIN RAIN, come our way!

After a much touted weekend of showers and storms Sunday shaped up to be cold with sun breaks. Being a group who enjoys the more technical side of cross, we were hoping for some creative corners, off camber sections, run ups and descents. After the course map was published, we deferred to mother nature to make up for the lack of course creativity in the form of mud and water. It was not to be, the ground soaked up the rain like a sponge.

Dean lined up for the Cat 4 race donning Tutu. After rolling a tyre at Starcrossed Dean had something to prove and prove he did. Without a callup Dean managed to get a great start and put himself in the lead pack. The 4s field was HUGE, 75 guys minimum.

Dean's bike handeling and patience paid off. He smoothly navigated the course for three laps and put himself in the lead group of 5.

On the last two laps Dean dropped two or three guys and put himself in a great position for the finish.

Unfortunately on the final sprint Dean zigged when he should have zagged and got pinched out from coming around for the win. Congrats Dean for a 4th place finish.

Even though it's cross, the "peleton" (is that what they call themslves in the dirt?) considers themselves "serious" and could not resist jabbing the Tutu. "Is that the point's leaders Tutu?", "did you lose a bet", "tutu scare Mongo"...

Greg has been dying to get a cross clash sticker but can't seem to figure a way to get around his nemesis so far this season. Today, beating his nemesis was his MAIN goal and was feeding the race fire.

Gun goes off and Greg nailed the hole shot. Matt O. came around after "the crack" and took over leading the first lap. Greg sensed Matt fading back a bit and hit the gas big time. The field was huge and not broken up yet. Matt offered words of encouragement as Greg took off. Martin T and Brian B quickly responded and grabbed Greg's wheel.. And that's how it went for the next 6 laps. The three traded attacks and no one really pulled away.

The last time up the "hill" Greg hit the gas a little bit and Martin responded with his own attack. Martin managed to get a great line on the final turn and hold on down the home stretch. Greg held on for second but the elusive cross clash sticker rode away from Greg once again.

SCX #3 Silver Lake

2012-10-14T17:13:00.000-07:00

the only thing worse than getting beaten in a race is to be beaten by a guy wearing a tutu

sand power

more sand power

2nd win of the year!

Is that beer in the corner of my eye?

I think a little different dismount is in order.

All pics (except a couple from Greg) via Woodinville Bikes - thank you!!

SCX #3 Silver Lake

TuTu's rally for the best CX course of the year on the shores of idyllic Silver Lake. Unfortunately all was not well as in the lead up to the race, Ryan tried to get the necessary USAC upgrade to allow him to race against his usual suspects in the Cat 3 35+. But the promoter as well as the area USAC coordinator felt it was more important to enforce the letter of the law at the expense of the intent - fair competition for all. The result? Ryan stole the candy AND lunch money from all the children in the Cat 4 35+ race - finishing far enough up to place 14th in the open 4s race that started over a minute ahead of him.

Greg carried the water in the Cat 3 race and finished a respectable 6th place against a tough field with over 100 Audi riders. The winner? Anthony Dickson, another unfortunate victim of the USAC "system" which is tearing the fabric of the hippy/organic vibe right out of the burgeoning CX scene. Let Anthony ride in the 1/2's where he belongs!!

Marking the end of Thumbprint Racing

2012-10-11T15:10:00.001-07:00

Dear fans and followers.

It is with a heavy heart that we must notify you today that the Thumbprint Racing Team riding in the name of FareStart will cease to exist at the end of the 2012 bicycle racing season.

This team was founded four years ago on the principal that an amateur Seattle bicycle racing team should leave its mark in the community by donating it’s title sponsorship to a worthy nonprofit. Over those racing seasons we saw International Justice Mission and then FareStart each enjoy two solid years in the limelight of Pacific Northwest road, track, mountain bike and cyclocross racing.

Without our sponsors, we could not have made this mark in the community and as we part ways at the end of the year we will always be grateful that they chose to honor us and this sport with their attention and money. Thank you sponsors!

