Early season testing...Round 2

Dr. Halvorsen put Greg and Tim through their paces today. Bill was there to capture all the action.

See the Crew Chief's Corner for the story.

Stay tuned for results next week!

Braeden's Camp Odayin Story

Name: Braeden Hometown: Duluth, MN

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Right Ventricle, Transportation of Great Arteries, Severe Pulmonary Stenosis

Surgeries: 7 open heart surgeries with 20 heart cath’s

What I like about Camp Odayin:
I like everything!
The theme nights and crafts are really fun.
I like meeting new friends
and the people who work there are
SUPER nice.

Back through the Grinder!

Dr. Halvorsen brought Neil and Bernie back in for a run through the grinder tonight to see how we have fared over our winter base building period. Tim and Greg are up for their repeat testing next Wednesday the 28th.

Testing included:

• VO2max assessment that measures how our efficiently our bodies run at increasing intensities and how hard they can be pushed.
• Wingate testing that measures our maximal sprint power output on the bike
• Upper body Wingate testing that measures the same as above for our upper body
• Vertical Jump to measure explosive leg power
• Flexibility
• Body Fat %
• Hand-Eye Coordination through a notoriously frustrating pegboard test.

Test results will be finalized and compared with our last round late next week. Dr. Halvorsen will then take our results and construct our next two month training plan that will focus on developing the energy systems specifically involved with the Team RAAM effort.

If you have questions about our Team RAAM preparation, post a comment in the Coaches Corner.

Stay tuned!

Billy's Camp Story

Name: Billy Hometown: Elk River, Minnesota

Diagnosis: Tricuspid Atresia, Transposition of Great Arteries, Patent Ductus Arteriosis

Surgeries: 3 surgeries-
*10 days old- Norwood procedure
*9 months old
*22 months old- Glenn and Fontan procedures

What I like about Camp Odayin:
I get to be with other people with heart diseases and conditions, make new friends and hang out with them, play, swim and go horseback riding. I also get to dress up as something funny at night with funny costumes. I like the camp counselors, my camp mates and everyone else at Camp Odayin. I get to have fun!!

Come back every Monday to hear a new story about a Camp Odayin Camper!

24 Hours of Bernie's Basement

If practice makes perfect, then Neil and I just made a solid installment for the RAAM! Most of us have had a lot of experience with 24 hour mountain bike racing but nothing like it on the road side.

Since it's a little cold outside here in Minnesota this time of year, most of us get the majority of our training indoors (basements, bike shops and healthclubs) when the temps get into the single digits and below zero. Normally, that's not much of a problem unless you're training for the RAAM. So when we wanted to do a 24 hour RAAM team race simulation in order to get a feel for the schedule and how our bodies would react, we had one option which became the 24 Hours of Bernie's Basement!

If we had a nickle for every shaken head or bewildered look when describing the event, we'd be well beyond our $100,000 goal for Camp Odayin! Jay T. gave us a great laugh with his posting at the Trailhead Backdoor Blog. Thanks man!

The best part of the 24 Hours of BB was that our crew cheif, Bill Nicholson, joined us for most of the event and John Rotach joined us for the final 6 hour shift. Having their company and support was awesome!

Neil and I started out at 10pm for a 6 hour shift taking 30 minute ride and 30 minute rest intervals like we will likely do during the RAAM. We kept our intensity at around Anaerobic Threshold which is hard but sustainable. After the 6 hour shift we rested/slept for 6 hours (as we would during the race when Greg and Tim would take their turn). We kicked things off again from 10am to 1pm, rested from 1pm to 4pm and then finished the 24 hours with a 6 hour shift from 4pm to 10pm.

We celebrated the finish with surprise hamburgers that Laurel picked up, a couple of burritos and some hearty Belgian beer that Neil brought as a "just reward"!

Thanks everyone!!!

24 Hours of Bernie's Basement

1 Hour down...23 hours to go!

24 Hours of Bernie's Basement

20 hours down...4 to go!

Press Release Day!!!!

Laura Mongiello and the rest of the team at Bell Pottinger USA have been so wonderful and generous by creating a fantastic media and public relations plan for Team Strong Heart's mission to raise awareness and funding for Camp Odayin. We are so grateful for your services! You all are truely top shelf and such a pleasure to work with.

BP just launched the first phase of Team Strong Heart's media plan today! The media plan includes national and and local print, radio and television media today. We are all hoping that we get a few bites!

"Bell Pottinger USA is a full-service, multi-disciplinary public relations, government affairs and marketing services agency. We serve and welcome inquiries from all sectors, including technology, healthcare, education, non-profit, consumer, travel and tourism. No matter the size of your organization or scope of your goals, we are skilled in tailoring programs that yield fast and strategic results."

Trailhead Cycling and Fitness & J&B Importers

Trailhead Cycling and Fitness (Neil and Bernie's hometown bike shop) and J&B Importers are teaming up in support of Team Strong Heart! They are generously providing our mobile inventory of emergency bike parts as well as helping us acquire some of the long list of bike supplies that we need to get from coast to coast!
We are hugely grateful for Larry and Pam Saylor's generous support as well as for them running our favorite bike shop in the Twin Cities.

Trailhead Cycling and Fitness is a full service and family oriented, bicycle, fitness equipment and skate shop that has built a 25+ year reputation for expert and friendly service.

J&B Importers is one of the leading bicycle part distributors in the US.