Thursday 18 March 2010

Inundated with Replies of Help!!



WOW!! The last 10 days have been incredible. We have been completely swamped by folk within the RAF, offering to help us, and join the Support Crew. I have now lost count of the numbers, but I now know what it must be like to be in the personnel selection in charge of recruiting. What a tough job it is! From my perspective, this project started as a simple idea, and a conversation in the gym with JC, on the back of an email suggestion. I really did not appreciate the interest something like this might have, and the motivation that people would have to want to participate in the World's Toughest Bike Race.

Some of the offers, although very genuine, were from individuals who simply had never been to the States, and wanted to complete a road trip. That is all well and good, however, we have only a few slots available, and this is a race. So we have to think of who will be the most suitable candidate in terms of their ability to work as a team to keep the racers on the road, and also what extra they could offer the team, so that the event could give them something they will not forget.

I am almost there now, and three of the four slots have been allocated. We are really pleased with the people we have chosen and they will certainly enhance the team's chances of making this race a successful one in many ways. They are independent enough to be trusted to take the initiative when it matters, and also extremely adept at following (and there will be a lot of that during the 9 days in June) and collaborating. Not only that but we also have a team mechanic, another sports therapist, and a physical training instructor who has a great appreciation of cycling.

We are very excited that we have the makings of a great team, and we welcome those that have come on board. We are sorry we cannot offer more people the chance to join us, such are the constraints of sleeping space and money on the team, and we wish all of those people who put their name in the 'hat' all the very best, and thank you for your kind offers of assistance.

Now over to the Crew Chief to do what he does best, and we are all looking forward to getting together in May for our training weekend and chance to practice our skills and changeovers.

Saturday 13 March 2010

What do you tell your 4-yr old son when he says "I want to do the RAAM with you Daddy"


Twice now, my son Fraser has asked if he could join me on the Race Across America. How do you tell a 4yr old that he can't come. His eyes light up when he asks the questions, in the hope that I will be saying 'yes'. Why would he think anything else? America is just a small blob on a pictorial map, so why would it be so hard to ride across a map??!! Seems like a sensible question you would think. Such is the purity of a 4yr old's thoughts and the strength of his desire to be with his dad, it is a true inspiration, and that is understating the power of that inspiration and influence.
I will dedicate this race to Fraser, who is the happiest boy in the world, who is the best in every way. He believes he can do the RAAM at 4yrs old. It is my responsibility to try and nurture that motivation, that determination to do the toughest of races on the planet. He has the ultimate belief that he can do anything on the planet, effortlessly and easily. Let's embrace that desire, encourage it, and help it grow. Someone once said that "you are never too young to have a happy childhood". Fraser is in the midst of a happy childhood, and life is great.

Fraser, one day we will do the RAAM together, and share that dream and bliss as Father and Son, finishing the world's toughest ultra-endurance event.

Exploring our limits


Do we constantly search for the ultimate source of our existence? What exactly is that source? What are the limits of our own potentiality? Will we ever be able to explore the potential that lies within us, and if so how do we do that? And further, when we go there, how do we know that we we cannot go even further. Deepak Chopra discussed the origins of our thoughts, in his book Quantum Healing. He said that our thoughts come from nowhere, because before we have a particular though, there is a void, and in that void there is nothing. So if we consider our potential capacity, then before that consideration begins there is a pause, and in that pause there is a void, and the potential is in that void, and the void is endless and without limit.

As one solo rider commented "RAAM is nothing, this is something out of this planet" Fabio Biasolo (RAAM Finisher). If RAAM is out of this planet, then it is somewhere in the universe, and how do we define the universe? To do so we must put limits on it to be able to define it. The universe is still being discovered, and thus could be defined as limitless, just like our potential. So in order to compete in RAAM we need to eradicate all boundaries in our mind, to uncover that potential that lies within us. No one knows the potential that lies inside each and every one of us. It is up to us all to attempt to exercise the opportunities to try to define that potential. At each and every turn Western lifestyle is becoming easier and easier for us. Yet we still take extreme measures to challenge ourselves, to push ourselves beyond any such pre-defined limit that we may have set ourselves. Bring on the challenges, and let's encourage those as fortunate as us, and those less fortunate than us, to pick up the gauntlet and rise to whatever challenge we set ourselves.