It bears mentioning that without FareStart welcoming us with open arms we would not have been able to have such a successful partnership and contribute at events like Guest Chef Night.

As we go our separate ways we want everyone to understand that the end of the team was in no way related to sponsorship (or lack thereof) but rather a deficiency in our ability to renew the necessary leadership critical for any volunteer-led organization to remain viable.

The desire of the team in winding down its operations is to direct the treasurer to cut a check for all our remaining team funds payable to FareStart as our final act. We believe this to be a worthy and appropriate use of those funds.

Thanks also to all of our members that have given back to the team, to FareStart and to the cycling community.

Lastly - thanks to two of our founding members, Guy Tucker and Lisa Picard. Without their passion and initial contribution in the names of these two charities this vision would never have been realized.

Until we meet again!

Sincerely,

Thumbprint Racing Board
Martin Criminale, Greg Kauper, Gabe Templeton

Technorati Tags: Thumbprint Racing,FareStart,FareStart Cycling Team

Dust Masks not TuTus

2012-10-11T13:49:00.001-07:00

Event Name:	StarCrossed
Date:	October 6, 2012
Description:	One of the biggest cyclecross races in the NW. Usually held under the lights at the Veledrome at Merrymore park.
Cat 3 Men 35+:	5th - Ryan Dean

Starcrossed was a big dust-up this year, pun intended. I saw three FareStart kits and each was adorned at race time with a beautiful taffeta tutu. Tutu power was not what it usually was though with Dean losing it in a critical 180 degree turn early in the open 4s race. He successfully pitted and clawed his way back through a field of 100 men JUST IN THE 4S! To a respectable mid twenties place.

Tutu's swapped, Greg and Ryan got callups for slightly smaller (70) man Cat3 35+ race. Openers sucked as too much humanity enjoying Marymoor park for 1 mins efforts so we settled for 30 secs. We gunned the start and sat pretty in 3rd and 4th wheels into first skills section and cleaned it. Trouble hit in first barrier section with Greg getting whacked by another dude and going down. Effing cottonmouth from dust was absolutely brutal and set on immediately upon the start. Worst-feeling-ever! Crusty lips and you cannot wipe them because you have no saliva. Time for WB cages.

Greg recovers nice but goes down again at 2nd approach to barriers, this time rolling a tyre off and having to hoof a long ways to pit, but gets a change and soldiers on.

Ryan is now officially sick and tired of Martin Turek passing him without a harder fight. Never saw the winner again after a slight chain mishap and regrets not clawing back 2na and Fischer who came around with 2 laps to go. Took 5th as mistakes cannot be tolerated if you hope to podium.

TuTus in full force

2012-09-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Dean, "dancing in the sand".

Rowen, "cross makes me smile".

Event Name:	Lake Sammamish MFG Cross Race
Date:	Sept 24, 2012
Description:	According to the promotors one tenet of cyclocross course design is to use the available terrain to it’s full potential. Given that Lake Sammamish State Park is a flat venue, very flat indeed, speed is what this weekend’s course will emphasize. Oh, and the big long sand stretch. There’s that to contend with as well. Expect a course much like the first time we visited here. Long fast stretches with high speed corners on grass. There are a few off camber bits on the beach end of the grounds, and as mentioned, we’ll be traversing the whole sand stretch without the break in the middle. Ride along the wall, or run? The choice is yours. The S/F will be the same, with a nice long paved sprint to the finish. So bring out your inner speed devil, your tactical sense, and we’ll see some good fast racing!
Cat 3 35+:	4st - Greg Kauper 5nd - Ryan Dean
Cat 4 Men:	20th - Dean Jasper
Beginner Men:	7th - Jeff Lynch ? - Jed Barden
Kids Race:	Rowen Dean

The race proved true to the promotor's promise.

The course was flat, wide open corners, and long sand section. It was F-A-S-T!
FareStart donned the Tutus for the first time in 2012.

Several teammates showed up for their first race of the season and some for their first race ever.

Good to see everyone out there.

