 |
  
|
  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | ||||||||||||||||||||
RAAM: Simple as a Rubik's CubeBy Carol Hyman June 21, 2011 This post was written on June 17, the day before the race began.
In some ways, the Race Across America is simple: an individual or a team rides as fast as they can from one coast to another. Easy, no? But even if you don't count the months or even years of training to be able to accomplish such a feat, the Race Across America is anything but simple. For Team4HIVHope, the preparation has been meticulous and methodical, thanks to our Crew Chief, Sandra Smith. She has spent months poring over spreadsheets to schedule crew, nutrition needs, supplies and a myriad of other details. But just when we think we're ready, a twist or turn occurs and sets everything on its head. Today, a day before the race, two crew pulled out, including the bike mechanic. Now, each racer has great skills as a bike tech, but they have a far greater responsibility, so suddenly being without a "wrench" is a huge problem. But the team has pulled together and has started calling everyone we know to see if we can find a replacement. We do have someone bringing us bike tools and we are confident that someone will turn up in the next 12 or so hours. We have to be confident. In addition, the schedule will have to be rejiggered because even if (or should I say when) we get a bike tech, we are still short a crew member. So once again, Sandra is back to the drawing board. But she knows we will all pick up the slack. Last night, our nurse, Michelle, arrived. She is an essential crew member for a team with three team members with HIV, along with around half the crew. She will be keeping a close eye on our racers to make sure they remain healthy, despite their monumental task. Today we had final inspection of our bicycles and vehicles. We have four support vehicles: two vans, one "gofer" car and an RV. They have to have lights mounted just so, and signage attached in specific places. The racers' shoes, helmets, bicycles and wheels had to be tagged in specific ways as well. We were all out at the vehicles at 7 am this morning to make sure everything was ready. We caravanned down to race headquarters and passed inspection with flying colors. The racers were then photographed and we headed back to our last night in a real bed in the hotel. The racers will get beds in the RV but the crew will catch sleep where and when we can. That also goes for showers. We will be scouting out camp grounds and cheap motels on the route. And thank goodness for Action Wipes donating a big supply to us. It could otherwise get unbearable in tight quarters. We have meetings later in the day, including an all-crew dinner meeting this evening. There is no question we are apprehensive and excited. But I think we're ready. Get e-mail notifications every time Team4HIVHope's blog is updated.
Add Your Comment:
(Please note: Your name and comment will be public, and may even show up in
Internet search results. Be careful when providing personal information! Before adding your comment, please read TheBody.com's Comment Policy.) |
BLOG:
Race Across America: Team4HIV Hope Cycles to Raise Awareness and to Win  Team 4 HIV Hope The Race Across America is a bicycle race in which cyclists ride 3,000 miles/4,800km from Oceanside, Calif., to Annapolis, Md., in June each year. There is about 110,000 feet of climbing involved. This year for relay teams begins on June 18. RAAM is not a stage race such as the Tour de France. In RAAM, there is only one stage: start to finish. It is essentially a time trial, but a very long one! Challenges include heat, deserts, violent winds, thunderstorms, riding at night, sleep deprivation, muscle injuries and mental acuity. And for the HIV-positive riders, there are more health challenges. An HIV-trained nurse is part of their crew. "Like" Team4HIVHope on Facebook! Follow Team4HIVHope on Twitter! Subscribe to Team4HIV Hope's Blog:
Recent Posts:
May 23, 2012 - Boston Scientist Takes His Lab on the Road: A Blog Entry by Team4HIVHope
December 2, 2011 - Meet the 2012 Team4HIVHope Racers: A Blog Entry by Carol Hyman July 17, 2011 - Reflections on the RAAM Adventure: A Blog Entry by Don Smith July 6, 2011 - Good Work Was Done: A Blog Entry by Don Smith July 5, 2011 - What's Next for Team4HIVHope? A Blog Entry by Carol Hyman A Brief Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by TheBody.com's bloggers are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheBody.com itself. |
 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
The Body: About The Body | Contact The Body | Content Policy | Content Providers | Advertise With Us | Site Map The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 250 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10107. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Email
Comments
Print-Friendly
Glossary
Subscribe
