FareStart Takes on Round and Round; Goes Round and Round

....and round. You get the idea. This weekend FareStart's fantastic four of Martin Criminale, Tony Bravetti, Aaron Griffith and Jesse Nofziger traveled to Spokane, WA to take on the 24 Hours of Spokane Mountain Bike Race in the 4 man open relay division. What an adventure we were in for.

Tony Bravetti heading out for a lap. Photo by Lindsay Gossack

May Sponsor Profile - Neal Goldberg and FootWorks PT

Photo by Kirsten Reed.  Neal racing as a Cat 4 at Vance Creek!

This month’s sponsor focus is on Neal Goldberg, owner of FootWorks Physical Therapy.

I caught up with Neal after a beautiful clear April day in Seattle, but one for which I was a tad underdressed and consequently had to thaw out before I could properly document our question and answer session.  Here is a little background on Neal then we’ll proceed into some dialogue.


Neal graduated from the University of Miami’s School of Medicine in 1995 and has been practicing sports orthopedics rehabilitation ever since. With a keen eye for structure and mechanics as well as a hand for sensing tissue integrity, Neal has been specializing in biomechanical rehabilitation for the past several years. Focusing on bone alignment, tissue balance and strength, Neal has been successful in treating injured athletes and non-athletes alike.

FareStart Wraps up Enumclaw with Seeley, Griffith in Top Ten Overall

Greg Kauper on his way to 8th in the Road Race and 13th overall. Photo by Aaron Griffith

Event Name:	Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race General Classification
Date:	May 19-20, 2012
Masters 1/2/3 Men:	13th - Greg Kauper
Cat 3 Men:	29th - Jesse Nofziger
Cat 4 Men:	7th - Lane Seeley 9th - Aaron Griffith

Well done 'Prints.

Official Results

Three more Top Ten's at Mud Mountain Road Race

Wet, cold, and rainy conditions for the Mud Mountain Road Race. Photo by Aaron Griffith

Event Name:	Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race Stage 3: Mud Mountain Road Race
Date:	May 20, 2012
Description:	15 mile loop with one category 4 climb
Masters 1/2/3 Men:	8th - Greg Kauper
Cat 3 Men:	28th - Jesse Nofziger
Cat 4 Men:	6th - Aaron Griffith 7th - Lane Seeley 40th - Martin Chvoj

FareStart was definitely on its game for today's road race. The weather was horrible and the fields were strong. Greg Kauper survived a clash of the titans in the Masters race to come in 8th. Things went sideways fast for Jesse in the 3's race as the opportunists lit it up on Mud Mountain. A strong chase effort followed, but it wasn't enough to close the gap.

The day's real highlight came in the 4's race, where Aaron and Lane drove the pace hard. A crash in the final turn wiped out a few other contenders leaving the course open for our men to sprint to 6th and 7th, respectively. Their finishes were enough to close out Category 3 upgrades for both, so look for them to move up in the very near future.

Official Results

Bravetti and Criminale go for distance; speed at Stottlemeyer 30/60 Mountain Bike Race

Tony and Martin's rigs ready to race. How can that number placement possibly help your aerodynamics?

Event Name: Stottlemeyer 30/60 Miler
Date: May 19, 2012
Description: Cross-country trails
Open Men Singlespeed (60 mi):	3rd - Martin Criminale (5:32:41)
Open Men (30 mi):	14th - Tony Bravetti (2:49:23)

While the rest of the team was down in Enumclaw getting their skinsuits sweaty at the Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race, F-Starts Tony Bravetti and Martin Criminale traded in their carbon wheels (carbon wheels!) and slicks for knobbies and spent some quality time in the mud at the Stottlemeyer 30/60 Miler in Port Gamble. In an effort to make things as difficult as possible, Martin entered the sillysinglespeed race. Martin, you do know geared bikes came to the world back in 1905, right?

FareStart got muddy (but not bloody!) and finished well. Since your humble editor cannot write up a race report using words like "dab", "flow", and "glide" without channeling Bob Ross I'll direct you over to the blog of Martin "I raced for five and a half hours and all I won was this stupid bottle opener" Criminale to read all about it. Well done gents.

