2025 the last chance

Training is extremely tough  

This time, too, preparation is carried out in a planned manner, with both volume and quality fine-tuned to perfection. Whatever is done is done properly—everything has its purpose. The key elements are planning and monitoring, enabling immediate action if something starts to go off track. It's important to stay on course because the workload and intensities are quite demanding. 

Team Finland is ready at the start 

A fantastic group of nine individuals has come together—not to grill and chill, but to provide the racer with all the support gained from shared meetings. Sticking to the plan and following protocols and instructions is essential—there’s no room for "I know how to handle this" improvisations. That said, the crew will undoubtedly get creative when the inevitable surprises come into play. 

So this is how it turned out with the 2025 RAAM race - Cancelled (March 30, 2025)

The Race Across America (RAAM) is an extremely brutal and demanding race. It pushes not only the competitor to the limit but also the entire support team.

A solid foundation must be 100% in place to even have a chance of reaching the finish line in RAAM. This foundation includes passion, trust, budget, a skilled and reliable crew, and the racer's psychophysical condition being in peak shape. The holy trinity—training, nutrition, and rest—must be at an excellent level throughout the preparation.

Bursitis struck hard on March 3rd this year. Examinations and treatments (medication, cortisone), ice packs, and total rest for the knee (not even aqua jogging) were immediately initiated. Upper-body training was continued and intensified. Additionally, a five-day fast was used to stop energy loading for intense training (bringing daily calorie intake to a reasonable level since aerobic exercise stopped completely). Stretching and lower-body mobility training were resumed after three weeks.

RAAM is such a brutal race that it cannot be attempted with a "let's see how far we get" mindset. Racer #539’s only goal was to reach the finish line in Atlantic City while enjoying the incredible race together with the crew.

There are still just under two and a half months until the race start, but minimizing risks—addressing hundreds of factors and tasks—is a key aspect of making it to the finish.

The risk of competing at less than full fitness and the potential worsening/recurrence of bursitis during the race is too great. Unfortunately, this means that racer #539 and the amazing, reliable Team Finland of 2025 will not be at the RAAM this year. Another key consideration is minimizing the financial losses from reservations in the budget.

I want to thank the crew members for dedicating your valuable time to preparation and for reserving June for the race itself. You have truly been present in this process, even after hearing that we won’t be making it to the finish this year. This shows the commitment required from a RAAM crew. Thank you!