At the Start

RAAM 2009

Wednesday 17th June 2009

The race started at noon today (3pm EasternDaylightTime) in perfect cycling conditions, overcast, around 60º F (16º C) and with a light tail wind. There was a staggered start with each racer leaving one minute apart, Daniel started at 12:30 (15:30 EDT). An impressive group of individuals, with many amazing feats between them. One soloist holds the record for running 100miles whilst pulling a 40 pound sled and had completed/won(?) a tri-ironman – that’s an ironman (3 mile swim, 128 bike, marathon) x 3, another had done the Geneva marathon 20 times, a few had climbed Everest, one of the women holds the record for the quin-ultimate ironman and has also sumitted the 7 peaks of the 7 continents and completed a few long distance swims including the English Channel and so it goes on…This is a group of very strong ultra-distance individuals. I had to go for a lie down after waving them off just thinking about their achievements!

Dan was relaxed, in good spirits and eager to get the show on the road today. He slept for ten hours last night so he’s well rested and ready for the challenge. His bikes have been set up so that he is in a more upright position (thanks to JD for analysing Jure Robic’s bike set up!) to try and avoid the neck issues that plagued him on his last race but rest assured the team are prepared should these issues reappear. Also one of the team, Jay, is a bike mechanic on loan from Sun, Ski and Sports and he’s going to be invaluable I think.
The plan is to try and sleep in the night, so whereas last year he rode for 26+ hours for the first 400 miles (making it the longest day of his race) to get ahead of the curve so to speak this year his first day may indeed be shorter than others.
The racer stats do not seem to be available on the offical site as yet but as of 24:00 (EST) Dan had covered 175 miles in 9 hours. The plan is to cycle another 75miles tonight then eat and sleep to get into a pattern of sleeping for around four hours, off the bike for five during the hours of darkness.
One of the crew (Alan Bazard) has set up a tracker which is working well at the moment, although we’re not sure how it will work once the team are in the mountains.
Daniel reached Time Station 2 at 2337(EDT).