TGH Promotes Healthy Living at Tacoma City Marathon
On Sunday, May 6th, members from Team Group Health trekked down to Tacoma to volunteer as bike escorts for the lead runners in the Tacoma City Marathon (http://www.tacomacitymarathon.com/).
Here are a few pictures from the event.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/soundvelocycling/
TGH members kick off Bike Month
A Team Group Health delegation attended the eighth annual Bike to Work Breakfast on Friday, May 4th, in support of creating a better community through bicycling.
The annual event is a fundraiser for the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation, which provides education programs and consulting services to the local community, in the interest of creating an inclusive, diverse and accepting community where people of all ages and backgrounds bicycle to work, to get around, for fun and for health.
The 501c(3) charitable organization aims to educate elected officials and agencies about building bicycle-friendly communities; teach safe cycling to kids and adults; promote bicycle commuting through individual and corporate programs; review transportation plans to ensure that our cycling voice is heard; and work with schools on fitness programs and Safe Routes to Schools.
Learn more about the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation, please visit their website at http://cbcef.org/.
Tags: Bike to Work Breakfast. Bike Month
Congrats to the West Side MTB Series top finishers!
Amanda McNabb, Kirstin Sandaas, Lisa Coyne, and Kelly Purnell at the series finale
The six-race Singletrack Cycles West Side MTB Series, sponsored by BuDu Racing, came to an end on Sunday, April 29th with a technical race at Henry’s Ridge Trails in Maple Valley.
The series introduced many Team Group Health riders to mountain bike racing, and TGH had solid results.
Carla Brock finished the series in 2nd place in the Beginners category for ages 30 to 39.
In the Sport category, Kelly Purnell took 1st place in the series for racers ages 19 to 29. Kirstin Sandaas finished 4th in the 40 to 49 category, and Lisa Coyne took 2nd in the 50+ category.
Congrats, Ladies!
Congrats to the new 2012 WA State Road Race Champions!
TGH’s Jadine Riley is the new Women’s Cat 1-2 Washington State Road Race Champion!
The Olympic View State Championship Road Race took place in Brady, Wash. on Saturday, April 28, and Team Group Health came out in full force with 14 riders.
We congratulate the new Women’s Cat 1-2 Washington State Road Race Champion, Jadine Riley! And Women’s Cat 3 Washington State Road Race Champion, Katie Poinier!
Sponsor Spotlight: Clif Bar
We’d like to thank Clif Bar & Company for continuing to sponsor us this year, and for fueling us in a delicious and sustainable manner.
A leader in organic energy and nutrition foods, Clif Bar is company that started on a bike ride and aims to provide customers with a better energy bar that’s sustainable for the planet, the community, its people, and the Clif Bar business and brands.
Their products include delicious energy bars for active adults and children, gels, blocks, electrolyte drinks, and protein bars. Their brand also includes Luna bars for women, KidZBar, Clif Crunch, Builder’s protein bar, and MoJo.
Thank you Clif Bar!
Learn more about Clif Bar at www.clifbar.com
Clif Bar on Facebook
Clif Bar on Twitter
Weekend Top 10s
Katie Poinier is having a fantastic month. She took the win at Volunteer Park and Real Life Trail MTB. She also took 8th in the GC of Tour of Walla by finishing 2nd in the crit, 3rd in the TT, and 9th in the road race.
The month of April has been good to us with lots of sunny days and good races.
- The season’s first criterium took place on April 7th in Seattle, and 14 Team Group Health racers came out for the fun.
TGH’s Katie Poinier took the win in the women’s Cat 3 race.
- Racers had the choice between the asphalt or the dirt on Saturday, April 14th, as the Skagit Valley Time Trail and the Real Life Trails mountain bike race took place on the same day.
Liese Anex finished 6th in the Masters 35+ category of the Skagit Valley TT.
- At the Real Life Trails mountain bike race, Katie Poinier took 1st in the Beginner 30-39 category, and Carla Brock finished 2nd.
LB Kregenow took 5th in the Beginner 40-49 category, Sarah Atwood took home the gold in the Sport 19-29 race, and Kirstin Sandaas finished 4th in the Sport 40-49 category.
- Thirteen TGH members participated in the Northshore Road Race on Sunday, April 15th.
Danyel Longmire took 6th in the Cat 1,2,3 race, and Jadine Riley finished 9th.
Ellen Ruotsala took 9th in the Cat 4 race.
- Tour of Walla Walla:
Nine TGHers travelled to Walla Walla, Wash. on Friday, April 20th, to compete in the first stage race of the year, and to enjoy some incredible weather.
Katie Poinier took 2nd in the Cat 3 criterium on Saturday morning, and Anne-Marije Rook finished 7th.
In the women’s Pro 1,2 criterium, Jadine Riley barely missed out on the win and took second instead.
Ellen Ruotsala took 9th in the Cat 4 race, and Mary Foster got fourth in the Masters 40+ category.
The Time Trial stage took place later that day, and Katie Poinier took 3rd in the Cat 3 category. Mary Foster finished fourth in the Masters 40+ category.
The final stage, Kelloggs Hollow Road Race, took place April 22nd.
Danyel Longmire took fifth in the Cat 3 race, and Katie Poinier finished 9th.
Ellen Ruotsala took 7th in the Cat 4 race, and Mary Foster took 4th in the Masters 40+ category.
The final road race bumped Danyel Longmire up to 4th place in the Cat 3 General Classification, and Katie Poinier finished 8th.
Ellen Ruotsala finished 9th in the Cat 4 General Classification, and Mary Foster took 4th in the Masters 40+ category.
Awesome job, Ladies!
7th annual IVRR was a big success!
