BEAST started three years ago with 42 racers (only 20 preregistered...), many good weather races and phantastic race courses (Eric makes a map for every race, does not just use USGS maps, and updates every orienteering map to perfection), the race numbers shot up to about 80-100 racers, where its been pretty steady... the UW race (#3 of the year traditionally) gets more racers due to the easy central location, the paddling (canoeing in rented standardized boats at the UW activity center) and the fact that it requires roadbikes, not mountain bikes... a little easier for beginners.
This first race was in Redmond and it all started when I did a BBTC ride with Ruri and AV a long time ago and found that there were dozens of really cool singletrack trails right behind my house... over a year I explored more and then the idea was born using these for a BEAST...
Great times, lots of racers, meeting everyone again after the offseason, and an epic battle of many lead teams finiding Manny's pulling ahead by less than a minute ahead of my buddies Jeff Woerner and Ryan Fleming and winning it! Great Job Marty, Kara, Chip and Mark (even after dry heaving several times!). My wife Yumay who religiously does the BEAST races brought out two microsoft newbies and together with Clint Arney they got 5th overall, of 38 teams, and she had a blast and thought the race course was epic....
Not many pictures as my camera died about 5 seconds before race start....
Aaron and Carol busy checking everyone in....
Prerace meeting... prerace anticipation
Checking maps and listening to eric.... just a few seconds to go...!
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