We are a small team of racers, who are ordinary people, attempting to do extra-ordinary things. We are intent on pushing ourselves and, in the process, taking a support crew with us to help them make a difference to find that goal and unleash the desire within us all. We are walking the tightrope rope and for us that rope is endless, and we are ready for that walk.

Friday 12 March 2010

What a response!! It is fantastic!!!


What a difference a week makes!!

This time last week we were 2 slots down on the support crew due to work commitments, and change of employment arrangements. We were also attempting to expand the size of the support crew to give us the additional flexibility we might need in the event of any sort of incident, whereby the progress of the race could be in jeopardy. However some smart work on behalf of the team, has resulted in a monumental response for help and assistance. The team are completely gobsmacked by the sheer volume of the offers of help and assistance. I have had a red hot phone and email trail for two days, with folk who are sooooo keen to help and give their time to our success, it is just incredible. People from all walks of life, from the police, the RAF and the Royal Navy and the Army, they all appreciate that this event defies all barriers and is a tremendous leveller to the ordinary racer.

The challenge when I started this project was all about how to make this event the most meaningful event to as many people as possible. We are aware of what the team needs, and we are fully aware that we would like to help other people achieve their dreams of crossing the States as a member of the support crew. The places are not unlimited, and it would be great to take everybody with us. I do hope and pray that those that we cannot bring can understand that we simply do not have the capacity to take everyone, and that we need to prioritise the needs of the team. That being, communications, nutrition, sports massage, sports psychology, physiology, bike mechanics and driving. We also need folk who are confident in driving super-long US-sized Recreational Vehicles (everything in America surely starts with super- !!)))

Further we need to be aware that this event is not about the bike (Lance Armstrong). We will each be spending a lot of time couped up in hot environmental conditions in a close confines, and with not a lot of sleep! Bring on the RAAM. How do we select those people we need on the journey, without seeing them in the flesh, without the beauty of a training weekend, or a team development event! Also how do we bring those people on a journey that will be one of the most incredible journeys of their lives, and bring as many as possible, and how do we turn those other people down? Aaarrrgh!! Help ;-)

The cycling is almost the easier part of this whole adventure!!

Tuesday 9 March 2010

Recovery Fuel



I had a great week on the two-wheeled treader last week for lots of reasons. The weather was mild (not warm) and that enabled a fair few miles to be clocked up in the great outdoors. 210 miles to be precise. The sun came out which cheered up the nation no end, and I was met at the end of a long day (70 miles) with the best possible (well therein lies a debate) recovery fuel, the Great British Fish 'n' Chips in a wrapper.

Not only does the smell conjure up mouthwatering images of splashing lots of salt and vinegar all over the recently-fried chips, but the taste of hot freshly-cooked fish when I had been out in the cold for 3 hours, was almost indescribable. Now clearly from a Sports Science perspective the content of said Fish N Chips may not have been the type of food a strict nutritionist may prescribe, however I did supplement it with a High Protein Energy Drink (brand shall remain unnamed) to even the balance a little. I must stress that this is not a typical recovery fuel for yours truly, however it does highlight the fact that occasionally the body simply craves the strangest of things when blood sugar levels may be low, and after prolonged exercise.
I am not sure how many long distance triathletes and cyclists are out there that have pedalled past a bakery in the early hours of the morning to smell the sweet smell of freshly baked bread, and may have felt the urge to buy the odd crusty loaf. In fact, on my normal commute there is a very popular butcher's shop that sells hot bacon sandwiches for breakfast! That smell almost forces you to stop and indulge!!
I can recall finishing an Ironman Event, and whilst I was capable of holding things down, the only thought I had was of savoury food! And lots of it! Surely the body must be telling us something. And as all good athletes we listen to our bodies, right?!

My triathlon coach used to say: "Pete, everything in moderation, including moderation". Fish 'n' chips (light on the chips) does not go amiss from time to time, and life is for enjoying the moment.