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This is who we are and why we love to ride. Just a small insight into our background and how we got to this stage in the game. Why a race across 3000+ miles in about a week is an opportunity and not a drag. We got a fair amount of advice and experience while building our team - here's one that nails it:
You want people that can and will ride their bike with 2 broken legs and their hair on fire, not people who are gonna crap out after 800 miles because "they're just not into it."
RIDEr / instigator / Race organizer
 Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Yearly Milage: 7,500 - 10,000
Age: 36
Height: 6'0"
Strengths: Climbing, T2 and not bonking
Weaknesses: Swimming and rest days
Favorite gear : 53/12
Favorite Fuel : Oreo Blizzard
Always on the hunt for adventure, Eric dreams of his next challenge before his current one ends. The two-time Ironman has ridden from San Diego to Washington DC, Rome to Barcelona, Glacier Park to Yuma, Vancouver to Mexicali and Toronto to Rhode Island (the last on a mountain bike with only a sleeping bag, cash and a tool kit of essentials). These incredible experiences have fueled a lifetime of memories: Screaming downhill at upwards of 55 mph; Climbing continuously for over 25 miles; Tracing 136 miles of the Blue Ridge in a single day--fully loaded with gear; Riding eight centuries in as many days; Covering countless miles and meeting even more personalities. All in pursuit of the important truth: What is his limit?
In preparation for RAAM he plans on heating up in the winter months with the Vuelta de los Nueve Faros, hammering the Tour of California and racing Ironman Arizona and Ironman St. Croix 70.3. Then after racing across the country, Eric has his sights set on riding through Portugal and Spain, enjoying Total 200 v4 and organizing Endure 24. Eric resides on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Rides & Races
+ 3 Total 200 (2005, 2006, 2007): A one day, 200 mile: Race organizer and rider, 21mph avg
+ 2 Ironman USA (2006, 2007): Best time is 10:43
+ Vuelta de los Nueve Faros (2006): A 3-day, 375 mile ride circumnavigating Puerto Rico
+ 2 Cross Country Self Supported trips (4700 miles in 56 days, 3100 miles in 28 days)
+ 2 Canada to Mexico trips (2003, 2005): Rocky Mountain route, West Coast route
+ 100+ century rides (100 miles or more: 1993-present)
+ 3 AIDS Benefit Rides (NC to Washington DC): 3 day supported ride
+ Rome to Barcelona Self Supported trip
+ Seattle to San Francisco Self Supported trip
+ Toronto to Providence, Rhode Island Self Supported trip
RIDER
 Hometown: Washington, DC
Yearly Milage: 6,000 - 7,500
Age: 29
Height: 5'11"
Strengths: Desire and punishment
Weaknesses: Kryptonite and others not worth mentioning
Favorite FUEL: Chocolate shake
Born and raised in Washington, DC, Patrick has been an athletic fiend from an early age. His first passions were swimming, crew and soccer. Biking was mostly considered a mode of transportation until Patrick's high school crew coach challenged him to his first duathlon (run-bike-run) in 1994. He soon fell in love with multi-sport races and became a bicycle messenger, racing around DC during the summers. Patrick credits his racing skills to his practice at bike messenger time trials.
In college, Patrick rowed and played water polo for Dartmouth while working as a bike messenger and competing in triathlons in the off-season. Since college, he has competed in dozens of triathlons, placing in the top three in his age group several times, and completed many long-distance cycling events. In 2006, Patrick raced as a Cat 3/4 rider with the Jamaica Cycling Federation while living in Kingston. Now back in DC, he is a stalwart presence at many DC Triathlon club workouts and events.
Rides & Races
+ 2-person cross country ride in 2002: 3,300 miles in 31 consecutive days and no rest days, unsupported (carrying the tent, stove sleeping bags, etc.)
+ 2 Total 200 (2005, 2006): A one day, 200 mile ride near Washington, DC with Team Xtreme4's Eric Goetz.
+ Hero's Day Kingston-Negril: A 1-day, 143 mile ride in Jamaica from Kingston to Negril.
+ Vuelta de los Nueve Faros (2006): A 3-day, 375 mile ride circumnavigating Puerto Rico also with Team Xtreme4's Eric Goetz.
RIDER
 Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Yearly Milage: 5,000 - 6,500
Age: 29
Height: 6’1"
Strengths: Climbing, drafting, and keeping going
Weaknesses: Candy
Favorite saying: “The only good race pace is suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die.” – Steve Prefontaine
A native of Portland, Oregon, Philip fell in love with bikes during his first multi-day ride in 6th grade when he rode with a group around the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Until recently, however, biking was merely a hobby/minor obsession and a way to get to and from swim practice in high school and college. This swimming background helped him with his leg-shaving skills, which of course carry over to cycling. Since taking up triathlons in 2005, his time in the saddle has rapidly increased, along with his desire to ride longer, further and faster. RAAM 2008 will surely satisfy that desire. By his calculation the riding time he’ll spend preparing for and competing in RAAM 2008 will help him in his quest to place high in his age group at Ironman Wisconsin later in the year.
Rides & Races
+ 2007 Savageman Triathlon: 1st place relay (bike leg)
+ 2007 Mountaineer Half Ironman: 7th age group
+ 2007 Lake Montclair Triathlon: 3rd Age group
+ 2007 Mid-Atlantic club championships, North East Triathlon: 3rd age group, 15th overall
+ Multiple century rides
Swimming
+ Portland High School city champion: 200 IM, 200 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke. 1995, 1996.
+ Colorado College record holder: 400 IM, 200 backstroke, 800 freestyle relay, 200 medley relay.
1997-2001 (some still current)
+ 2007 Potomac River 7.5-mile swim: 3rd place
RIDER
 Hometown: Flourtown, Pennsylvania
Yearly Milage: 3,500 - 5,000
Age: 27
Height: 6’0"
Strengths: Attitude, perseverance, swimming
Weaknesses: Chocolate
Favorite HANG OUT: Tryst Coffee Shop
Mantra: Be true to yourself, follow your heart, go after your dreams.
Paul got into biking about two years ago after deciding to jump head-first into triathlon. Since then he has come to embrace cycling as both a sport and a way to further his wanderlust. Whether riding challenging courses along Caribbean shorelines or covering 200 miles in a single day for charity (http://total200.com), it's the camaraderie and travel that he enjoys most. When asked about his favorite type of excursion one thing comes to mind: leisurely coffee shop rides turned epic.
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It takes a whole team to race in the most grueling race in the world. We are in the four person team category, which means we ride as a relay from start to finish. And the riders depend on an entire support crew - about 3 crew members for each rider during the race. And leading up to the event there are even more people involved with logistics, promotions, coaching, training events, health, nutrition and morale support just to name a few. Meet the team that's making it happen:
Riders
Crew & Support
      
Check out what they have to say on the blog. |
