Brenna Wrye-Simpson

About

Brenna has always had a propensity for guiding what groups of people can do together, in earnest cohesion, better than they can do all by themselves--and she likes to think that this same concept translates perfectly to the endurance athlete/coach rapport. This idea first manifested at a young age with a fascination for choir and group music, then later translated to team sports on the rugby field in high school and college, to group sessions in college in a small music department with an especially collaborative graduating class, and finally translated to bikes post-college. A bike commuter through childhood and college, she began working in a bike shop her sophomore year and quickly learned that successful retail is yet another team sport. In 2013 she joined her first cycling team and was hooked upon learning that road racing only worked if the whole team committed to the plan, and that the craftiest collaborative team would win--not the strongest group of individuals who just happened to be wearing the same jersey. Her career in racing has always functioned hand-in-hand with her day job at Sellwood Cycle Repair, and now as a coach for Campfire. An all-rounder and domestique, she's ridden for multiple UCI Continental Pro women's road teams and raced much of North America's elite events of the last 10 years (a nascent time in women's sport), returning home on the weekdays to fix bikes and help people enjoy them. Her unique skillset has translated to managing Sellwood's professional level women's cyclocross program, Team S&M CX, and consequently working as a mechanic for USA Cycling's cyclocross National team at World Cups and World Championships. She understands that balance in life for an athlete between their sport and everyday existence is a constant and sometimes messy work in progress, and that therein lies the joy and the process.

Coaching

Brenna approaches the coach/athlete relationship with energy, compassion, and commitment. The recipe for making a happy, successful rider isn't universal, but communication, accountability, and evaluation are all consistent ingredients, and they flow both ways between an athlete and coach. She passionately believes athletic identity and the empowerment it carries can be nurtured at any point in life, and is committed to sharing the physiological processes as well as technical aspects and internal reflection necessary to grow as a rider.

Results

2019 UCI WE2.1 Colorado Classic
2017-2022 USA Crits Series season overall competitions (supporting best team as well as best overall rider)
4th, stage 4 criterium, 2019 Cascade Classic
11th, stage 6 Stillwater Criterium, North Star Grand Prix, 2016
5th, Boise Twilight Criterium, 2018
1st, Portland Criterium, 2022