Veteran bike racer and physical therapist Russell Cree has opened Upper Echelon Fitness (917 SW Oak St.) in downtown Portland. The business will offer coaching for cycling and triathlon, state-of-the-art bike fitting, and exercise physiology services to all skill levels.
Cree, 32, previously ran a similar business in Seattle and is also the former vice president of the Hagens Berman Cycling Team.
Joining Cree in this new venture are Evan Elken, Shawn Bostad, and Doug Ollerenshaw — all of whom are well-known in the Pacific Northwest bike racing scene. Elken and Ollerenshaw have competed (and won) at the highest levels of pro road racing in America and Bostad is a veteran triathlete and runner.
Cree — who holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy — is an Oregon native who recently returned to the state after 10 years away. His past clients have included members of the Garmin-Chipotle Team (who competed in the Tour de France) and Olympic cyclists who competed in Beijing, but Cree says, “it’s often the beginning, recreational cyclists that become the most rewarding clients.”
— For more information, check out UpperEchelonFitness.com
Great to see more services like this popping up – triathlon and cycling are both growing now. I had a Lactate Threshold test with Seth Hosmer’s clinic (hpchiro.com) back in March. I changed my target heart rate training zones and increased my endurance dramatically (as evidenced in time trial results). This kind of coaching service is pretty valuable for weekend warriors like myself… if you have even a simple weekly spin routine I recommend a Heart Rate Monitor and LT test, it’s worth it for the education alone.
Good luck Russell!
I’m personally thinking about going there to get their one-hour Bike Fit done.
Well, if Sylvester’s waiting list is too long there is another less-than-the-best alternative.
Ah that’s what that place is! When you are in the building, stop by the IPRC – Independent Publishing Resource Center and read some bike zines! Just a few doors down.