Kauper does it again, still no TuTu

2012-09-23T20:14:00.004-07:00

INSERT PICTURE HERE

Event Name: Seattle Cyclecross Ft. Steilcoom #1
Date: 9/16/12
Description: The first race of the Seattle Cyclecross Series. One of the classic venues of the Pacific Northwest ‘cross scene. While the eternally long Knapp Time run-up is no more, this edition will see plenty of on-the- bike climbing to sap the legs. The preceding summer weather will ensure that this is a dry and fast affair with drafting and tactics sure to play a key role across categories.

Cat 3 Men 35 + : Third

Hot and dry. Not the typical cross weather but I'll take it.
I like this course as its harder than most and requires some skills.
Pretty happy with the result as the field seemed pretty tough.

Barden lights up the night in Spokane

2012-09-17T11:22:00.002-07:00

Event Name:	Lilac City Crit
Date:	9/8/2012
Description:	The Lilac is really fun crit in downtown Spokane
Cat 3 Men:	Jed Barden 2nd

Jed had this to report back from Spokan. The race did not start until 8pm and it was dark! I've never done a race under the lights before and it was really cool. Crowds were huge and a great atmosphere considering this was the first year of the race. Spokane has a good bike racing history with national championship events back in the 80s. My race was a 1-2-3 combined field. Couldn't outsprint the best 1-2 guys but managed 2nd in the 3s.

props Jed

Barden leaves prints in Eugene

2012-09-14T21:25:00.003-07:00

Event Name:

Eugene Celebration Stage Race

Cat 3 Men: Jed Barden

Prologue: 29th
Stage 1 Road Race: 4th
Stage 2 Time Trial: 18th
Stage 3 Criterium: 20th
Final GC 18th place
Beard competition: Full Natural Category 6th
Wing eating: Disqualified for regurgitating on competitor.

Jed Barden traveled south to Eugene, Or. for the last stage race of the season.
The Eugene Celebration involved not just a bike race, Jed contested the beard competition and the wing eating contest. Unfortunately his bed racing team could not make the event.

Here is Jed's report from day one's road race.

Road race report: Briggs HIll Road Race, 57 miles, circuit three times with rollers and a 5 minute climb. A group of three broke away on the first lap when the road narrowed. Gap grew to 2:30 on the second lap. I went to the front and started rotating with about ten guys to bring back the break. The chasers were tired by the start of the third lap. I was feeling good and rolled off the front. I was dangling for about 5-6 miles and was caught on a descent. I stayed at the front and the pace slowed. After resting for a bit I rolled off the front again. The field was letting me get a big gap this time. Another rider bridged and now there were two of us with about 30 seconds. Another two bridged up making a break of four. We pulled through nicely and put some time on the peloton, which was soon out of sight. We caught a couple guys from the breakaway. Third one I think dropped back to the group. Now there was a group of six, which was better for resting and eating. We hit the last big climb and it broke up. One up ahead, two behind, me and another guy next, and then last guy dropping back. Went over the climb in 4th and started chasing with one other guy. Two GC leaders bridged up from the main field, which was closing fast. With four of us we caught the next group of two. Never caught the one guy out front, who had about 30 seconds on us. Sprinted with heavy legs for 4th.

Nice job Jed.

Ryan Kicks Cross Off

2012-09-13T14:33:00.001-07:00

leaving prints

Event Name:	MFG Kick Off Cross
Date:	9/8/12
Description:	Big Finn Hill Cross Race
Cat 3 35+:	2nd - Greg Kauper
Cat 4:	1st - Ryan Dean

MFG Kick Off Cross, brought to you by our friends at Cascade Bike Studio, is the first MFG cross race of the season. Traditionally (as of last year), the TPR crew races the MFG series in TuTu’s, symbolizing our less than serious attitude toward cross, but this first race we shed the ballerina look for a more serious full frontal spandex attack.

Reason, several of us upped the cross ante by racing in higher categories and others they were looking for much needed upgrade points supplied by a W. Ryan, was gunning for the elusive win.

Thumbprint has an upgrade motto, “don’t upgrade till you have won a race or are playing cat and dead mouse with your competitors”. So off came the stache, off cam the tutu, thankfully Ryan wore some spandex.

