Monday, June 8, 2009

RAAM 2009

Race Across America is a 3,000 mile bicycle race from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland. It is America’s Tour de France. It is the World’s Toughest Bicycle Race.

In fact the Tour is a total of 3500 kilometers completed over the course of three weeks. In comparison, RAAM is 4827 kilometers raced over a period of ten days. That’s 825 miles more in half as many days. Just to give you an idea of what is going on here.

RAAM 2009 will welcome 4 2-person teams, 18 4-person teams, and 8 8-person teams. Twenty-eight people will attempt this race SOLO.

This isn’t a Tour of America. It is an all out competitive race. Until the packs spread out over the first twenty four hours it will be intense cutthroat competition.

We are looking to cross that finish line in seven days. That’s an average of 18mph, 29km for Gernot. 24 hours a day for seven days, across the Rockies and the unforgiving beasts of West Virginia. Rain, shine, storm, and night. Pedal, pedal, pedal.

We’re in it to win it. We might deny it, but you keep your eyes on All Wheels 4 Fibromyalgia. There will be no praying in RAAM. Maybe quietly, on your bicycle, crossing the Rockies…but no off the bike, kneeling kind of prayer. Not this year.

What does it take? A good sponsor, thank you Pfizer. A cause, Fibromyalgia. Riders with heart: Denise, Karl, Gernot, and Dave. And one hell of a support team: Brenda, Deb, Harry, Richard, Jim, Yvette, Connie, Janna, Scott, Andrew, Richie, Julian, and Mike on muscles.

Denise: please try to look at more than just the white line! Oh, it's ON.

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