Are You Crazy Kent?

First of all, I am not sure I really want to answer the question. Plenty of people have said I am crazy, including my mother. Gotta love mom - tells it like she see it. My new crazy adventure? Compete in Race Across American on a 2 person team. 1500 miles over 8 days, approximately 175 miles every 24 hours. Will burn about 90,000 calories over the 8 days. Going for a 16 mph average - a record, of course. Why not? My training changed dramatically upon my decision, rapidly approaching 300 miles a week - 43 mile per day average, 16 hours a week on the bike and lots of chamois creme - the best ever, made by Beljum Budder, one of our sponsors. My riding partner is the Energizer Bunny - Deborah Georges from the University of Miami Transplant Center. This weekend she is competing in a 24 hour race in Central Florida. It is going to be a blast to ride with her!

Seriously, why I am I doing this, given that this the first time I have done RAAM? I trace it back to my early days of running. The pundits (and my Jr. High Gym Teacher) said I was too skinny and sickly to be a runner (whatever), that I would not be good enough to compete at the collegiate level (wrong again) and that I would not break 3 hours in my first marathon. Uh, ran 2:31, qualified for Boston, where I ran 2:29 and finished in the top 1%. Became a top age group finisher in road and mountain bike duathlons in my mid-30's. I am blessed with a strong engine. Look, I have nothing to prove to others anymore. It is now all about capturing all I can from life - going for it 100%. 2 years ago I weighed 240 (today I tip the scale at 176, with 12% body fat), could barely see my toes and was telling myself that life was basically over. I was washed up. WRONG! In a moment's decision, I changed my mind and began to live again.

The race begins 16 weeks and 2 days from today. Will check back in as Spring rolls on...

Kent