It covers about 5000 kilometres, traversing 12 states, with total climbing elevation of more than 50,000 metres. It’s not for the faint of heart or the unfit. Welcome to the Race Across America. It’s a cycling race, but really it’s an expedition of survival and endurance.
This year four Kiwis are teaming up to take it on. The NZ Blue team, consisting of Ben Davies, Phil Eaton, Aaron Davis and Mark Blake are taking part to raise money for charities, including Ronald McDonald House.
They split into pairs – Ben and Mark in one and Phil and Aaron the other – with one pair sleeping while the other pair takes turns riding. One rider is on the bike on the road at a time, in 30 minute stints.
The idea was initially thrown about by Davies and began how every good Kiwi idea does.
“It occurred over a number of Thursday nights at the pub,” Davies told 1News.
“It took a long time to come to fruition. A lot of convincing of the boys, so it’s been about a year of solid planning. But the key line was us raising some money for charity - that was the main thing to get us across the line.”
It didn’t initially go down as well as he may have hoped.
“It was just madness,” Eaton joked. “There was a little bit of naivety when we started, you agree to these things and it’s all fun and giggles at the start but then reality hits in and there’s a lot of logistics and training.”
That reality has really hit home as they’ve gotten into researching the course, watching YouTube videos of previous editions and talked to compatriot, close mate and crew leader Craig Harper, who completed the solo race in 2019.
“His input’s been invaluable actually, just because he knows the course, knows the conditions and knows what your body’s going to go through so it’s great to have a crew chief like that,” Eaton explained before Davies added his moment of realisation. “When I started watching them (videos on YouTube) I was quite excited and then I had to stop watching them because they made them nervous.”
They’ll combat total climbing elevation of about five-times Mt Everest, which Eaton joked will be fine as they’ll have a tailwind the whole way.
What they are nervous about, though, is the temperature changes they’re about to face. To combat it, today’s last training ride was on stationary bikes at Ronald McDonald House on the Auckland Hospital grounds, in a nicely air-conditioned room.
“We’ve got some ice vests to try and keep your core temperature down so that’s one of the things that we’re reasonably nervous about, but that keeps you on edge,” the usually comedic Davis added rather matter-of-factly, with Davies noting the only desert he’s ridden through is the desert road - “That’s a bit cooler than Arizona.”
It should take them anywhere between seven to 12 days, during which they’re expecting decent bouts of sleep deprivation and plenty of unplanned obstacles.
It seems their humour will get them at least part of the way.
“Like me, if you’ve been married twice, nothing scares you. How hard can it be?” Davis chimed in.
Ultimately though, it’s all for the children and their families whose lives get thrown the worst situations. And that’s what will keep driving them.
“They (Ronald McDonald House) do amazing things for the children obviously and the families particularly throughout the Auckland region where we are and throughout the country, so it’s our opportunity to give back,” Davies said.
“Cycle hard, go fast and raise money for charity," Davis added.
The gruelling test all begins on Sunday, with a celebratory tipple waiting for them at the finish line.
SHARE ME