The Countdown Begins: Race Across America
March 12 – One-hundred days from today, a most ambitious – and potentially very rewarding – quest begins for the 16 endurance athletes who comprise Team Type 1 and Team Type 2 for the Race Across America (RAAM).
At 2 p.m. PDT, the eight members of each team will take their first pedal strokes from Oceanside, Calif., as the non-stop, transcontinental journey begins on Saturday, June 20. The eight riders on Team Type 1 have Type 1 diabetes, while the eight on
Team Type 2 have Type 2 diabetes.
Although they both strive to complete the more than 3,000-mile race as quickly as possible, their ultimate goals are vastly different.
For Team Type 1, memories of last year’s runner-up finish fueling their desire to regain the eight-person team titles won in 2006 and 2007.
“This year’s team has the talent and drive to take back the title and break the record set last year by the Norwegian (Team Byggkjøp/BMC Cycling) team,” Team Type 1 Director Bob Schrank said. “We will need a lot of luck that our riders get through the training as fit and injury-free as possible. Hopefully we’ll get a nice push with the weather during the race, too.”
Team Type 2 Director Bob Avritt said his team’s goal is to set an example of how people with Type 2 diabetes can take control of their health through self education, physical fitness and a good medical management team.
“None of us have ever competed in RAAM, but we have all used cycling in some form to control our diabetes,” Avritt said. “Finishing RAAM will make Team Type 2 an overwhelming success in my eyes. However, we are setting our goals much higher than simply finishing. Our goal is to finish in the middle of the pack this first time out.”
While the athletes are training, Team Type 1 Director Dave Eldridge has been toiling behind the scenes to get a host of logistical challenges handled, including the assembly of a massive support crew that follows each team across the country. This year’s task has been helped by the return of many veteran crew members, Eldridge said.
View the original posting of this article at: http://teamtype12007.blogspot.com/2009/03/countdown-begins-race-across-america.html