For Kauder Racing, time really is money

Runners across Eastern Iowa keep Andy Kauder plenty busy.

As the owner of Kauder Racing LLC, Kauder provides timing for various events, from track and cross-country meets to local road races.

Kauder got into the business thanks to his involvement with high school cross-country and track. A physical education teacher who also coaches track and cross-country at Benton Community Schools, Kauder unofficially has been timing races for years.

Kauder provides timing for some 70 events per year, including 20 cross-country meets and 20 track meets.

But back around 2006, he was seeing enough interest in timing high school events that he launched his business.

'We used to sit around forever waiting for race results,” he said. Now with his timing equipment - chip timing for cross-country races and camera timing for track meets - student-athletes and coaches are finding out results pretty much instantaneously. Since investing in his timing equipment, Kauder said business has run his way if you will.

'It just started growing from there as other schools asked me to help out,” he said.

For track meets, for example, coaches or school athletic directors register their runners online, Kauder seeds the races, then shows up to set up his equipment and time the races. Kauder said he is using a camera timing system - the same type used by USA Track and Field, the national governing body for the sports - for such event.

Kauder recently did timing for the state track meet, which he said can be particularly exciting.

'I just love being around the sport of running,” he said. 'I get to see great competition and especially during the high school seasons I get to see some great kids compete.”

It can be a high pressure job at times.

'I always worry about some equipment failing,” he said, noting that, with the competitive nature of runners, accuracy is important.

'Every timer worries. The day I quit worrying will be the day it doesn't work. This is not just plug and play,” he said. 'And it's not easy to learn.”

While the high school track season wraps up, Kauder now stays busy providing timing services for road races across Eastern Iowa. And he provided timing for his first road race at Solon Beef Days several years ago.

'I had 600 people for my first race, which was a bit overwhelming,” he said.

Now he's gotten into a groove with road races, even though they are a bit more involved than timing a meet.

Kauder is a one-man show.

'Sometimes I need to be mobile if the race starts and finishes in different spots, whereas track is one set up and you are done,” he said.

Work is steady - sometimes crazy busy - from March through November.

'Once the high school cross-country season is over in mid-November, I can relax a little. But during those busy track and cross-country seasons, I just love being a part of it.”

l Know a business that might make an interesting 'My Biz”? Contact michaelchevy.castranova@thegazette.com.

At a glance

' Owner: Andy Kauder

' Title: Owner

' Business: Kauder Racing LLC

' Phone: (319) 247-7309

' Website: kauderraceresults.com