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  AND HERE'S SOME COMMENTARY ...
From: INT:MUFFYR@SUNVALLEY.NET
Subj: RAAM '96
Damn! The guys up front are going so fast that they'll be finished well
before anyone reads this! I agree with Rickey Wray's assessment of this
year's race. What a battle it's been. Right now, as I write this, the
outcome is still undecided. But no matter who gets to Savannah first, the
real meaning of doing RAAM will again be very evident. That is that there
are no losers in this race. Elaine Mariolle once said that RAAM is too big
for there to only be one winner and as a finisher of the race and as a
support crew member of various other riders I know how true that is.
Kudos to Rickey regarding his thoughts about Seana. No matter what she did
in this year's race she has already shown time and time again that she is a
magnificent athlete who has not only pushed the envelope of what is
possible physically but also mentally. I think the mental part is even more
important that the physical. After the FC 508 a reporter asked me to sum up
the experience and feelings of racing 510 miles in the desert and emerging
in first place. My simple reply was that it is a triumph of the mind. So
even though she succumbed to the sometimes harsh realities of RAAM Seana
will always be a champion...many times over. She knows what the triumph of
the body AND the mind is all about.
As I mentioned, even though there's only one person who will cross the
finish line first, many others are will continue to engage in a personal
struggle to overcome the temptation to stop, to give in to the mental and
emotional demons as well as the body's demands for real food, a real bed,
and a lot of sleep. The determination of each rider to overcome these
barriers makes all of them winners. I am "witnessing", via updates and
personal phone calls, the particular struggle of my friend John Hughes. He
is in last place, certainly not what he expected nor what his talent on a
bike would leave me to expect. I know how hard it must be for him to keep
digging down to find the motivation to keep going when he's further back
then he ever thought he would be. Yet his finish will be as inspirational
to me as the first place rider's in part because he too will experience the
triumph of the mind.
Congratulations to everyone who rode and crewed in this year's Race Across
America...what a great race and great sport this is!
Steve
 * SLMR 2.1a * Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
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