Raam 2012

[kacie tri-ing]

Thought I would start a fresh thread for this!

Pedal Wrench and I are on the same team as racers for an 8 person team for Race Across America, and we start on Saturday at noon! I have posted all of my tracking information both formal and informal on this post on my blog:
http://kacietri-ing.blogspot.com/2012/06/tracking-me-as-i-race-across-america.html

I always appreciate all of the good vibes/thoughts from the awesome women on this forum!

Thanks!

Kacie

[Blueberry]

Tailwinds to you both! I'm so excited for you - I hope you have a wonderful experience:)

[Reesha]

Have a blast!!! :)

[Susan Otcenas]

Wow, have a GREAT time, you two!! How awesome! Best wishes for tailwinds and a safe journey.

One of the women in my office (Edna) is crewing for one of the 4 person Bacchetta recumbent teams. Say HI if you see her!

Susan

[Catrin]

I hadn't realized that both of you were on that team, how awesome is that! May both of you, and your other team members have a great journey - and tail winds all the way across the country :D

[spokewench]

Go Kacie and Pedal Wrench - you are awesome!

[murielalex]

Totally impressed! Have a safe, great ride!

[salsabike]

Fabulous! Good riding to you both!

[Possegal]

I'll be watching your progress and will try and get to the Mt Airy pit stop, which is very close to me, and I'll shake my cowbell. :) I'm following your team on facebook as well. Sending out positive vibes to you and all in this years race.

[Deborajen]

Awesome! RAAM goes through our neck of the woods, too. We're not too far from the Maize checkpoint so we'll try to get up there so we can make some noise when you come through.

Have a safe trip, and best of luck to you and the team.

[chatnoire]

Wow, that looks like fun! Good luck to you and your team, especially when cruising through the NM/CO corridor. We've had some really smoky air due to the fires.

Be safe, have fun, GO FAST! :) :)

[skibum]

Wow, didn't realize the two of you were on Team Shepherd. I regularly do rides out of your team mate Mark's bike shop and have heard him talk about his upcoming RAAM adventure. I look forward to following your progress. Have a great ride!

[lovelygamer]

Good luck! We'll all be cheering you.:D

[indysteel]

Good luck, Kacie and Pedal Wrench! Safe and fun travels!

[Pedal Wench]

Thanks y'all! Amazing that Kacie and i "met" here on TE! And only met ince in real life!!!

You can also follow on www.teamshepherd2012.wordpress.com . Kacie invited me onto this adventure and now there's no turning back. I'll take everyone's fabulous stories along as inspiration, and hope to see some of you along the way!

Let the adventure begin!

[jobob]

Woohoo! TE represents at RAAM, how cool is that? Very best wishes indeed.

[kacie tri-ing]

Thanks for all of the well wishes!!! We are both SO excited!! What a great community that brought us on this path!!

[jobob]

A picture of Blaze (team shepherd's mascot & guardian) was posted on RAAM's facebook page a short time ago.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151849201660093&set=a.287055445092.320699.281761605092&type=1&theater

[Blueberry]

Looks like Team Shepard is going great! They're 394 miles in with a blazing average of 18.5. Way to go ladies!!!

[Blueberry]

New Blog Post and photos of Kacie here (http://teamshepherd2012.wordpress.com/). Looks like they're doing great still!

[Jo-n-NY]

I am also following Team Shepherds blog. They are doing great!!!

[Blueberry]

Current Tweet from Kacie:


About to do my pull in KS. 35+ mph croswinds in the dark. Advice? Jokes about wind? Positive thoughts? I am pretty nervous!!

[colby]

Current Tweet from Kacie:


About to do my pull in KS. 35+ mph croswinds in the dark. Advice? Jokes about wind? Positive thoughts? I am pretty nervous!!

I bet it's fascinating to experience the country this way. "Kansas, I hate Kansas. So windy and dark there." ;)

[Deborajen]

I get such a kick out of reading the riders' blogs. I think everyone expects Kansas to be an easy state - all nice and flat. The RAAM route goes through mostly flat terrain, but there are still lots of good rolling hills in Kansas, and there are some rugged hills and bluffs near Medicine Lodge.

But the riders really gripe about our weather. If it isn't blowing 30 mph +, there are big thunderstorms - downpours, hail, even stronger winds, tornado warnings, or it's really hot - over 100 degrees - and humid.

