Getting Stronger...40 Days to Go until the Race Across America

The clock is definitely ticking down with only 40 days left before the start of our epic adventure - 3000 miles as a team across the United States, from Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD - which we will accomplish, Lord willing in about 7 days.

Each team member has ramped up the training efforts as the reality of this task comes into focus.  I know for me personally (Tony Wilcox), I've raised my weekly mileage on the bike to 100 - 125 miles which includes time on the stationary bike at the gym during the week, dawn patrol and evening climbs around the Sunset loop and giant 60+ mile rides on the weekends.  This increase in mileage was done mainly out of the FEAR of the RAAM closing in, the reality of having to climb the Rockies and the Appalachian mountains, dealing with sleep deprivation, inclement weather, having to be on the bike for 7 days in a row and KNOWING all of that is going to be BRUTAL.

The good news is that I can tell I'm getting stronger because I used to have to drop into my "granny" gear to complete the climb up Sunset, but recently, I've been able to accomplish the entire 20 mile loop in my middle gear the last several times I've ridden it.  That was a big milestone for me in my personal training.

And I can tell my teammates are getting stronger as well.  Rick and Scott recently pounded out the Sunset loop and then added brutal climbs up Ford street, Wabash, Puesta del Sol and finished off with Rossmont (maybe Redlands steepest hill!) - GREAT JOB!  Dave Roadruck, Bob and Craig Roach and Randy Sperling recently climbed from Loma Linda all the way to the top of Forest Falls - EPIC!  And Carl Gregory joined the guys a couple of weeks back to crest Oak Glen, another formidable climb.  All in all, I can see the team getting to the point the we don't fear the hills any more; we embrace them.  That's a good place for all of us to be just before the gun goes off at the starting line on June 18th!