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Daniel’s crew is maintaining a blog for him at http://dan4raam.blogspot.com/ for more up-to-date and detailed information.
After 2,153 miles and reaching Effingham, Illinois, Daniel Rudge, #142, has also decided to drop from the Race Across America. His battle against the neck, getting enough calories, and ultimately the clock, was finally too much to continue. Daniel’s injuries will take recovery but are not life threatening. We have accomplished two great feats - thank you to Kirk, Daniel, and their crews, and to all of our sponsors who allow us to (1) prove that RAAM truly is the most difficult endurance race on the earth and (2) do something we love to help someone you love. I am reminded of the sentence that Kirk always says to people, “we choose our pain, while the patients at M D Anderson and everywhere have to endure their pain each day without having a choice.” If you would like to become a sponsor, click here and be sure to specify RAAM2008. Also, if you would like to be a Jersey Sponsor, for a $100 sponsorship, we’ll send you a RAAM 2008 Team Making Cancer History Jersey – see link for jersey on the home page.
Daniel is battling his sores everywhere, but he is holding his ground with a pace over the total RAAM of 11.98 miles per hour. On Tuesday, he could no longer hold up his head because his neck had gotten so sore and stiff. His crew fashioned a neck contraption for him that pulled his head up from behind. When Kirk decided he was finished, he was able to drive to meet Daniel and give him the neck brace he had, which supports the head with a combination of PVC pipe and a chin strap. This brace was loaned to Kirk by Shana Armstrong, who was the female winner of RAAM in 2006. Thank you, Shana banana! Daniel has started to develop sores in his mouth, a common RAAM side effect, caused by extreme stress to the body’s PH balances. His father, a dentist, is providing some mouth wash that treats canker sores of the mouth, which might help. The mouth sores make it difficult to eat and the neck sores make it difficult to eat on the bike, which is making Daniel have to stop more frequently to keep up his caloric intake. Yesterday, he was able to consume a lot of “real” food – sandwiches, potatoes, pasta, hot coffee. Daniel is on his way to Plains, Kansas, Time Station 23 – 1,394 miles.
Kirk reached the Cortez, Co. time station, took off his socks, took off his medical tape holding his ankles together and uncovered blistering swollen, and purple achilles tendons. After conferring with medical support, the team decided to stop their race and reported to RAAM a DNF - did not finish. The team is driving back to Houston.
Daniel, just past the Durango, Co time station and on his way to Pagosa Springs, is having trouble with neck stiffness and holding his head up. His crew is fashioning a neck brace for him.
Kirk reached the Mexican Hat, Utah, time station and feels great, so he is continuing on, smiling and happy. One good thing about the Arizona desert was that we focused on hydration, calorie, and sodium intake and we are fortunate that whatever we put into him worked. He has had 3 IVs and is well hydrated and high energy level. He is sore everywhere, he says, which might also be good, because instead of concentrating on saddle soreness, he is worrying about his knees, his hip flexor, and his Achilles tendon. (The massage therapist from Steve Bugbee’s team (122) worked on the Achilles tendon at Flagstaff.) 679.1 miles down, 2335.3 to go.
Daniel is about 40 miles ahead of Kirk, and has checked in to the Montezuma, UT time station (TS12).
Kirk has just reached the time station at Flagstaff, AZ. He has finished 490 miles at an average time of 10.61.
After the last note, Kirk began weaving on the road and we entered a construction zone as we approached Flagstaff. We started talking to him on the P.A. system to keep him awake and alert. He reached Cottonwood time station and went down again for another 90 minute nap. He rejoined the course 2 hours behind the time cut-off pace, determined to make up time as the sun rose in Arizona and he made yet another 35 mile climb to Flagstaff. The great news is, that he did, and rode into Flagstaff with Steve Bugbee who had passed by while kirk was sleeping in Cottonwood.
The crew stopped every mile to get out of the car and cheer him on, sometimes running along side. 7 miles before Prescott, Kirk stopped again for a 90 minute nap, as the sun set on day 2 of RAAM, 394 miles down, 2600 to go. It is 5:20 am race time on Tuesday June 10 as this is written. We are 2 miles from cresting and beginning the 15 mile descent to time station 7, Cottonwood, Arizona.
Daniel has made it through time station 8, Flagstaff, Az. and continues strongly to Tuba City.
20 miles past Hope, Az, Kirk takes a shower, changes his shorts and gets back on the bike for his second 6.5 hour shift in arizona. It is only about 89 degrees so we count ourselves lucky. He is wearing an spf full sleeve jersey, an extra hat under his helmet, a wet washcloth on his neck, a bandana with ice cubes in it, and gobs of sunblock on his legs. He has been steadily climbing for 28 miles and has 50 remaining before the Yarnell Grade. Leslie christison, nurse manager of the children's cancer hospital at md anderson, carefully monitors kirk's sodium intake, which needs to be more than 600 mg per hour.
Daniel whizzing by at Lake Henshaw. A big "wooo whooo" garners a smile and sweat drips from his face as he starts a climb.
Charles Parker runs along side Kirk, carrying the route book to tell him there is a turn ahead. The teams battled the sierra mountains on this first day of raam, descending 4000 ft into Borrego Springs at about 6 pm. The day was very hot, at about 80 degrees in Oceanside and 100 in Borrego.
1200 noon, pacific time, 1500 race time (eastern standard). RAAM Start 2008!!!
#127 (Kirk Gentle) Team Making Cancer History prepares for the race and has their van ready. Special thank you to McRee Ford for donating our RAAM Van, fully outfitted with our team stickers. McRee has been with us as a sponsor every year since we started in 2005.
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