Now I can see that RAAM is likely in my future in 2020 or 2021 . Looking at the possibility of RAAM, only 19 60-69 men have completed RAAM under the 12 day 21 hour time limit. If I attempt RAAM in 2020, my racing age will be 59, just short of aging up to the 60-69 division. The 60+ guys get another 21 hours on the time limit...if I'm 59, I'll have to be under 12 days. It shows how hard completing the RAAM is under the time limit for the older athletes. I better hurry. Over these four weeks, I have also spent most of my spare time planning, developing a schedule and timesheet, and reading everything I can find about training and racing RAW and RAAM. Two major discoveries were Ellen and Keith Wolcott's One Millon Pedal Strongs: A successful Approch to RAAM. The Wolcott's have generously made this how-to guide for RAAM available for free on their web site. The other discovery was Dex Tooke's "Unfinished Business: The Inspirational Story of True Grit and Determination as Dex Tooke and His Crew Attempt to Conquer the Race Across America". Dex's book details his second attempt at RAAM in 2011. Both reads are inspiring, and put into perspective the physical, emotional, and organizational challenge of RAAM.
Day 29, 183 days, 18 hours to RAW 2019.
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Eric PearceMy interest in ultracycling dates back when I first started seriously riding a bike in college in the early 1980s. This is my RAAM story preparing to compete in the Race Across the West in 2020 and RAAM 2021. Archives
April 2023
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