Now they know what WE have to ride in. :)

[Red Rock]

I just wanted to jump in here and say Yeah for TE on RAAM. You go girls! Rock those bikes. I have been keeping up through the posted blogs. So here is to safe riding and speedy trip across the US.

Red Rock

[indysteel]

Woot! They're in Indiana today (although I have to admit that I've never heard of Sullivan, Indiana and have no idea where it is). Gotta dig out the state map.

I hope they continue to have what looks like a blast!

[Blueberry]

I'm still watching the whole race! There's a heated battle between the top solo men, who are apparently very close within a few hundred miles of the finish. Team Beau and Babe are amazing (as are many other teams). There are 3 solo women still in it, including Janet "Osprey." Truly inspiring!

[Catrin]

Woot! They're in Indiana today (although I have to admit that I've never heard of Sullivan, Indiana and have no idea where it is). Gotta dig out the state map.

I hope they continue to have what looks like a blast!

Sullivan is south of Terre Haute close to the state line, and Team Shephard is in Missouri today so they are headed this way :)

[Deborajen]

I'm still watching the whole race! There's a heated battle between the top solo men, who are apparently very close within a few hundred miles of the finish. Team Beau and Babe are amazing (as are many other teams). There are 3 solo women still in it, including Janet "Osprey." Truly inspiring!

It's amazing, the idea of being on an eight-person team and riding 24-hours a day, that long, that far, and in all those conditions and on all that terrain. It's hard to believe. But the people who do it solo? Super WOW!

[Blueberry]

Team Shepherd has an ETA of 4:10PM at the Bloomington, IN time station (just in case anyone is close and wants to cheer them on).

[Catrin]

Team Shepherd has an ETA of 4:10PM at the Bloomington, IN time station (just in case anyone is close and wants to cheer them on).


I SO wish I could be there in time....but I can cheer them on from Indianapolis :)

[Blueberry]

Live streaming of the finish line is now up here (http://ld118.inmotionhosting.com/~bigass6/raam/index.php/live-stream).

[kacie tri-ing]

Howdy friends! We are having a blast out here!! Thanks for the love!!

[Deborajen]

Keep kickin' butt out there Kacie - you're awsome!

[Possegal]

So do the solo riders ride non-stop? How does the solo version work. Curious.
I so wish the timing worked and I could go cheer on Team Shepherd.

[Blueberry]

So do the solo riders ride non-stop? How does the solo version work. Curious.
I so wish the timing worked and I could go cheer on Team Shepherd.

The clock never stops running. Most of them are off the bike ~2 hours a day, including a short sleep break.

[Blueberry]

Current Status for Kacie on Facebook:


Sparkles here: kacie is on the hills of west Virginia... Let me hear some noise!!!!!! Oh and she is killing it and she has pink extensions in her hair.

Go Kacie!!!

[Possegal]

The clock never stops running. Most of them are off the bike ~2 hours a day, including a short sleep break.

Thank you so much. I'd been really wondering about that and kept meaning to come here and ask. :)
Only 2 hrs a day, man that is impressive. Sounds like my schedule during grad school, but I wasn't biking or fighting the elements then. :)

[limewave]

Keep spinning! Sending speedy thoughts your way!!!

[Blueberry]

Thank you so much. I'd been really wondering about that and kept meaning to come here and ask. :)
Only 2 hrs a day, man that is impressive. Sounds like my schedule during grad school, but I wasn't biking or fighting the elements then. :)

They did something called RAAM Enduro (sp?) a few years ago. I think the racers had to stop for 4 hours a day? I guess it wasn't as popular as it hasn't been done since. They've taken some heat in the past on the thoughts that accidents (including a fatality) occurred because of the sleep deprivation. It's hard to say.

I'm in awe of the solos. I would love to race it as part of a team. And I really want to crew for someone one of these years:)

[Deborajen]

Seems like I read somewhere that the Enduro didn't go over so well because the riders felt if they were rested, it was more of a stage race than an ultra marathon. Crazy, isn't it?

[Deborajen]

I was just reading an article, and now I've lost the link, but it was by Danny Chew, who'd done solo RAAM several times. He said that Enduro required that at certain checkpoints, the riders must stop for at least 5 hrs. He went on to explain that some riders did best when they rested 3 hrs. here and 3 hrs. there, and 5 hrs. at once wouldn't have improved their performance or made things safer. He went into some lengthy discussion about other scenarios and basically challenged the idea that having 5 hr. mandatory rest stops did any good.

