'Everything' Is A Worry In Solo Bike Ride Across US To Annapolis

ANNAPOLIS, MD — An Annapolis attorney is tackling what may be the world's toughest bicycle race — riding solo in less than 12 days from California to Maryland — while supporting two veterans causes. Michael Glass is riding in the Race Across America, the 3,100-mile nonstop race that began June 12 in Oceanside, California. On Sunday night, he had ridden 1,269.4 miles so far, and was leaving the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in eastern Colorado headed for the flat stretches of Kansas.

To complete the marathon ride, Glass must arrive at Annapolis City Dock in 12 days, which means he must average 260 miles a day on his bike, typically riding 20 hours a day. While bikers race in teams, some, like Glass, choose to do the entire 24-hour racing themselves. Solo racers in RAAM have exactly 288 hours to finish.

To train for the grueling ride and lack of sleep Glass said he has worked up from doing long rides of 14 to 16 hours, to 18, and then 24-hour rides. "As you increase the distance and learn how to effectively pace, the body acclimates to prolonged time in the saddle," he told Patch.

When asked what worries him about the ride, Glass said, "Everything! There are so many variables to this race: the weather, intense heat in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts (it’s 110 degrees right now), potential strong winds, rain — there’s a lot that you simply cannot control and have to take it as it comes, sticking to a game plan but adjusting as needed.

"The navigation in this race is also somewhat daunting. The route book is about 70 pages long and there are hundreds of turns. Riders have to stick to the route and if you go off course, you have to find your way back to where you went off course and start again from there. Crew is a key part of navigating and making sure we stick to the course."

Glass is supporting the Green Beret Association, which provides support and services to veterans who served in the Army’s Special Forces and their families, plus the Fisher House Foundation, which builds comfort homes where military and veterans families can stay at no charge while a loved one is in the hospital.

"If I had a do-over in life, I would have served our country," Glass said. ... "I started a foundation (The Glass Family Support for Our Veterans, Inc.) to fund this race so all contributions would go directly to the veterans charities we’re supporting. Half of my crew of 10 are veterans. My crew chief, Jared Ross, was in Special Ops for 24 years and Paula Carrigan, a running friend and 10-year Navy veteran, has raised money for the Fisher House Because these two outstanding individuals are giving so much time and dedication to this venture, I wanted to honor them by supporting two veterans’ charities that were meaningful to them."

While he has not ridden in RAAM in the past as part of a team, Glass was part of a crew for an eight-person Annapolis team in 2014. "The concept that I am riding in the 'Solo Division' is really a misnomer, because this is very much of a team effort. Crew is crucial to a successful race," he said.

He qualified for RAAM by completing the WOW Cyclothon, an 800-mile race in Iceland last June.

Learn More, Follow Along

For more information about Glass, his crew, his charities, and to donate visit www.raam4vets.org.

Learn more about Race Across America, track Glass' progress and see his predicted finish time on the race website.

Photo courtesy of Michael E. Glass