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Boston, MA, June 15th, 2005 (Day - 4)
We are just 4 days before the start. This Newsletter will be the last one from Boston. Tomorrow morning, we fly to the West Coast. Everything is almost all set. Bikes are in their bike cases, thanks to Joël who arrived last Monday from Paris, France. Today Olivier and Jérôme arrive from the Guadeloupe Island. Tonight, for the first time, almost all the crew will be there to check the last minute details. Only the new recruit, Steve, the video cameraman who lives in LA, will be missing. He will join us in San Diego on Saturday. We’ll take tonight as an opportunity get to know each other better, because we are going to live basically in the RV for the next 2 weeks.
After writing about training and nutrition, another key point in this kind of race is the sleep. With the help of Claudio Stampi, one of the world’s sleep management specialists, we planned my sleep schedule. Claudio’s idea is very simple: if I have only 3 to 4 hours of sleep per day, it’s better to take several sleep breaks rather than taking the whole thing at once. It’s called “Power nap”. This strategy has been used by most of the competitive sailors around the world, and allowed Ellen MacArthur, the British superstar, to win several major races. In my case, I should take a long 2 to 3h sleep break in the middle of the night, a medium one (30’ to 40’) in the beginning of the afternoon, and a very short one (15’-20’) around 9 pm. Obviously, it’s going to be difficult to follow this schedule the first day of the race. All the solo riders will start very fast, there will be a lot of excitement, and I’ll still be strong. It’s unlikely that I’ll sleep the first night. But, I will have to follow this schedule very quickly, let’s say at Day 2, otherwise I will pay the full price later on. Anyway, this sleep management will be very fascinating. You need to know that the winner from last year, the Slovenian Jure Robic, has slept a total of 8 hours during his 8 days of race! It can be seen as incredible, and for some few people impossible without chemical help. In my opinion, I simply think that we don’t know the limits of the body in this type of extreme endurance sport. I think that the limit is not the body, it’s the mind. There is one quote which summarizes RAAM and other similar sports (sailing, mountaineering, and ultra running): “The mind quits before the body”.
Before leaving Boston to San Diego, I’d like to thank several people, who helped me realize my dream. Mr Vankerk-Hoven, general Consul of France in Boston and his wife Henny, were very enthusiastic since the start of the project, and have always supported me. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. John McClellan, with whom I’ve been riding recently, became very quickly a friend for life. Without him, it’s very simple, there is no project. He supported me when I had doubts, convinced me to not give up, helped me to finance this project. I owe him my dream that I’m about to realize, and I’m just hoping to not deceive him. Finally, Anne-Cécile, my wife, without her nothing would have been possible. Those last months were very tough on her. I know she is proud of this project that I have set up, proud of the help and support from all of you. But, at the same time, she is extremely anxious about the RAAM. She decided not to come with us and being part of the crew, because she feels not strong enough to manage the stress of the race. However, she will be in Atlantic City, NJ with Estelle and Damien. And for me, there is no better motivation than this one. As soon as the race will begin, I will think of one thing only: crossing the finish line and kiss them. After those long difficult months, they will deserve that.
Few months ago, Mr Vankerk-Hoven organized a dinner at his house with his fellow Americans, where the goal was to introduce me and the project. One of the guests, Nabil El-Hage, professor at Harvard Business School, told us that each year his students do a charity auction where all the benefits are redistributed among several charities. After selection, my project was accepted. And the result was way over their expectation. The students, in particular Chris Staudt, and the professors of Harvard Business School MBA Class of 2006 - Section C were able to raise more than $62.000, which is $10.000 for my project. This result is incredible and proves once again that the cash is there. Try to set up your own small fundraising in order to sponsor a Time Station along the route. It’s not so easy to ask money from people, but the cause I’m fighting for is very worthy.
The next Newsletter will be posted from Sunny San Diego, CA. where you will get information about the preparation. Please, don’t hesitate to send me emails during the next 2 weeks. Somebody from the crew will read them for me (probably at night), and I’m sure it’s going to be a very good motivator for me. The 2 emails addresses to be used are:
Thank you for your help and support,
Patrick
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