“World’s Toughest Bike Race”
2010 RAAM route - Click for full-size view
The grueling coast-to-coast Race Across AMerica (RAAM) has been held every year since 1982.
The race starts at The Oceanside Pier in Oceanside, California (halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego). The route runs 3021 miles through 16 states, ending at The City Dock in Annapolis, Maryland.
Solo women start June 8, solo men start June 9, and all teams start on June 12. Teams can be composed of two, four or eight riders.
Solo or team, all racers ride around the clock, only taking a break when they decide they need sleep or food. The record for solo men is 8 days, 9 hours, 47 minutes. Solo women, 9 days, 4 hours, 2 minutes. For teams in our division, a four-man team in the 50-59 age group, the record is 5 days, 8 hours, 17 minutes. We’re hoping to finish in 7 days.
Although RAAM itself is not a charity, more than half of the entrants use RAAM as a platform to raise funds for their favorite charity. In each of the past four years, racers raised more than $1,000,000. RAAM gives out the Lon Haldeman Award each year to the team or individual that raises the most money for the charity of their choice. In 2009 the GCG raised over $82,000 and came in a very close second overall for this prize. With the help of Team in Training, the Georgia Chain Gang’s goal is to raise $160,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in 2010!
RAAM 2010 Profile