Nothing came up on my quick search, but it does seem like Jure Robic had a lot to say about Enduro not being the same race.

I seldom go without 8 hours of sleep each night. I can't imagine at all trying to do 2 or 3 hours here and there. My husband could do it. He's done a lot of shift work over the years and seldom sleeps 8 hours straight through. I'm really impressed by the solo RAAM racers. Don't know how they do it!

[katluvr]

Having a hard time tracking what is going on. Is Kacie still out there riding?

K

[kacie tri-ing]

Having a hard time tracking what is going on. Is Kacie still out there riding?

K

We are done. I am so very tired, but happy to be home!

[kacie tri-ing]

And by home, I mean done. I am delirious!

[Blueberry]

Great Job, Kacie!!! Got have a big dinner, a nice bath and a good night's sleep!!

[TsPoet]

And by home, I mean done. I am delirious!

congrats!

[murielalex]

Congrats!

[Catrin]

Yayyyyy! So glad that you/your team made it! That seemed so fast...but of course you and your team members were riding 24 hours a day :eek: :cool:

[smilingcat]

Congratulation!! And to the support crew as well. Enjoy your well deserved rest!! I wish I could say it better... sounds so dry...

[colby]

Congrats, RAAM ladies and teams! Such an accomplishment. Get some sleep!

[Deborajen]

Congratulations to both of you - and to the rest of the riders and the crew! Can't wait to hear all about it - after you celebrate, rest and recover, of course!

[Jo-n-NY]

Congratulations to you and your team. It was fun to read the posts along your way.

[Blueberry]

I hope Kacie won't mind my posting here - but she and her DH really are a tri power couple:D:D He was 2nd in his age group at Ironman Coeur d'Alene and qualified for Kona.

I'm in awe of them both (and after riding RAAM she went to cheer him on). Amazing, and inspiring:)

[Possegal]

I was just reading an article, and now I've lost the link, but it was by Danny Chew, who'd done solo RAAM several times. He said that Enduro required that at certain checkpoints, the riders must stop for at least 5 hrs. He went on to explain that some riders did best when they rested 3 hrs. here and 3 hrs. there, and 5 hrs. at once wouldn't have improved their performance or made things safer. He went into some lengthy discussion about other scenarios and basically challenged the idea that having 5 hr. mandatory rest stops did any good.

Nothing came up on my quick search, but it does seem like Jure Robic had a lot to say about Enduro not being the same race.

I seldom go without 8 hours of sleep each night. I can't imagine at all trying to do 2 or 3 hours here and there. My husband could do it. He's done a lot of shift work over the years and seldom sleeps 8 hours straight through. I'm really impressed by the solo RAAM racers. Don't know how they do it!

Ah, he of my hometown and it's "dirty dozen" race that I've posted about here a couple of times. :)
http://www.dannychew.com/dd.html

Congrats Kacie and all involved. What an amazing accomplishment.

[kacie tri-ing]

I probably won't get the chance to put down my thoughts for a couple of weeks, because we are yravelling but I promise to post them here! We loved and appreciated al of your support So much!!!

[Tri Girl]

Congrats, Kacie and team! Just amazing!!! :)
Can't wait to read your thoughts about it all when you get them down!!

[carolp]

saw you on the road. I was crewing for Team4HIVHope. Hope you had a great ride!

[Pedal Wench]

Thanks everyone for the love and support! It really helped when things weren't going great. Due to the rotation that never quite went according to plan at first, it seemed like Kacie ended up riding in the dark for the first 3 or 4 days, and my shift never had time to sleep. Knowing you guys were cheering us on was so helpful for me!

I absolutely loved every minute of riding - it's everything else that was hard. The riding is exactly what I've been training to do - just point me in the right direction (typically, EAST!) and I'll just go until you tell me to stop. I did better than I ever expected to, especially coming in so late in the game, so I'm thrilled to have completed it.

I want to make a very public special thanks to Kacie for inviting me onto this adventure. I hope I can do it again, maybe on a smaller team so I can get more riding in!!!!

[kacie tri-ing]

PW--serious love to you!

You guys/gals, she joined the team at the very last minute when we were in a serious lurch, and she performed SO well.

It was a great experience!

Here is my first shot at a recap, though I did it very quickly while I was home for a very short period of time!
http://kacietri-ing.blogspot.com/2012/07/we-made-it.html