TQL Goes All In For Office Chair Race

It’s not bragging if you can back it up.

While you better believe there was plenty of smack talk, TQL’s Team All In backed it up with a championship performance in the third annual Race a Chair for Health Care Office Chair Races Oct. 10 in Milford.

All In dominated from the word go, posting the fastest qualifying time and holding on to pole position through three heats. TQL dethroned the two-time defending champ in the process.

Not to say there weren’t tense moments. Simply transporting the race vehicle wasn’t simple; parts snapped in the pickup bed on the way. Mop handles and duct tape to the rescue.

Then there was the qualifying run.

The All In vehicle – a hybrid $9 bicycle and 99-cent office chair, both purchased from a thrift shop - featured a sound system blaring a custom playlist.

“The first time down, we had to have ‘Flirtin’ With Disaster,’ because we were,” said Mark F., director of carrier operations and lead builder. “We worked pretty hard on the bike, but we had no idea if it was going to hold together. Once it did, we kind of turned it up a notch.”

With help from AC/DC tunes like “Black in Black” and “Thunderstruck.”

“We loved it,” quality systems supervisor Mike J. of the music. He did the driving and most of the vehicle’s America-themed décor. “It fired us up. And we noticed it got the other racers going, too.”

TQL’s other entry – Team 18 Wheelers – faced more challenges.

Kelly S. made the qualifying run in a straight-up office chair decorated as a semi-trailer, finishing 10th. Steve S, took the seat for competition. He had better speed, but wiped out midway down the hill.

He gamely got back on the chair - minus the truck façade – and finished the race, but not before elimination.

“Preparation for next year begins tomorrow,” Kelly said. “We will be back, we will be better and there will be no more wipeouts.”

"We brought a lot of energy," Mark said. "It was blast and it feels good to win. We're going to put the bike in the office Monday morning, crank up the playlist and let everyone at Edison see what a winner looks like.

"It was a no-brainer for us. We'll be back to defend our title next year for sure." 

The races benefitted HealthSource of Ohio, a private, not-for-profit Federally Qualified Community Health Center.

Want to see more images from the race? Click here for a photo gallery. Want to run with a winning team? Click here to see TQL’s job postings.