[RAAM '07 - Patrick Autissier] Day - 3

In this last newsletter from Boston (and from me!), you will find:

1. Schedule for the last 2 days prior to the start
2. Thank you all
3. It’s time to donate
4. Coverage during the race

1. Schedule for the last 2 days prior to the start

Friday morning, I am leaving Boston, along with my daughter Estelle and Rob, my MD and crew Chief, for a one-way trip to Oceanside, CA. Jerome and Christian arrived Thursday afternoon, after driving 4 days the 2 vans fully loaded with bikes and equipments. 2 others crew members, Thierry and Fred, will arrive in San Diego Friday night from Paris, France. Finally, Herve, our Internet guru, will fly from Boston to San Diego on Saturday. During that busy day, we will set up the vans with an audio system and light system; we’ll put the logos of our sponsors, and make sure that everything inside of the vans is at the right place so that it won’t be a mess after day 1. Then, I am going to have an interview, a photo session and the bikes and vehicles inspection with the RAAM organization. In the evening, we will go to the start line celebration banquet in Oceanside where all the solo racers will be introduced to the crowd and a great buffet will follow. Finally, the day will be over and we will have a last and hopefully “good” sleep before the race begins on Sunday morning at 9:00 A.M. (PDT).

2. Thank you all

This project would not have been possible without the tremendous help and support of many people. I want here to thank them personally. First of all, thanks to the sponsors who provided the financial resources needed to participate to the RAAM; Michael Milligan from Axel Johnson Inc, Adam Treister from Treestar, Andrew Masters from Coherent Inc, a special thanks to Paul Robinson from ISAC, Steve Zyganti from Becton-Dickinson, Ray Lannigan from Cytek, Clint Paige from Wheelworks, Randy Ice from Spiz and Peter Daniel from Avis. I would like also to thank Mr. Francois Gauthier, Consul General of France in Boston for his constant support.

Before I drive them nuts, I would like to thank my crew members for their enthusiasm and support; Rob Miller, Deborah Luhrs, Jerome Pruneau, Christian Valentin, Herve Seux, Thierry St Léger, Frederic Ricol, Sylvie Gori, Estelle Autissier, Damien Autissier et Anne-Cecile Autissier. The next 2 weeks is going to be extremely intense for all of them and I can’t thank them enough for their support.

I would not even have started this RAAM thing 3 years ago if I didn’t have met John McClellan at the pasta party the day prior to Boston-Montreal-Boston, a 1200K bike randonnee, used as a RAAM qualifier. Since then, he has been incredibly supportive of my dream, we’ve created Athletes Racing for Charity last year, and we have a big plan for the future. I hope that everyone could meet someone like John in his or her life.

Finally, I want to thank my wife Anne-Cecile, and my children Estelle and Damien. I acknowledge that it can be tough to live with someone with big dreams, and it has been tough for them. However, I’m very pleased that this year Estelle will be part of the crew from the very beginning of the race, and Anne-Cecile and Damien will join us in St Louis, MO for the last 1,000 miles. Hopefully, they will see that RAAM is such a tremendous experience to live for everyone who takes part of it and together we will cross the finish line in Atlantic City, NJ.

3. It’s time to donate

As of today, $10,220 has been raised for Partners In Health and $620 for Nashoba Learning Group. It’s already fantastic but of course I would love to raise much more money for these 2 fantastic charities. I guess that, as I’m about to start this crazy race, it would be a good time for you to donate. Don’t forget that there is no small donation; it simply doesn’t exist for people in distress. Please go to make a donation on my website.

4. Coverage during the race

Our plan is to try to give you once every day as much information as possible during the race. However, depending on the availability of Internet connection, the free time of the crew and the race conditions, it might be difficult to do so. You will find all the updates directly on my website at http://www.patrickautissier.org/. The coverage will include newsletters written by Rob (posted on the homepage, and send via mass emails) and Estelle (on her webpage), pictures that you will find under Photos on my website, and hopefully small video clips posted on the homepage as well.

Most importantly for me, you will be able to send emails to either pautissi@bidmc.harvard.edu or Patrick@patrickautissier.org. Someone from the crew will read them to me through the PA system, probably at night when I would need to stay awake and fully energized.

Finally, a 24/24 live coverage (every 30 minutes!) will be available on the RAAM website at http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/. There, you will be able to follow my progress Time Station by Time Station.

Thank you all, and as would say my son Damien: “And now, let’s get the show on the road!”

Patrick

http://www.patrickautissier.org/