See our updates via our Facebook page.
Peter Davies blogged on the experience: "as we travel across the country. this is not the official team web site but my personal observations, may be even some sleep deprived insights. with 4 riders, nine plus two crew, three vehicles, no sleep and no laundry there should be plenty of material to work with".
We are also uploaded pictures to our Team Sheeper Picture Albums!
Join the Team BFN/RAAM Challenge!
Team Building Futures Now/Race Across America (BFN/RAAM) is a four man cycling team training to complete one of the toughest races in America – Race Across America. Team Building Futures Now is inviting all our friends to support our race and Building Futures Now. Building Futures Now is a non-profit focused on education for high achieving, high potential kids in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park and is powered by Menlo Masters. Just like RAAM, BFN is a significant commitment that requires patience, passion, drive and a lot of hard work.
What is RAAM?
We are excited about participating in the 29th RAAM. The route is over 3000 miles, crossing 14 states and climbing over 100,000 feet. Teams typically ride across the country in 6 to 9 days, averaging 350 to over 500 miles per day. Teams have a relay format with one racer on the road at a time and race 24 hours a day. We will start at the Oceanside (CA) pier on June 12th and end at the City Dock in Annapolis, Maryland around June 20th. In RAAM, once the clock starts on the west coast, the clock doesn't stop until each racer reaches the finish line on the east coast. We'll be riding, resting, moving and taking in the vastness and beauty of the USA for 8 straight days.
What Got Us to Join the RAAM Team?
Four extremely fit and highly achieving individuals always looking for an endurance life challenge that offers up "strength affirming memories" that each of us can carry away from this and use as inspiration in our own daily lives. We also hope that our actions and purpose inspire others to extend themselves in their own lives. Team BFN/RAAM gives us an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for children in our community.
Why are we Supporting Building Futures Now?
Building Futures Now is a foundation that was started by the team that all of us are a big part of. BFN is mainly about creating opportunities for children to build strong, productive and highly functioning lives. BFN is about endurance; BFN and Menlo Master are fully committed to guide every child in the program from the 4th grade all the way through college graduation. This is not a small or easy endeavor to tackle, as there are many ups and downs, victories and defeats along the path. RAAM will have ups and downs too. We are all attempting to reach the same goal of doing the best we can, everyday, in every endeavor; working, sharing and enduring because we know that rewards do not only come at the end of the journey, but at many points along the way.
What can you do?
Please donate to BFN by supporting Team BFN/RAAM. Our goal is to raise $30,000 for Building Futures Now through the support of our extended community friends, family, athletes and community members. 100% of your donation goes to Building Futures Now and is tax deductible. Donations go to BFN programming, including after school tutoring, field trips, academic summer school, summer camps and other enriching activities. Finally, consider getting involved with BFN by volunteering your time. There are many opportunities from one-day activities to long term mentoring. There are few things more rewarding.
The Team
Eduardo Llach: Mr. Diversity - Wake Boarder, Water Skier, Gymnast, Horseman, Salsa and Disco Dancer, who also dabbles in triathlons and distance cycling, Eduardo is working on starting his 7th new company in the past 15 years.
Dave Quincy: Mr. Get it Done - Ironmans, Eco-Challenges, Long Tours and Expeditions and Adventure Races, Dave crams in his daily workouts around his duties as a physician and the Chief Executive of hundreds of doctors in a medical foundation.
Bill Kirsch: Mr. All-Around - Long Board Surfer, Cross Country Skier, Rower, Rollerblader, Avid Bicycle Commuter, First generation triathlete, kayaker, Long Distance bicycle tourist, coffee house guitar player, and aspiring rock n roll star. The only thing that gets in the way of this Ivy League bohemian venture capitalist is the time that he has to sit still at his desk to get a bit of work done.
Tim Sheeper: Mr. Coach – Triathlete and endurance adventure seeker. Tim has built his athletic life around convincing people what they are capable of doing if they would only believe in themselves and be patient with the process.
David Greenwood: Crew chief - Spent two decades on Wall St before leaving the dark side to build a biotech firm. Raced Team RAAM in the early days. Says training every day "is just what we do". Says being a triathlete "is just what we are".
Frank Faxon: Crew - RAAM veteran. Quiet type. Always a step ahead, thinking and dependable beyond measure. Also, should a rider fall off the power meter, Frank will know it... and then the rider will too.
Raoul Surcouf: Crew - British ski bum in the Alps, climbs mountains, skis to the North Pole, cycles around continents, sinks sailboats in the North Atlantic - a real boring guy.
We'll tell you more about the rest of the crew soon, many are team members. If you've figured out how Team RAAM works, you realize they'll be getting a lot less sleep than the cyclists.
Solo RAAM
Ms. Resilence: Michele Santilanho, a Menlo Master and Team Sheeper member, will be racing RAAM this year as a solo rider. Michele is a mentor for BFN. Michele is an ultra distance athlete in running, swimming, triathlons and mountaineering. Michele rode Team RAAM in 2008 with Team Holy Rollers, co-captained by Team Sheeper members Sally and Joel Phillips.
More About Building Futures Now - Powered by Menlo Masters
Building Futures Now is a non-profit organization dedicated to opening the doors of the Bay Area's top public and private schools to high-potential, under-served students from East Palo Alto, CA and East Menlo Park, CA. We say that Building Futures Now is Powered by Menlo Masters because it was founded and is funded by the Menlo Master's Swim Team. Through this investment and our ongoing volunteer work with the program our team members make a lasting difference in the lives of young people of color in our community. We currently mentor and tutor 28 4th and 5th grade students and will welcome 15 more 3rd graders into the program by the time RAAM begins. Building Futures Now is a sustainable organization which balances the talents of our community with a professional staff who work with our children continually. To learn more about getting involved with BFN, please visit www.buildingfuturesnow.org.
More about Menlo Masters Swim Team
The Menlo Masters Swim Team was organized in 1988, is based at Burgess Park pool and welcomes swimmers of all abilities. Menlo Masters focuses on developing swimming skills, enhancing the enjoyment of swimming through regular workouts and professional instruction, and the promoting lifetime fitness through swimming. For more information, please visit www.menlomasters.com.
More about Team Sheeper Triathlon Team
Team Sheeper is for multi-sport athletes interested in improving triathlon performance with a challenging and positive group training program and living a healthy multisport lifestyle. We believe that community energy, lasting friendships, and peer support contribute to athletic success. For more information, please visit www.teamsheeper.com.
