Raam

[creadinger]

In line with Dirt’s post abour Reve, RAAM has begun this week. That ridiculous race across america where racers battle the clock and sleep for 10 days as they ride across the US. So far the lead solo male rider has covered 441 miles after only 21 hours!
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/raam.php?N_webcat_id=1

The official finish is in Annapolis, so if anyone is interested in ultra-endurance sports you should check out the finish line.

Chris

Topic

[GuyContinental]

Part of the reason that I ramped up my training this year was to support a close friend that has entered the 2013 RAAM- Originally, I was on his team but the reality of what the training and the ride itself would actually mean for my family forced me into a support role. I like riding. I might not after doing that sort of thing. Decided to do a MTB epic in Copper Canyon instead.

[consularrider]

@GuyContinental 22334 wrote:

Part of the reason that I ramped up my training this year was to support a close friend that has entered the 2013 RAAM- Originally, I was on his team but the reality of what the training and the ride itself would actually mean for my family forced me into a support role. I like riding. I might not after doing that sort of thing. Decided to do a MTB epic in Copper Canyon instead.

Copper Canyon, Hmmm….

From my time in Juarez, I believe riding RAAM blindfolded might be safer. Have fun.

[GuyContinental]

@consularrider 22336 wrote:

Copper Canyon, Hmmm….

From my time in Juarez, I believe riding RAAM blindfolded might be safer. Have fun.

Tis’ true and the narco-terrorist gods will need to be a bit kinder than they have been of late, else I’ll be forced to do a Hut to hut in Co or something suitably tree-rooty in British Colombia. But Copper is the one that’s actually on my bucket list.

[SteveTheTech]

That sounds like such an epic event. I really like that it is a single stage event.

I was going over the qualifiers for it ( http://www.ultracycling.com/sections/calendar/races.php#2677 ) some of these events looks really interesting to me. I would really like to do a double, if you get the same amount of credit whether you are on a solo run or a team of up to four it would be kind of fun but it seems like some of them have strange breakdowns (http://blackandbluerelay.com/?page_id=44) <-That is the one I was looking at doing. If you can average 12.5 mph you can complete the double within the time limit. I tip my hat to those who are skilled enough to participate in RAAM, not even win, just make it through.

[PotomacCyclist]

At the Arlington screening of the movie about RAAM (Bicycle Dreams), the riders from the Navy team said that most of the participants ride in the team competition, where the demands are a little less extreme. It’s still very tough but it’s not so much about sleep deprivation as it is with the solo race.

While watching the movie, I found the solo race to be somewhat scary. Not necessarily because of the dangers of riding across the country while undergoing extreme sleep deprivation, though that’s part of it. Some of these people seemed to be destroying their entire lives for the sake of the race, ruining their finances and their families, with no possibility of prize money.

The team riders seemed to have a lot more fun. Though I’ll probably never participate in the event, if I did, it would be in the team competition.

[KLizotte]

@PotomacCyclist 22360 wrote:

While watching the movie, I found the solo race to be somewhat scary. Not necessarily because of the dangers of riding across the country while undergoing extreme sleep deprivation, though that’s part of it. Some of these people seemed to be destroying their entire lives for the sake of the race, ruining their finances and their families, with no possibility of prize money.

I agree. I also thought it was highly irresponsible for people to be biking on open, public roads when hallucinating due to exhaustion. Not only were they putting themselves at risk but other road users as well. Can you imagine the outcry if drivers engaged in such a competition?!

[TwoWheelsDC]

@KLizotte 22365 wrote:

Can you imagine the outcry if drivers engaged in such a competition?!

They do, it’s called One Lap of America.

[DismalScientist]

@KLizotte 22365 wrote:

I agree. I also thought it was highly irresponsible for people to be biking on open, public roads when hallucinating due to exhaustion. Not only were they putting themselves at risk but other road users as well. Can you imagine the outcry if drivers engaged in such a competition?!

Most of them are followed by vans with their flashers on. Dangerous, not really. That said, an unsupported cyclist was killed by a car in an early race.

[vvill]

I can see an eight-person team version being fun. 3 hrs/day is definitely doable. I guess when you’re not riding you’re sleeping in the support car?

[GuyContinental]

@vvill 22377 wrote:

I can see an eight-person team version being fun. 3 hrs/day is definitely doable. I guess when you’re not riding you’re sleeping in the support car?

I can tell you, it’s a MAJOR endeavor- for the 4-man team I’m supporting, budgeted costs are in excess of $25K (some sponsors in hand…) and we’ve been planning and talking to crew chiefs for over 6 months already (for 2013). Figure 4-5 cars, plus 8-10 support crew (most of whom will have to take a week and a half including a drive across the country at start). People do it with a lot less support (1 follow car and an RV) but the strain on the support crew is supposed to be pretty fierce as well (two someones are “on” all the time with the rider/riders).

I agree that the most fun way of doing it would be on an 8-man team, lots of folks do it in merely reasonable shape (heck, I ride 3 hours a day now) and do 2-man teams on 5-hr shifts (15 minutes on/off TT style). That way everyone gets 15 hours of rest between shifts.

I asked my wife if she wanted to drive an RV across the country at 15 mph… I can still hear the laughter…

[Author]

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