The seventh annual Team Group Health Independence Valley Road Race drew over 420 racers to Rochester, WA on March 24th, a new record for this event. Hosted by Team Group Health, the race is quickly becoming a Northwest classic, and how could it not be?
At this year’s event, the weather was a balmy 50 degrees, the prizes were fantastic ($550 for the Women’s 1-2-3 field alone!), and the whole event went off without a hitch.
Bragging rights were on the line, too, as IVRR carries a reputation for being one of the hardest one-day races in Washington, taking riders around a 19.5 mile loop with fast, twisty farmland roads, and hills that take them from valley to valley.
The event featured 9 races ranging between Cat 4/5 racers who completed two loops, and the Men’s and Women’s Pro/1/2/3 fields who completed 3-4 laps (60-80 miles).
Ian Tubbs from Audi won the Men’s Pro/1/2 race; Will Teal from Herriot Sports Performance won the Men’s Cat 3 race; the Men’s Cat 4 race was won by Jeff Reed from SCCA/Starbucks, Ludo Max won the Men’s Cat 4/5 race. The Masters 35+ 1/2/3 race was won by NWCC-Dimensional’s Ian Gerrish, and Tim Reinholtz from Fanatik Bike Co. won the Masters 40+ Cat 4/5 race. The Men’s Masters 50+ race was won by Rick Benson from Fisher Plumbing.
For the women, Jess Cutler of Peterson Racing soloed to victory in the Pro/1/2 race. Starbucks’ Sarah Carroll was the first Cat 3 racer across the line, and Team Group Health’s Anne-Marije Rook won the Cat 4 race.
In addition to some great prizes, the top racers earned BARR points, as well as Cat 3 Women and Cat 4 Women Vokyl/POC points.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this race a huge success:
- Thanks to Erik Anderson, the fabulous promoter behind this race, as well as many other races around Washington State.
- Thanks to USA Cycling Chief Judge - Jim Mullen and the other wonderful day-of race officials for keeping everything safe and fair.
- Thank you to the town of Rochester, WA for providing us with such a great race course.
- Thanks to all of the racers that came out to support the event.
- And last but not least, a big THANK YOU to our sponsors for providing such great prizes:
We would also like to extend a special thanks to the companies and individuals that made cash donations for prizes for our Women’s Pro 1/2/3 prize purse: 1031 Services, Inc., Bicycleheroes.com, Edward Jones of Fremont – Marko Tubic, and Team Group Health - Sound Velo Cycling.
Check out photos from the race:
Catherine Cooper Photography
Leonard Johnson - HotFootPhoto
Team Group Health - Sound Velo Cycling
Thanks again! We’ll see ya again next year!
Tags: IVRR
Weekend Top 10s
Carrie Bennett having a good time at IVRR
It was another great weekend of racing for Team Group Health. In addition to hosting one of the best road races in the region, women from TGH also participated in three races and earned themselves some Top 10 finishes.
Independence Valley Road Race, 3/24:
Cat 3: 8th - Danyel Longmire
Cat 4: 1st - Anne-Marije Rook, 10th - Sandrine McFadden
Cookin’ in the Kettles MTB Race, 3/25:
Sport:
19-29: 1st - Kelly Purnell
40-49: 3rd - Kirstin Sandaas
50+:
2nd - Lisa Coyne
Expert:
30-39: 5th - Jadine Riley, 6th - Ellen Ruotsala
North Bend Criterium, 3/25:
Cat 4: 5th - Mel Burdo
Weekend Top 10’s
It was another great weekend for Team Group Health with a great showing on the road and in the dirt.
Here are the weekend Top 10’s:
Sequim (Tour de Dung) #2 - 3/17/12
Cat 1,2,3:
8th - Leina Tani
Cat 4:
1st - Anne-Marije Rook
Steilacoom MTB Race - 3/18/12
Beginner:
19-29 category
1st - Sarah Atwood
2nd - Anne-Marije Rook
3rd - Kelly Purnell
30-39 category
2nd - Carla Brock
3rd - Sara Rades Rhodes
40-49 category
2nd - LB Kregenow
Sport
40-49 category
1st - Izette Swan
4th - Kirstin Sandaas
50+ category
2nd - Lisa Coyne
Farestart Time Trial - 3/18/12
Cat 1,2,3
3rd - Heidi Gaertner
Masters 35+
3rd - Mary Foster
Awesome job, ladies!!!
Izette Swan in action
Team Group Health off to a great start
The season is off to a great start for the ladies in teal and chartreuse with 16 Top 10 placement in four road races, including four podium finishes.
Sandrine McFadden took 3rd in the Masters category at the Ice Breaker Time Trial in early March.
Jadine Riley finished 2nd in the Cat 1,2,3 field at Mason Lake #1 and she was at again a week later, finishing 1st in the Cat 1,2,3 field at Mason Lake #2 on March 11.
And Cat 4 racer Sarah Atwood finished 3rd in her field at Mason Lake #2.
Meanwhile in the dirt, Team Group Health has been equally successful. With 10 top 10 finishes in the Singletrack Cycles West Side Mountain Bike Series so far.
TGH had a very strong presence at the Dash Point mountain bike race in February with podium finishes.
Beginners:
In the 19-29 category, Anne-Marije Rook took 1st and Kelly Purnell took 3rd.
Sara Rades Rhodes took 2nd in the 30-39 category, and Carla Bock came in right behind her in 3rd place.
Sport:
Izette Swan took the win in the 40-49
And Lisa Coyne took first in the 50+ field.
Only two TGH riders competed at Soaring Eagle in early March, but both finished strong with Kelly Purnell coming in second in the Beginners 19-29 field, and Lisa Coyne took third in the 50+ age group of the Sport category.
Way to go, ladies!
Kelly Purnell on her way to a 2nd place finish at Soaring Eagle
