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RAAM 2009

Race Day 1

After four days of hard work, Team Inspiration made their way to Betty’s Lot in Oceanside for the start of the Race Across America 2009. The NAVY Seals parachuted down onto the beach, all the racers gathered at the start line, and at 12.35pm Jim and the crew began their epic journey across the US.

The first crew on shift waited anxiously at mile 21 for Jim, as this was the first time since the start that they would see him. He was looking really strong, despite the high temperatures and a few steep climbs. For the rest of the day (until 8pm), the crew provided leapfrog support every 8-10miles – making sure that Jim had everything he needed, was comfortable, and so that we could give him some strong words of encouragement. Just seeing him cycling around the corner was a great feeling for the awaiting team, after developing such a close bond with Jim after the last few months, knowing that he was ok and those pedals were still pedalling gave the crew a massive lift.

We have seen some amazing things today; a 10mile decent called the Glass Elevator, saw Jim reaching speeds of 40-50mph and descending from 4224ft to 1138ft, which provided some of the most unbelievable views as we headed down to Borrego Springs. Shortly after Borrego Springs, Jim headed towards the Southern California high desert which saw Jim facing 100 degree temperatures, drifting sand, bone dry arid-desert air, and the lowest elevation of RAAM of -190ft. In the face of all this, he persevered with the aid of a strong tail wind and a tightly organised crew. Shortly after dark he reached time station two, where the first crew changeover occurred like a finally tuned piece of machinery….he’s strong, doing well.
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Race Day 2

1530, Prescott, Arizona (Time station 6)

The sun rose over the Arizona desert at 4.30 this morning. Jim had been cycling for 16 hours and had already covered 250 miles. He completed a gruelling 30 mile stretch on a busy interstate with heavily laden rigs flying past within inches, at 80 miles an hour. The rising sun lit up for the crew typical Wild West country just like in the movies. Cacti towered over us and vultures and eagles hovered overhead. We even went past the ‘OK Corall’ in Hope!

As Jim drove on to the time station in Salome, in his determination he neglected both his fluid and nutritional intake. This left him exhausted and uncharacteristically quiet. His crew applied appropriate TLC with Phil giving a massage, Kevin applying reskins to his saddle area (lucky Kevin!), Lindsey replenishing his bottles and Sarah warming a nice bowl of porridge. Back on the road after 20 minutes Jim was rejuvenated with a smile back on his face, pumping at his pedals.

With a couple of minor setbacks Jim is well up on last year’s time and looking strong. The sound system has not proved man enough for the Arizona heat and he has also had one puncture.

It’s unusually mild in Arizona for this time of year – only 100 degrees in the shade! It feels like sitting in a sauna so Jim has found the cooling effect of the ‘Energicer’ fluid applied to his wrist bands particularly beneficial.

As a 3 time veteran, Jim seems to be very well respected wherever we go. Other racers and crew are always asking us how he is getting on and to pass on their regards. It makes us proud to be part of ‘Team Inspiration’.

The off crew are currently waiting in Walmart’s car park in Prescott, Arizona for Jim’s arrival. Over the last few hours he has been climbing to over 6,000 feet and is 400 miles into the race. Jure Robic is currently the race leader having an awesome average speed of about 20 miles an hour and is looking well set to break his own record and get his fifth win. Watch this space for the update.
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Race Day 3

Three days into the RAAM 2009 and things are going well. Jim is well up in relation to his previous attempts and in accordance with his race plan. Of course Jim is sleep deprived, that was always the plan. Of course he is in pain, that’s a given on RAAM. It’s a real pity that the sound system failed – through heat exhaustion on day 1. We have managed to rig up some basic music coming from the crew’s ipods and such like but the tannoy doesn’t work at all. We have a basic walkie-talkie type arrangement but Jim’s earpiece is uncomfortable and unreliable. We have had to pull alongside more frequently than we like in traffic to communicate properly with Jim. It is adding to Jim’s solitude.

We have had news that many riders have been dropping out. Although this is a race and it’s every man for him self, we all feel for those who put so much effort in to get themselves so far and don’t get to the finish. We responded to a request from fellow Brit, Richard Newey’s crew. It seems that he has been suffering from the dreaded “Sherman’s neck”. This happens when the neck extensor muscles fatigue from the unremitting strain of carrying the weight of the head in the leaning forward racing position. Jim suffered badly from this in 2007 and his inventive crew designed and built an ingenious frame with a chin strap to hold the weight of the riders head with a waistband anchorage. We could help and so we did as Jim’s seemed in pretty good shape to this point given the frequent massages and chiropractic adjustments.
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Race Day 4

Jim got into Durango at 04.09 local time. Initially he wanted a 2 hrs sleep but ended up having a shower and some food to warm him up after a cold night cycle. After a 40 minute sleep we were ready to go at 6am all clean and fed.