We all knew this was going to be Ryan’s day. He had a dream road racing season, spending time on podiums in such races as IVRR, Northshore, and Ravendale.

Ryan dedicated the W to his family, because he could not do this without their support.

The only disappointment of the day came from Ryan’s youngest. Upon arriving home after the race, Ryan was greeted with a hug, and the question “Hey daddy, what did you win?”. To which Ryan responded…”unfortunately son, we will go hungry tonight as there was a snafu with results, and I could not collect my Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal”.

Sponsor Profile: Caffe Umbria

2012-08-26T21:31:00.001-07:00

Why we like Umbria. It’s a simple as coffee. Other than riding bikes, no other image captures the persona of cycling, especially in the Northwest better than enjoying a cup of coffee pre, post or in the middle of a ride. For Thumbprint racing the ONLY place to do that is at Caffé Umbria in Occidental Square. For us it’s our own little escape to the tree lined cobbled streets of Italy.

Here is a little more abour Umbria: Caffe Umbria is a Seattle based coffee roasting company that specializes in the blending and roasting of authentic Italian coffees. Our beans are shipped all over North America to a wide variety of cafes, restaurants, hotels and gourmet grocers. We also operate cafes in Seattle and Portland where we serve Italian style espresso drinks and light fare.

The Bizzarri family has been roasting coffee for three generations, starting in the 1940’s by Ornello Bizzarri in Perugia , Italy and now carried on by grandson Emanuele Bizzarri here in Seattle . Emanuele’s father Umberto pioneered Italian style espresso here in Seattle with his company Torrefazzione Italia. Caffe Umbria was founded in 2002 by Emanuele along with partners Pasquale Madeddu and Jesse Sweeney.

Our café in Pioneer Square occupies the same space that Torrefazzione Italia was founded in 1986 where the tradition lives on! We are both cyclists and fans of cycling. Our café customers come to watch the Tour de France and Giro D’Italia (when airing) each year. In Portland , we have co-sponsored the Twilight Criterium in the Pearl and many biking groups use our cafes as a meeting hub each weekend to fuel up or relax after a ride. Each year we sponsor the Portland Taste of the Nation which supports Share our Strength as well as the Vancouver Beach Soccer Blast.

We also support charitable organizations such as Mercy Corps and Coffee Kids which benefit people in need in the coffee growing regions. What are Umbria 's plans? To continue to champion the cause of great coffee and espresso through the traditions of italian coffee culture and to provide a great environment for people of all walks to enjoy that culture.

Grazie molte, Cin Cin.

Eisen Overcomes Carnage to Ohop onto the Podium, Cat 3 Men Hang Tough on the Cobbles

2012-08-19T22:44:00.000-07:00

~~Thor Hushovd~~ Andrew Eisen lays down a sprint for the line. 4th place finisher doesn't seem interested.
Photo courtesy of Stan Eisen

Event Name:	Ronde Ohop Kermesse
Date:	August 19, 2012
Description:	2 or 4 laps on a 6 mile rolling road loop, 10 laps on a 2.5 mile paved/dirt loop
Pro/1/2/3 Men:	12th - Jed Barden 14th - Aaron Griffith Dead Flatting Last - Jesse Nofziger
Cat 4/5 Men:	2nd - Andrew Eisen 15th - Tim Farrell

As the promotor will tell you (whether you like it or not), this race always has a surprise in store for every single rider, and it's not always a pleasant one. Carnage abounds in all fields, and the results are messy. The only places guaranteed to be right are on the podium. FareStart's men overcame it all to finish strong without a broken pelvis in sight.
Read more »

Ryan Dean Opens MFG Series, Can of Whoop-Ass with Win at MFG Pre-Season #1

2012-08-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

Ryan brings the pain in this file photo from last year's Woodland Park GP

Event Name:	MFG Pre-Season CX #1
Date:	Sunday August 12, 2012
Description:	20 min race, Eliminator semi-final, 1 lap final
Cat B Men:	1st - Ryan Dean

