What do you get when you mix four female triathletes, 13 volunteer crewmembers, three vehicles and 2,992 miles of open roads? - An adventure of a lifetime! Team ZISVAW completed the 2002 RAAM in 7 days, 14 hours and 55 minutes, a day and a bit short of their record-breaking goal. Crossing the finish line in Florida was just the icing on the cake for this happy-go-lucky team and crew. Over the course of a week, this group of individuals became one and shared a life-changing experience. They overcame injury, sleep-deprivation, short tempers and cramped quarters; wind, cold, rain, heat, thunder and lightening; dogs, frogs, snakes and mosquitoes; and days without bathing. This team, along with everyone who has competed in RAAM, experienced what teamwork, dedication, sacrifice and friendship really means.

Rolling into Oklahoma, Team ZISVAW ran into a gentleman during a rider exchange: "Where ya all comin' from?

"Portland."

"Well, where ya all goin'?"

"Florida."

"Well, that just ain't right!"

This air of insanity is the general sentiment from everyone who asks what RAAM is all about; however, when talking to anyone who has competed in this amazing event, you will quickly understand that it is so much more!

Team ZISVAW's RAAM adventure began one year prior to the June, 2002 start in Portland, OR, when Valerie (our team captain) organized our four-person team.

We were a group of women, ages 40 to 54:

• Valerie - 2-time Team RAAM veteran (rider and crew member) and triathlete/duathlete
• Anne- triathlete/duathlete and mother of four
• Lyn- record holder for consecutive Hawaii Ironman finishes (20) and Team RAAM veteran
• Karen- triathlete/duathlete and mother of two

We were from different areas of the country: Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.

We had one common goal: Breaking the record for an all-women, four-person team.

During the year-long lead-up to the event, we had lots of planning and training to do. We first organized our crew, and they were even more diverse than the riders: a college student, bike mechanic, school superintendent, retiree, medical school student, massage therapist, and chiropractor. They all added their individual expertise and flavor to our newly formed "family." They were:

• Doug V. - crew chief
• Leigh Anne - assistant chief
• Doug C. - head navigator
• Dee Dee - chef, and massage therapist
• Jim - Mr. RV
• Tracey - Chiropractor, massage therapist
• Joel - massage therapist
• Marty - Mechanic
• Julie - rider assistant
• Warren - driver, navigator
• Winthrop - driver, navigator
• Pat - rider assistant
• Lanie - rider chief

We then hired a coach to organize our training and focus us on our goal. Next, we identified a sponsor, Zonta (a service organization that works to advance the status of women worldwide) and a cause, ZISVAW (Zonta International Strategies for Eradicate Violence Against Women and Children). We all kept in contact via email over the year, getting to know one another, sharing ideas and getting psyched up for the physical and mental test of our lifetimes.

The logistics of planning for this cross-country excursion were never-ending. We had to arrange for vehicles, equip them and get them out to Portland and then back from Florida; clothe the crew and riders; make hotel and flight reservations; find out what kind of food everyone ate and purchase supplies. The "to-do" list was huge, and everyone pitched in right from the beginning, establishing our solid base of teamwork that was to get us safely across the country. The year flew by, and, as the riders logged in their miles and items were checked off our list, we quickly found ourselves three days out from the start of the race at the hotel in Portland.

For many in our group, Portland was the first time that we ever met face-to-face; and it was evident from the start: we had already blended to form a great team. During the pre-race meeting, a race official stated, "Your crew cannot win the race for you, but they sure can lose it." As the ride unfolded, it became evident what a wonderful crew we had assembled.

They were the glue for our team: they kept us fueled, massaged our sore muscles, washed our clothes, illuminated our way, made sure we slept, kept us safe, bolstered our spirits, and entertained us in the dark of night- and all that with smile. It was amazing to see a group of people, who put their own lives on hold for 10 days, do all that they could do, mentally and physically, to get our team of riders safely from Oregon to Florida- and have tons of fun along the way.

From the cool, rainy Pacific Coast, up and over the technical climbs and descents of the Rockies, along the never-ending flat and windy roads of Oklahoma, through the mosquito and frog swarms of Arkansas, racing along the dog-infested roads of Mississippi and sweating through the stifling summer air of Alabama - we laughed and joked our way, enjoying every (well almost) minute of our journey. During our week-long trek and the time leading up to the race, we developed friendships and created memories that will last a lifetime.

We all tested our physical and mental limits, discovering strengths and weaknesses that until then, we did not know existed. RAAM provided us all with the backdrop to test our limits - we all found successes and failures along the way, but most importantly we discovered the spirit of adventure, the meaning of teamwork and the indominability of the will to achieve.

"RAAM provided us all with the backdrop to test our limits."

The following quotes from some of TEAM VISVAW's crew members capture the essence of the trip:

"Consider taking 17 adults who live their lives differently from each other, put them under incredible stress, rob them of sleep and shove them into the very tight quarters of an RV. And watch what happens! Well, what did happen was so damn admirable! In spite of personality quirks, conflicts, confrontation, you all managed to find a way to navigate the tricky waters and stay focused on the mission at hand - getting us all to Florida alive and well. During all my years of competing and Ironman experiences, I have always felt that the physical aspects of events are the least important part - friendships, connections and humor are truly the things that are worth taking home."

"I came to RAAM to test my ability as a professional. It is easy to fix bikes in a shop full of tools and parts, but could I do a good job at three o'clock in the morning while being attached by mosquitoes? I thought that was the most important thing that I would take home from RAAM - but I was wrong. The sense of teamwork, the concern of the crew for the riders, the riders for the race, and everyone for each other is much more important than the race itself. The lack of sleep, silly string and water guns made for one great time. I woke up early in the morning on Monday, sat up in bed and was convinced that I had fallen asleep and missed a rider-exchange. Where was the rider, what time was it? It took a minute or two to remember that the race was over and that I was back home! I guess that RAAM sticks with you for a long time."

"I just want to say to everyone how much fun it was at RAAM. I made a lot of new friends on our way across the country and had a lot of fun. As for the riders, all I have for them is praise for the great effort they put forward. We were not able to reach our goal of a new record, but the important thing is that they put out a great effort and had fun doing it."

"For now, thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the adventure of a lifetime. I had no ideas that RAAM could have such an impact, but it did. I feel as if I've shifted somehow inside since returning home and I'm still waiting to fully arrive and get back to the workings of this other life. But RAAM keeps coming back. It happens when I'm driving and see a cyclist and I suppress the urge to turn on flashers and pull slowly behind him. It happens when I'm in my office when I'm working with someone; conscious of the fact that I might need to step around multiple coolers and brace myself for bumps. It happens when I roll over in the night and suddenly realize I'm not lying next to one, two or three of you. It happens when I see the skies above and smile and realize that life is good. I have new friends in my life and I've been inspired by more than legs pedaling a bike. Thanks everyone. I can't stop smiling about my RAAM experience."

If you are ever provided the opportunity to participate in RAAM, jump at the chance- it sure to be the adventure of a lifetime.




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