We set off along the historic Spanish trail and Navajo Reservoir fed by the San Juan River. Jim was in very good spirits having spoken to Tracey on route between hill climbs. Thankfully the weather was cooler today having had 2 days in the blistering heat we welcomed the cooler climate, but sadly this turned to rain and poor Jim had a few hours of cycling in a torrential downpour.

Text messages read out to him by the crew helped to lift his spirits and keep him pedalling. Thank you to those that sent them, Mike and Sue, Helena, Lynda, Dave, Garry and of course Tracey (sorry if anybody has been left off the list!).

All this support and encouragement for Jim helps to keep him going with a smile on his face, and helped us take him on to the San Juan National Forrest and then on to New Mexico. We are signing off as a thunderstorm comes in (so as to move the RV onto Antonito). As this crew leaves Jim we know he has two big climbs to the highest elevation point in RAAM…..

….. update 9.40pm local time, we have just spoken to the other crew that are with Jim and he has now reached 1000 miles, 1/3 of the distance! He is extremely tired but aiming to reach us here at Taos, time station 18, where we have a bed in the Best Western waiting for him. Well done Jim
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Race Day 5

Jim left Taos this morning having enjoyed 2.5 hours of good sleep, a bath, real food instead of gels and drink meal substitutes, a massage and chiropractic care. Rare treats for RAAM participants. Last night was tough and so it was good to see Jim revived and raring to go. Only 1,973.3 miles to go to complete RAAM!

Jim climbed for over 18 miles to 2,600ft of which 1,000ft were over a 4 mile stretch. Jim did this spectacularly well and passed Franz Priehs on route. He then headed to the Rockies, around the stunning green coated mountains. Wow, what a dramatic transformation from Arizona. The next lap on the journey was another sudden change from green and mountainous to dry and flat as we entered the Great Plains and into ‘Springer’. This triggered many sniggers as we passed various points of interest, such as ‘Springer’s Brown Hotel’, as Springer is Lindsey’s surname!

The route from Springer towards Clayton was an endless long straight road, with totally flat, dry and barren landscape and temperatures of 90 degrees. Jim had been flying all day and he and Kevin were pleased to receive Fathers Day text messages from back home. The sudden change though to a less interesting constant landscape and at high temperatures started to take its toll on Jim manifesting in a nosebleed and a tendency towards fluid retention. Despite this, he has done so well today and the team is so impressed with the sheer effort Jim has put in. As the crew’s swap over, Jim is still going strong, eating up the miles and heading for an area known as Tornado Alley!
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Race Day 6

Jim grabbed a quick nap for 90 minutes in the support car last night – well this morning really, after riding for 1,600 miles in 135 hours. He was surprisingly energetic and focused. He settled quickly into his stride at daybreak riding through early mist patches that were quickly burnt away by the morning sunshine. He went through time stations eager to hear the positions of other the riders around him but our best information still came from family and friends back home. Unfortunately the erratic coverage of the cellular phone system here leaves us completely in the dark for many hours at a time. Even communication between vehicles is difficult because as soon as one moves into coverage, the other moves out.

The road between Fort Scott, Kansas and Weaubleau, Missouri was like a roller coaster in that the countryside undulated over a hundred rise and falls. Jim drove on and cracked jokes with his crew although the road was also difficult because of the high speed and close proximity of the heavy traffic. The temperatures again went to over 100°F and Jim tried cooling his legs by applying elastic bandages soaked in a product called “Energice” which evaporates over time and cools the skin a little. The experiment was such a success that he replaced the wrist bands that he had been using with full forearm bandages and resembled an Egyptian Mummy on a bike!
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Race Day 7

We arrived at Jefferson City and the State Capitol Building with magnificent views over the Missouri River. Whilst waiting for Jim our crew was taken on a mini-tour of the monumental Congress Hall and were grateful to the very kind official who acted as our guide and allowed us in the building after hours.

Sleep deprivation for the riders is now extending to the crew. Jim has been hallucinating again; he has now believed he has spotted a panther in a field. Also, Phil the crew chief drove off on his own having dreamt that he has been left behind.

Jim had a 2 hour break in Jefferson City and rested in the back of the van and we set off about 4.30am local time. The road to Washington, Missouri took us over both the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers but was very busy and narrow making riding and driving intense. Our rate behind a bicycle frustrated some local drivers whose lack of patience required our driving to be very protective of Jim.

All day the temperature remained in the high 90’s but high humidity made conditions uncomfortable. The expected storms didn’t materialise apart from an odd shower, which provided a welcome coolness to the heat.