All the competitors' were left reeling and covered in Thumbprints after Ryan Dean's dominating performance at the first pre-season event of the MFG Cyclocross Series. After a summer of shaving, it is time to let our tutus grow out again. Look out for pastel ruffles flying by on your left at a race near you! Ryan offered up this race report:

Sporting a replacement seatpost on my CX rig (who knew my road post would fit!)...I met Michael Pruitt tonight for the first time - and I win? Coincidence? I don't think so.
Greg and I raced the "B" category and the first heat was 6 laps on the grassy cricket pitch at Mag park encompassing two baseball diamonds. There were two barrier sections, a couple tight camber sections, and a very slippery sand section in one of the batting areas of one of the diamonds.
Top 20 finishers of the first heat advanced to semi finals. Top 5 finishers of the two groups of ten racing the semi advance for a final round elimation of 10 guys. We both made the first round, then Greg narrowly missed the second round placing.
I got a bad start for me on the final round but made up ground by accelerating a little more aggressivley into the slippery diamond. kept power on inside leg through the turn and held traction well as we got back to grass and then started picking guys off till i was at about 4th wheel into the longish straight away section. Started thinking about passing more guys as we were getting into first barriers and following Gregs advice sprinted after the remount which allowed me to take over the lead and just tried to pick my own lines through till the final barriers where i focused on cleaning that section and sprinting hard the end line coming just 20 meters after the last barrier and following a left hand 90 degree turn. Couldnt quite get one pedal clipped but tried to close down the best line into the corner and managed to get clipped in time to throw down a sprint which probably easily topped 400 watts.
MFG was kind enough to award me my entry fee for winning ($12) so Greg and i pedaled to 7/11 for some post race PBR 24 oz cans.
Not having won bike race of any kind since early 2010 I'll take pleasure in this for a few days!
Good night for racing!

Official Results

Eisen Sweats His Way Onto the Podium at Crystal Mountain TT

2012-08-12T22:26:00.001-07:00

Event Name:	Crystal Mountain Hill Climb Time Trial
Date:	August 12, 2012
Description:	6.1 mi steady climb with 1,530' Elevation Gain

Cat 3 Men:	5th - Jesse Nofziger (30:06, 23rd Overall)

Cat 4/5 Men:	3rd - Andrew Eisen (29:28, 19th Overall)

Temperatures soared to over 95 degrees at the summit and made for yet another hot weekend of racing. With a gradual climb like this every competitor took a different tack on balancing aerodynamics, weight, and heat management. FareStart's Andrew Eisen selected a skinsuit, TT helmet, road bike, and no water (who needs it anyway) and found himself in third place when the dust settled. Well done, Andrew!

Despite the small field in the Cat 3 race times were widely spread. Jesse Nofziger left most of the aero kit at home in favor of staying cool and turned in a respectable time for 5th place.

Look for the gold and gray at the Ronde next weekend.

Official Results

FareStart/Thumbprint Racing Now Recruiting for 2013

2012-08-06T12:43:00.002-07:00

Does the gray and gold call you? Thumbprint Racing is now recruiting for the 2013 season. Contact us with questions or to meet up for a ride and learn more.

Established in 2009, Thumbprint Racing is a USA Cycling registered, Seattle, WA based amateur bicycle racing club. In the Pacific Northwest, hundreds of people race bikes and there are dozens of area race teams. What makes Thumbprint Racing unique in the community was our foundational principal that this team would always donate the title sponsorship position to an important nonprofit organization. By shining a light on the important work of a worthy organization we feel that our narrowly-focused athletic endeavors can help bring awareness to something bigger than simply bike racing. We refer to this as “leaving our mark” and it informs our thinking through all aspects of the team. But before you think we're too serious just check out the CX pics.

While we were founded as a co-ed squad, circumstances led to a departure of the women racers in 2012. We want to remedy this in 2013 and warmly welcome women racers back into the fold! Our membership actively participate in nearly all forms of sanctioned bike racing from road, track and cross to single speed mountain, duathalon and triathalons.