Official Results

Top 10, Prime for FareStart at Enumclaw Stage Race Criterium

Intakes open, pain face on for Nofziger in the Cat 3 race

Event Name:	Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race Stage 2: Criterium
Date:	May 19, 2012
Description:	Flat figure-8 course
Masters 1/2/3 Men:	13th - Greg Kauper
Cat 3 Men:	46th - Jesse Nofziger
Cat 4 Men:	10th - Lane Seeley 36th - Aaron Griffith 43rd - Martin Chvoj

For those contesting the GC at a stage race, no news is often good news. No time losses for our boys today. Aaron Griffith spent some quality time off the front in the Cat 4 race and took home an adult beverage package for his efforts. Lane made a move with two laps to go and held on for tenth despite getting swamped in the final. Lane sits in 6th overall with Aaron in 12th.

Aaron on a two-man escape at mid-race

Official Results

FareStart Gets its TT On at Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race

Event Name:	Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race: Time Trial
Date:	May 19, 2012
Description:	Fast downhill time trial with one roller
Master 1/2 Men:	24th - Greg Kauper
Cat 3 Men:	22nd - Jesse Nofziger
Cat 4 Men:	6th - Lane Seeley 13th - Aaron Griffith 45th - Martin Chvoj

Lane "I don't need a disc wheel to dominate" Seeley scorched his way into 6th place at 0:13 back from the overall race leader at today's Mutual of Enumclaw Stage 1 Time Trial. Good weather and light winds meant fast times for everyone today. The Cat 4 men are well positioned in the GC and ready to do some damage in tomorrow's road race. Solid performances by Kauper and Nofziger keep their options open as well.

Great work men. Rest up for what's to come...

Official Results

Griffith takes 3rd, wins beer at Mutual of Enumclaw Criterium

UCI rules prohibit skinsuits for racers under 5. Micah kept the bike aero and light
by racing without pedals. Photo by Jeff Batis at Enumclaw Patch.

Event Name:	Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race: Kids Race
Date:	May 19, 2012
Description:	Flat 200m out and back
Kids Combined:	3rd - Micah Griffith

When asked how he felt about his chances during the warmup,  FareStart's Micah Griffith replied "I'm gonna crush the kids race! I go so fast you can't even see me!" True to his word bib #16 stomped his way through the much older field to an impressive third place finish. Well done.

The prize purse for today's race included a white ribbon, sweet cycling cap
and a cold one. Photo by Aaron Griffith

2 Podiums; Gold Stars for Attendance at Ravensdale Road Race

Lane Seeley tries to rip his handlebars off in the Men's 4 sprint finish. Photo by Julie Griffith.

Event Name:	Ravensdale Road Race
Date:	May 12, 2012
Description:	9 mi circuit, some rolling hills
Cat 3 Men:	24th - Jesse Nofziger
Cat 4 Men:	4th - Lane Seeley
Masters 1/2/3 Men:	2nd - Ryan Dean 3rd - Martin Criminale

FareStart was exceptionally well represented at today's Ravensdale Road Race. The Masters 1/2/3 men brought seven riders to the start line, while five toed the line in the Cat 4 men's field. The Masters team proved once again that they are the hard men for the breakaway, riding smartly to get Ryan and Martin on the podium. Dave Hecht managed to avoid the alleged last minute argy-bargy in the bunch and brought home 10th place just 19 seconds back from the leaders. You can read Martin's race report here and Ryan's here.

The men of the 4's had their work cut out for them. Aaron Griffith made a solo attack with one lap to go, but it was not to be. As the bunch neared the line for the final time bicycles exploded and launched every which way. FareStart's Lane Seeley launched a strong sprint, netting him 4th place and more points towards his imminent Cat 3 upgrade.

Contact sport or not, Saturday was a great day for FareStart, one of many to come. Thanks to Budu Racing for another great event and thanks to all the 'Prints who turned out for showing your fellow racers how it's done.

Greg "Elbows aren't just for the dinner table" Kauper leads the Masters break mid-race. Photo by Julie Griffith.

Official Results

This week on Seeley Says: Cat 4 Ravensdale Road Race Report

FareStart's own Lane Seeley offered up this race report from the Ravensdale Road Race:

The Farestart 4's were out in strength and numbers for Ravensdale.
Aaron, Tim, Andrew, Martin and I provided far more than our share of aggressive tactics at the sharp end of the pack.  When Mike Foster (Starbucks) broke at the beginning of lap 2 I bridged up and he suggested we trade leads to see how the pack would respond.  This worked for about 500 meters until he fell off my wheel.  Probably all a clever ruse to tempt me into an early solo break.  I kept some pressure on as a solo for most of lap 2, enjoying the peace and steady effort of riding only.  I was hoping that an aggressive group would be inspired to bridge up to me so that we would have numbers to do real damage.