Jim’s neck deteriorated during the day and despite attention became unbearable to the point he put on his brace from his 2007 RAAM. This belts a frame to his waist and loops a chin strap to prevent flexion of the spine. ½ an hour of wearing this proved to be enough to provide relief and another spurt of energy for Jim.

Jim’s position in the race is good. He continues to play leap frog with several other riders who are tracking at about a similar pace. He has passed through the two thirds mark in under 7 days. He now needs to increase his pace over the flatter part of the course if he is able to take up the British record.

Jim had various targets before the race. The ultimate of these was to break the British record of Mark Pattison who finished 2nd last year in 9 days, 17 hours and 12 minutes. His current position makes this a possibility. He has a huge amount to do and is playing ‘catch up’ but it is still possible. His team is right behind him.

Go Jim – not long now!
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Race Day 8

This has proved to be one of the most eventful days of the race. The weather turned nasty in the most dramatic way. On the way into Ohio, Jim had been looking strong. He worked his way past four of a pack of riders who had been jockeying for position and now had American Kevin Kaiser in his sights – metaphorically that is, he was actually 15 minutes down at the time station. Shortly into Ohio the first of the storms broke and Jim rested and changed into waterproofs in a petrol station. The heavens opened and the sky lit up. Heavy rain made progress impossible even for cars and a sheltering policeman warned us that another storm was on its way soon after this one. When the downpour eased to just heavy, Jim was off again and we hoped that we might miss the next storm. Our hopes were dashed and the ferocity of the next storm dwarfed the previous one. Lightning hit a telegraph pole only yard away and it burst into flames. Water flooded on the road to above Jim’s wheel hub and we had to get him into the vehicle. The phones again struggled to keep the crews in touch with each other and the handover was made in the chaos of the storm.

After several hours were lost, the real situation was found to be worse than thought. The crew had managed to go off course in the poor visibility and some of the distance covered in the most difficult conditions had been done so for no reason. Just to rub salt into the wounds, word came back that Kevin Kaiser had just missed the storm and his lead had leapt from 15 minutes to nearly 4 hours!
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Race Day 9

The crew switched at Athens Ohio for the slow journey ahead. Jim began to struggle with the constant climbs and concentrations required for the US50 interstate. Twilight hours turned to pitch black and high speeds of other drivers on the road made the journey arduous and very tiring.

The Team Inspiration Crew experienced difficulty in getting Jim to understand the correct procedure for dangerous interstate lane changes and to keep him awake and alert until they reached safe places to pull over for powernaps. So far into the race, Jim’s exhaustion is as apparent in his mental state as his physical. His conversation is frequently near incoherent and his moods peak and trough.
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Race Day 10

As 4am approached and travels speeds reduced from 10 miles per hour to a virtual stop, the priority was to get Jim a proper sleep for an hour rather than try and meet the next time station.  Team work was crucial as Phil was needed to continually speak to Jim to keep him awake. Kevin who was exhausted from 12 hours of excellent but extremely difficult driving also began to fade. A line of team work operation was started fuelled by caffeine based drinks, Lindsey keeping Kevin awake, Kevin feeding instructions to Phil to instruct Jim safely on the road and Phil talking to Jim and trying to keep him alert by playing Alphabet games and just about anything else we could all think of. Jim and the crew reached safety for a rest stop in the car park of a residential home just outside Clarksburg, in the early hours of the morning. Jim set off again as the sun began to rise, he headed for the Appalachian Mountains and just 340 more miles to the finish line. This should be the final leg of this extraordinary event for Jim.
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Race Day 11

The Appalachian Mountains seemed like they were going to be a cruel end to this incredible race. After completing most of 3000 miles, to face a relentless succession of climb after climb looked like a sick joke in the route book. This however was Jim’s territory. Just when the chasing pack with the massively powerful Claudio Clarindo following, might have expected to reel Jim in, Jim came into his own. A relay team vehicle overtook us and set up for a changeover ahead of us whilst their rider tucked in behind Jim. We expected the replacement rider’s fresh legs to take him straight past. Jim was having none of it and up he jumped to stand on his pedals. Their crew sportingly clapped Jim as he rode past and then they swapped riders. Again their support vehicle over took us and they set up a mile ahead ready for next changeover but their rider couldn’t reel Jim in. Each of their riders tried and five changeovers later their gentle applause turned to cheering expressing their absolute sporting respect. Moments like these are special in RAAM and define the purpose of sport itself!