Podiums, Heat Stress for FareStart at Boston Harbor Circuit Race

2012-08-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Event Name:	Boston Harbor Circuit Race
Date:	August 3, 2012
Description:	6 mile circuit - Rolling Hills

Masters 1/2/3 Men:	2nd - Greg Kauper
Cat 3 Men:	16th - Jesse Nofziger
Cat 4/5 Men:	33rd - Tim Farrell
Masters 50+:	2nd - Dave Hecht

Saturday's racing was accompanied by the hottest temperatures the area has seen for the last couple of years. FareStart's Greg "I'm always shaving the wrong half of my body" Kauper rolled across the line, in second place, looking like he had just climbed out of a swimming pool.

By the time the 3pm start for the Cat 3 and 50+ races rolled around, temperatures were close to cracking 100 degrees.

Read more »

Bravetti Brings Home the Bacon at Marymoor Friday Night

2012-08-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

Event Name:	Marymoor Friday Night Omnium
Date:	August 3, 2012
Description:	10 lap scratch, Miss and Out, 30 lap Points Race

Cat 3 Men:	Tony Bravetti - 4th (Scratch), 7th (Miss and Out), 1st (Points Race), 2nd Overall

The sun and crowds were out for Friday night's racing at the Marymoor Velodrome in Redmond. After playing it safe for the first two events, FareStart's Tony Bravetti racked up the primes and brought home a dominating victory in 30 lap points race.

Read more »

Brush Fires Reported as Seeley Blazes to Victory at Whiskey Dick Tri

2012-07-29T20:19:00.000-07:00

Photo by Brian Myrick Daily Record News

Event Name:	Whiskey Dick Triathlon
Date:	July 29, 2012
Description:	1 mi swim, 28 mile bike, 6.2 mi run
Individual Men:	1st - Lane Seeley

Winning. Domination. Course Record. Bragging rights. More bragging rights. All of these things were achieved Sunday at the fairgrounds in Ellensburg. FareStart's Lane Seeley is a man of many talents and... many sports. With a victory like this, we can't hold anything against Lane for wandering from the straight and narrow.

Lane was on the jazz from square one, chasing down anything and everything in sight. With 200 meters to go, he scooped up his daughter and wound up his sprint, crossing the line in 2:30:03, a new course record.

When asked how it felt to singlehandedly demolish every one of the individual competitors (and all but one of the teams), the mild-mannered Lane replied "Victory tasted sweet in my first triathlon in two years and my first race post 40."

The Daily Record News gave Lane a write-up for his work.

Well done, Lane. Now put those shoes away and get back on your bike!

Official Results

Team Sponsor: Speedy Reedy

2012-07-12T12:16:00.002-07:00

Founded by Reed and Brooke Sillers in the year 2000, SpeedyReedy serves as the Puget Sound region's triathlon store, bringing all of the specialized products and knowledge you need to help you succeed. From sprint distance to Ironman distance races, the folks at Speedy Reedy can help you reach or exceed your goals. I spoke with store founder Reed Sillers about the history of the shop and its upcoming entry into the online marketplace.

Jed Barden: How did Speedy Reedy get its start?

Reed Sillers:   Before opening the shop in 2000, I had done triathlons for six years. I knew quite a bit about the sport and industry from both competing and by working at a well known local bike shop. I also worked for a short time at a company called Visiontech, which made cutting-edge aero components. Visiontech was subsequently acquired by FSA. There was no shop in the Seattle area dedicated to serving the needs of triathletes, and the idea was born.

JB: Was that about the time the sport of triathlon was coming into its own?

RS: Triathlon was still in its infancy back then, but has since exploded in popularity. Another advantage we had was that carbon bikes were first starting to appear on the scene. Brooke and I originally thought about starting an online store, but decided to open a physical location. Our friends and family helped us out financially and our initial customers were patient with us during the first few months as we got up and running. We did not have much of a business plan or business training, but here we are 12 years later.

JB: How has the shop grown over the years?

