The RAAM Racers
Alejandro Galindo, 26, Los Angeles, CA
What does your cycling background include? How long have you been cycling?
I started cycling competitively my last year in college. However, I have a long history of endurance events that date back to my middle school days. Before collegiate racing I did lots of mountain biking and touring. I’m currently on a racing team.
What do you do for a living?
Software Engineer
How do you balance training, work and your personal life? What does your training entail for a ride like this?
I have a set training schedule for most of my racing season. My work hours are pretty flexible which allows me to put in as many riding hours as needed.
Why are you doing this? When you’re in the middle of Kansas and all you see is farmland and you’re tired of riding, what’s going to keep you motivated to keep riding?
I am doing RAAM for the challenge and experience. Farmland? It beats LA traffic and that hasn’t discouraged me.
Sara Harper, 21, Strongsville OH
Occupation: Exercise Physiology student
College: Kent State University
Biography: Standing at 5’0” tall and 110 lbs., I may be small, but I have big hopes for 2012! As the youngest racer of Team Hope, I am ecstatic to return to RAAM, Race Across America, in June 2012 to compete in the world’s toughest endurance cycling race.
As I age my passion for cycling grows. I began cycling while in high school as cross training method for running and began competing in duathlons at age sixteen. In 2012 I am apart of Snakebite Racing team. The challenge of endurance events entices me. As a severe asthmatic I love being able to push myself to my limit. Call me a career student working towards my Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology. I am fortunate to study what I truly enjoy. Upon my return from RAAM, I will begin a master degree program in the fall.
How long have you known about RAAM? How long afterwards did you decide to enter the race? What triggered your decision? I have known about RAAM since 2009 but never dreamt I would have ever raced in Race Across America. It wasn’t until January 2011 that I seriously considered an opportunity to race with Team Hope. I was extended an offer to race and accepted a few days later. The decision was triggered by the desire by the chance to truly make a difference with Blue Planet Network and to find myself through it all.
Athletic History (cycling results & other): Ultra endurance runner & cyclist - veteran Team Hope 2011 Racer - races in road - cyclocross - cross-country mountain biking - BMX cycling disciplines.
Considering all sports, what were the events or outcomes that most impacted your life in both negative and positive manners? There are three events that come to mind. In 2009 I ran the Rock N’ Roll Arizona Marathon, my first marathon, at age 18. I thought I had pushed myself to the limit. In July 2010 I completed my first 50k trail race but did some damage to both ankles & some tendons. The trails are not my friend by foot. It’s a love/hate relationship. By far the event that impacted my life the most was RAAM 2011. It’s quite challenging to even attempt to put into words.
Who are your heroes? Why? Frank Shorter helped start the running boom in the 1970′s with his 1972 gold medal in the marathon at the summer Olympics. “I started in law school in ’71 and graduated in ’74. So I was training for the Olympics, running or averaging around 20 miles a day and going to law school full time.” -Frank Shorter. He’s my multi-tasking hero. Consistency can be difficult. I currently balancing 2 part-time jobs, 20 school credit hours, 20-25 hours of training each week. Frank gives me hope that it be done. It worked well in 2011 and I am optimistic for 2012!
What intimidates you most about RAAM? The fact that I KNOW what to expect to a certain extent as a veteran RAAM Racer. In particular I am intimidated by the descents in Utah due to wind gusts.
Are you supporting an organization or Charity? Tell us why: We are dedicating the race to bring awareness to the global water crisis and Blue Planet Network making it all meaningful cause. As a veteran RAAM racer, I know what to expect yet the race is still alive and well to provide clean water to those in need.
Favorite quote, either famous or not, that fuels your ambition: “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.” -William Barclay
Andre Husain – 45, Cleveland, Ohio
What does your cycling background include? How long have you been cycling? I’ve been cycling now for over 20 years! Wow! My background includes numerous endurance rides like the Pan Ohio, TOSRV, and many others. Road races, centuries, and century+ rides. I’m really passionate about the sport and the cycling community.
What do you do for a living? National Account Manager
How do you balance training, work and your personal life? What does your training entail for a ride like this? I have a decent number of base miles accumulated this season. In Northern Ohio, because of the harsh winters, I think the goal is always to maintain your fitness! I plan to cross-train, maintain a strict diet, and as the race gets closer, spend some serious time in the saddle climbing (even if it means some weekend trips south).
I make every attempt to train early mornings when possible and when I’m time challenged, at higher intensity.
Why are you doing this? When you’re in the middle of Kansas and all you see is farmland and you’re tired of riding, what’s going to keep you motivated to keep riding? I’ll be motivated by the sense of accomplishment when we cross the finish line and the knowledge that as difficult as it may be at that moment, it’s temporary.
Jin Zidell – 73, Kentfield, CA
College: University of Colorado
How long have you known about RAAM? Late 2010.
How long afterwards did you decide to enter the race? June 26, 2011.
What triggered your decision? I was at the finnish line to congratulate the solo biker and the two teams that biked RAAM 2011 as a benefit for Blue Planet Network: Samin Rizvi, Team Hope, Ride For Your Lives. I have no idea what triggered my decision, it was an on the spot thought, and I kind of a guy who gets a hunch and bets a bunch.
Athletic History (cycling results & other): HIgh school football (1952 to 1956), 60 years of alpine skiing, 35 years of yoga, 25 years of hiking. Nothing completive and no endurance events. Until I started RAAM training i had biked 30 miles in 30 years.
Considering all sports, what were the events or outcomes that most impacted your life in both negative and positive manners? Broken bones from skiing. Skiing, hiking, yoga helped keeping me healthy.
Who are your heroes? Why? My parents, my wife (deceased 11 years ago), Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert (founder of The Natural Step) and Eido T. Shimano (Zen master). All of them taught me the same lesson, each in their own way. And that is the power of intent. Intent is the most powerful human trait. Intent rules. It is the Intensity of intent that can determine how far an idea is carried.
What intimidates you most about RAAM? Only the biking and sleeping.
Are you supporting an organization or Charity? Tell us why: Blue Planet Network whose mission is to provide safe drinking water to rural communities in developing nations. Twice as many people die each year from lack of safe drinking water than from AIDS and malaria combined. And for the one billion people who live at the bottom of the economic pyramid, access to safe drinking water is the first rung on the ladder out of the pit of poverty.
Favorite quote, either famous or not, that fuels your ambition: “Man is at his best when reaching for something beyond his grasp” and “things happen in the readiness of time”. RAAM 2012 is beyond my grasp, however, the readiness of time is at hand.