Jim’s monumental efforts have placed him way ahead of last year’s time at this point but it is becoming apparent that Mark Pattison’s British record is safe. Jim’s attention was concentrated on staying ahead of chasers Claudio Clarindo and Richard Newey. His hold up in the storms allowed Kevin Kaiser to gain a five hour advantage just when Jim seemed to be reeling him in.

Jim’s strength as a cyclist was most apparent today when he tackled four major climbs in succession, each with a range of around 1000 feet. The last of these is called Sidling Hill and is described in the route book as ‘a walker’. As Jim started this climb a four man team approached. Each of their riders tackled the ascent in succession as a sprint relay. We expected them to fly past but as the climb went on Jim seemed to get stronger and stronger and the relay team had no chance of overtaking! The sportsmanship of RAAM was epitomised by the relay teams crew clapping and cheering Jim all the way to the top.

During Jim’s final night of cycling when the rules insist on him riding within the support vehicles headlights, the support vehicle picked up a flat tyre. This meant Jim had to wait whilst Claudio and Richard closed the gap and the crew set about changing the tyre. This was not a Formula 1 six second change, but pretty close!

Earlier in the race one of the crews picked up a 15 minute penalty for failing to have the headlights on in the middle of the day in bright sunshine. This penalty was sat out at time station 51.

The information that we picked up from RAAM HQ made it clear that if Jim could maintain his progress he could achieve 6th place and his first sub 11 day finish.

The whole crew were able to go to the finish line in Annapolis to cheer Jim over the line. With good local crowds Annapolis is an historical and picturesque seaside town with a large naval academy. It is also here that Kunta Kinte arrived in America in Alex Haley’s ‘Roots’.



Jim was received onto the stage and photographed with his crew and a board with his finish time of 10 days, 20 hours and 52 minutes. A full list can be seen below.

This has been the most amazing experience for all those involved. Jim was emotional and grateful for all of the support and gave thanks to his crew whose state of exhaustion almost matched Jim’s. RAAM is an awesome experience. It presents the most enormous challenges for all involved and tests the riders to the limit. To finish this race once is a tremendous achievement. Jim Rees is the first Britain to complete the solo event three times. Well Done Jim! And well done to all of “Team Inspiration”. Our next time station is a well stocked bar!

Jim said, “This has been the most amazing experience for me and all those involved. I want to thank my crew for the enormous amount of support and dedication that they have given to this challenge. Without them I would never have able to complete the race in the time that I did.”

Finishers:
1st Dani Wyss (Swi) 3021.30 miles – FINISH – 8d 05h 45m (15.28mph)
2nd Gerhard Gulewicz (Aut) 3021.10 miles – 8d 22h 54m (14.06mph)
3rd Marko Baloh (Slo) 3021.10 miles – 9d 21h 44m (12.71mph)
4th Christopher Gottwald (Usa) 3021.10 miles – 10h 12h 46m (11.95mph)
5th Kevin Kaiser (Usa) 3021.10 miles – 10d 17h 03m (11.75mph)
6th Jim Rees (Gbr) 3021.30 miles – 10d 20h 52m (11.58mph)
7th Claudio Clarindo (Bra) 3021.30 miles – 10d 22h 25m (11.51mph)
8th Richard Newey (Gbr) 3021.30 miles – 11d 0h 10m (11.44mph)
9th Ben Popp (Usa) 3021.30 miles – 11d 1h 12m (11.39mph)
10th Daniel Rudge (Usa) 3021.30 miles – 11d 5h 23m (11.22mph)
11th Michael Cook (Usa) 3021.30 miles – 11d 12d 5m (10.94mph)

Non Finishers:
DNFJure Robic (Slo) 2966.70 miles – TS #51 – 8d 2h 40m (15.24mph)
DNFPeter Oyler (Can) 1614.50 miles – TS #27 – 4d 22h 51m (13.58mph)
DNFTony O’Keeffe (Can) 1576.30 miles – TS #26 – 5d 3h 01m (12.81mph)
DNFChristoph Strasser (Aut) 1471.50 miles – TS #21 – 4d 6h 43m (14.33mph)
DNFFranz Preihs (Aut) 1044.10 miles – TS #18 – 3d 11h 08m (12.56mph)
DNFJulian Sanz Garcia (Spa) 934.20 miles – TS #16 – 3d 01h 02m (12.79mph)
DNFJean Marc Velez (Fra) 934.20 miles - TS #16 - 3d 5h 42m (12.02mph)
DNFBill Bradley (Usa) 884.10 miles – TS #15 – 3d 22h 42m (9.34mph)
DNF Patrick Autissier (Fra) 563.00 miles - TS #9 - 2d 01h 59m (11.26mph)
DNF Scott Luikart (Usa) 396.70 miles – TS #6 – 1d 04h 39m (13.85mph)

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