RS: The first six months to a year was tough because we had to figure out a lot such as logistics, software, developing relationships with suppliers, and everything else that goes into starting a store. Our service department grew rather quickly because of our location on the Burke Gilman Trail. Once we got past that initial phase we were able to hire employees and develop more of a presence outside the store. About three years ago we were bursting at the seems of our original shop so we moved across the street into our current location. We are now working on developing an online store so people can by products from us directly over the Internet.

JB:  Wasn't that your original idea, an online store?

RS: Yes, but we feel it is a necessity now. Customers are much more willing to buy products online these days, especially in the triathlon/cycling industry. There is also much more information out there for customers to become educated on what they need to purchase. A huge challenge for us and the entire industry is competing against online retailers like Amazon that have entered the market.  Our goal is to differentiate ourselves by conveying to customers the value that a shop like ours provides.  We give you knowledgeable advice and assistance, whether you buy in person or online.

JB: And is there value to the customer in developing a relationship with a specialized shop like yours?

RS: There certainly is a personal connection that can develop. I really enjoy working at the shop because of all the great people I have met. It is a joy to watch people achieve their dreams in triathlon. The environment in the shop is very positive.

JB: What are your plans for the future of Speedy Reedy?

RS: Getting the online store started is a big goal for us. This takes a lot of work with developing a separate inventory system, but we will hopefully make a big announcement about the launch of our online store soon. We also want to have more of a presence at races, hopefully you will see us out there.

JB: Thank you to Speedy Reedy for sponsoring the Farestart cycling team. This really is a fantastic shop and if you have not been there yet, give them a try.

Team Sponsor: Ace Hotel

2012-07-11T22:13:00.000-07:00

Tim Farrell shares his experience with our sponsor, Ace Hotel.

I was just remarking the other day about how quickly the race season has gone by and it reminded me of my first race of the season, Cherry Pie in Oregon. For President's Day weekend, Katie and I decided we were sick of Seattleites and decided to visit our neighbor to the south, Portland, along with one of our sponsors, Ace Hotel.

We had stayed at the hotel a while back soon after it opened, it was great then and even better now. The hotel has maintained it's wonderful restaurants [link to Clyde Common/Kenny and Zukes] and coffee shop [link to Stumptown] and added an amazing breakfast run by Ace. While Powell's Books anchors the neighborhood, there is a bunch of new local businesses within some great rehabs of existing buildings, and as the Ace used to form the edge of the Pearl District, the area has enveloped the hotel. One of the most exciting additions to the neighborhood for a cyclist was the new West End Bikes. This place is a cyclist and architect's dream, not only was it a really cool store, it carries top notch brands and has a good team racing for the shop.

After returning from racing in Corvallis, Katie and I went to Clyde Commons for an amazing dinner, including fideos with squid ink. We then got a good nights rest in our extremely efficient room and got up the next morning grabbed an Ace breakfast and Stumptown coffee, then set out to explore the surroundings once again. In true Portland fashion, there were about a million food trucks parked within a square mile and we were always close to mass transit and an expansive network of green bike lanes. Portland has Seattle beat on so many levels, but Seattle did originate many of them like the Ace Hotel. I am proud to carry the Ace Hotel on my back in training and race day, and we look forward to many more stays. Maybe next year it is pre-season training camp at the Palm Springs location!

Farrell Climbs the Podium at Capital Stage Race

2012-06-27T23:17:00.000-07:00

Event Name:	Capital Stage Race
Date:	June 15-17, 2012
Description:	3-day, 4-stage race in and around Olympia, Washington

Cat 3 Men:	Jesse Nofziger: Stage One 33rd GC ST; Stage Two 15th GC + :34; Stage 3 45th GC +5:38; Stage Four 21st Final GC +5:50 29th Aaron Griffith: Stage One 34th GC ST; Stage Two 28th GC + :48; Stage 3 29th GC + :48; Stage Four 13th Final GC +1:00 18th
Cat 4/5 Men:	Tim Farrell: Stage One 19th GC ST; Stage Two 3rd GC + :17; Stage 3 16th GC + :25; Stage Four 10th Final GC + :25 3rd

Race report below from category 4/5 overall 3rd place Tim F.

