RAAM Fast Facts

• Race Start Date (Team): June 18, 2022

• Race End Date: June 25, 2022

• Distance: 3070 Miles

• Vertical Climbs: 175,000 Feet

• A² Fundraising Initiative: Veteran & First Responder Suicide

Aligned Alliance (A²) team co-founders Rhonda Vetere and Monty Heath (a former Navy SEAL) are dedicated to supporting veterans through sport — both participated in the 2021 Navy SEAL Swim in the Hudson River with the GI Go Fund.

The A² team cycled over 3,000 miles across the U.S. in support of ending our nation’s veteran & first responder suicide epidemic.

With stigmas and other barriers to getting help, mental illness is disproportionately high among veterans, first responders, and federal agents in comparison to the general population:

• Since 2018, military veteran suicides have increased to nearly 2x the rate of nonveterans.

• Veterans ages 18 - 34 are 3x more likely to die by suicide than nonveteran counterparts.

• An average of 18 military veterans die by suicide every day. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2020)

• More first responders die by suicide than in the line of duty every year. (CDC, 2021)

Team A² partnered with Guardian Revival, a New York State 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered to revive and preserve the mental health and wellbeing of veterans and first responders.

Guardian Revival’s programs are offered at no cost to participants and include Boots & Paws (providing service & companion dogs), Another Summit (outdoor adventures & hikes), and Encore (music).

As one of 8 riders on the team, Rhonda rode through states across the country — California, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Each rider was on the road for ~15 minute intervals during 12 hour shifts, every day for 8 days. Rhonda was on the 3 pm - 3 am crew, riding through the afternoon until late night / early morning hours when the next shift exchange occurred.

The riders continued throughout a range of weather conditions, not stopping in spite of heat or rain. Together, Team A² made it safely across the country from Oceanside to Annapolis.

RAAM is a unique event in the world

From raamrace.org:

“Open to amateur and professional racers, in solo, 2-, 4- and 8-person relay teams, there is no other race in the world comparable to RAAM. The Race has become a global icon, having had over 35 countries represented.

Race Across America is one of the most respected and longest running ultra-endurance events in the world. RAAM is seen as a pinnacle of athletic achievement not only in cycling circles but the greater sporting community as well.

RAAM is a race! But, unlike the three great European Grand Tours (Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana and Giro de Italia), RAAM is not a stage race.

RAAM is one continual stage, once the clock starts it does not stop until the finish line. It is the world’s longest time trial…

RAAM is not limited to professional cyclists. RAAM is open to professional and amateur athletes alike. While solo racers must qualify to compete, anyone may organize a team and race.”