At the beginning of lap 3 I drifted slowly back to the pack to save something for later.  Farestart riders did their part to keep the race somewhat lively for laps 3 and 4.  Aaron had a brilliant sprint across the line at the end of lap 4 only tarnished by the fact that we still had one lap to go.

Seeley stays calm and collected while the mere mortals suffer gastric inversion on
the approach to the finish. Photo by Julie Griffith

I made sure I was in the top 10 coming around the final right hand bend and moved near the front on the hill waiting for someone to make a move.  No one did until about 200m to go.  My sprint left me about an inch short of the money in 4th. The rest of the team finished well in the front end of the pack, Aaron 17, Tim 21, Martin 27, Andrew 30.

I should have jumped on the hill just before the 1000m mark but I was a coward. When I read the results and saw that Steve Mull, a kid I coached in HS track, put 1:48 on the entire field of 1/2's I was ashamed at my own cowardice.

Eisen adds Pacific Raceways to Palmares; Officially Becomes Unstoppable

Event Name:	Pacific Raceways Road Race Series
Date:	May 8, 2012
Description:	Counterclockwise Escape Route
Cat 4/5 Men:	1st - Andrew Eisen
Masters Men:	2nd - Martin Criminale

Not content to sit in the bunch, FareStart's Andrew Eisen launched into a two-man breakaway with a few laps to go. Teammate Aaron Griffith managed the front of the raging 4/5 field to keep the breakaway going. With 500 meters remaining, Eisen stuffed his lone companion in the hurt locker and threw away the key, closing out the race with a dominating sprint. Can this man be stopped? Methinks not.

Meanwhile in the more mature Masters field, Dave Hecht, Martin Criminale, and Greg Michler put out an impressive race, making and covering the moves. Some sly riding and a great sprint earned Martin a cool second place. You can read his race report here.

Way to go guys! You make your team proud.

Official Results

Podium for Hecht at Vance Creek Road Race

Masters 1/2/3 Podium at the Vance Creek Road Race. More photos here.

Event Name:	Vance Creek Road Race
Date:	May 5th, 2012
Description:	13.25 mile loop with a killer finishing climb
Cat 4 Men:	8th -   Andrew Eisen 12th - Martin Chvoj 18th - Tim Farrell
Masters 1/2/3	2nd -  Dave Hecht 7th  -  Ryan Dean 18th - RC Rogers 19th - Martin Criminale

The rain falling Saturday wasn't enough to stop FareStart's powerhouse Masters team from putting two in the top ten and our man Dave Hecht on the podium. Andrew Eisen, Martin Chvoj, Tim Farrell, and Neal Goldberg worked to bring home another top ten in the Cat 4 race.

Official Results

Eisen Makes it Two with Win at State Time Trial Warmup

Cat 4 Men's podium. Don't look so sad, Tim. Photo by Alex Telitsine.

Event Name:	State Time Trial Warmup
Date:	May 6th, 2012
Description:	Out and back 40 kilometer time trial with some rolling hills
Pro/1/2 Men:	5th - Alex Telitsine
Cat 4 Men:	1st -  Andrew Eisen 3rd - Tim Farrell

Fresh off a win at last week's Green Valley Time Trial FareStart's Andrew Eisen proved once again that he is the man to beat against the clock. A great ride by Tim Farrell earned him a podium spot and gave him enough points to close out the Cascade Time Trial Series as Category 4 winner! Awesome work Tim!

The ever meticulous Alex Telitsine threw down a 53:51 ride on the 40k course to bring home 5th in the Pro/1/2 field.

Official results here.

Martin is 4th in AG at Mt. Rainier Duathlon

Martin on his way to the third fastest bike split of the day.

Event Name:	Mount Rainier Duathlon (Long Course)
Date:	May 6th, 2012
Description:	5 mi run, 29 mi bike, 3.7 mi run
M 45-49:	4th - Martin Criminale

For some reason, Martin keeps getting a bee in his chamois to try something that doesn't involve (just) cycling. Crazy, we know. But darned if he isn't good at it. At today's Mount Rainier Duathlon made easy work of his competitors, riding and running himself to 4th in the Men's 45-49 age group and an impressive 18th overall. Even your humble editor can't tell the story better than 'The Lung' himself, so click here to get the full scoop.

Official Results

Goldberg Upgrades!

After the Olympic View Road Race FareStart's Neal Goldberg has done his time and upgraded to Category 4 on the road. Great work Neal!