As many of my friends/teammates know, I have a hard time motivating myself to write race reports. Luckily, I have not had to do many of them. However, I am very motivated to race my bike, and once in awhile I have the privilege of writing a race report, which will of course pale in comparison to many of my teammate's. On this occasion, I am writing about the Capital Stage Race in Olympia WA. Stage races usually consist of standing around, race prep, a little bit of racing, standing around, hanging out in hotel rooms, checking gc racing incessantly, race prep, and with what's left you actually get to enjoy the town. After hanging out in Wenatchee the week before, the natural surroundings were amazing, however the town left a little to be desired. Next to Walla Walla, Olympia has to be one of my favorite stage race towns. On Friday, after the early road race, I went and hung out at the Olympia Farmer's Market. It is a huge market and it was really busy on a sunny Friday afternoon. I got some produce and other local items for healthy eating over the course of the weekend and then I walked around town. The town seemed much more vibrant and healthy than last year and there appeared to be a lot of new businesses around. I tried some new ones like Sammy's Deli [great Banh Mi], and then kept to the staples with Batdorf and Bronson Coffee and Quality Burrito. Staying at the Governor Hotel for the entire weekend, I was central to everything and was really happy to not drive back and forth to Seattle.

Oh, and there was some racing:

When I got to the Capitol Forest for the first road stage, I noticed that some future teammates were racing, Brad, Gabe, and Travis. I was pretty sure that I didn't have any official teammates coming but I held out hope. Turns out, as future teammates, we were all well matched and it was great to hang out with them over the entire weekend and I can't wait for more races to come where we can further collaborate. The first stage was a little harder than I thought it would be until the last half lap, then I think that everybody came to the realization that there were three more races. By that time, I had resigned myself to a pack finish and save energy for the TT early the next morning. Brad had a great sprint finish and I cruised up the side comfortably in the group as people fanned out at 200m.

I tend to like longer TT's, however I was able to keep the power pretty high and get third place. I was able to hold that for the remainder of the race, and even after checking GC racing about a million times, I truly did not realize that most of the field was about 4 milliseconds behind me. The crit was relatively spirited and like just about every other dipstick that races these things, my strategy was to stay with the front and allow the others to do the work. There were two new WA racers from Louisiana that were up to that task and they pulled us around pretty much all weekend. Unfortunately, Gabe H went down with two laps to go and luckily he was okay and got the same time as the pack which Brad and I also finished in.

The final road race stage was IVRR backwards, which is a pretty challenging course with some good climbs and good flats to splinter the group. Amazingly, after three days of racing the pace was high, but consistent which I tend to do better with than really schizo attacking. I was perfectly comfortable all day and debated creating that schizo behavior, but in the back of my head I always came back to defending the GC and not fighting for it. Brad, Gabe, and I all came in top 10 and managed to wrap up a very successful weekend in all respects.

Hecht is Washington Champ

2012-06-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

Event Name:	ReedKJ Photography Longbranch Masters/Junions Road Race State Championships
Date:	June 23, 2012
Description:	Rolling course with a steep half-mile climb on each 10-mile loop
Master Men 50+:	1st - Dave Hecht

ReedKJ Photography

For additional photos go to the ReedKJ Photography site.

10 Hours + 15,000ft of Climbing = Another Criminale Win

2012-06-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

Event Name:	Test of Endurance 100
Date:	June 16, 2012
Description:	100 mile race in private forest land near Blodgett, Oregon; 14,000+ feet of climbing and fast, twisty single track descents.
Open Singlespeed:	1st - Martin Criminale

Martin C's race report:

I ran out of descriptors for the hills after finishing the Test of Endurance 100. Here are a few that I can remember.

soul-sucking
leg-breaking
mind-numbing
17,000'
really, really hard

This race was four laps of a 25-mile loop and after just one lap I was not sure how I was going to finish this thing. But I made it. And obviously perseverance pays off.

For more, see Martin's blog.