EY Legacy Riders - Race Across America for CollegeMAP

A couple of months ago I decided to join my colleague Mark Gibson in forming a four person co-ed over 50 team to participate in RAAM, (Race Across America). This is a grueling 3200 mile relay race where each of the four riders alternate peddling across the country 24 hours a day for what should take approximately 8 days (That's 125 miles per rider per day, every day). The training and logistics necessary to pull this off are intense. It requires a crew of 10-15 people. 3 vehicles including an RV. Training for RAAM (which takes place on June 18 2016) requires building up a base that will enable us to ride  a century every day for 8 days. That means, training 5-6 days a week rain or shine, travel or no travel, either on the bike, on the trainer or in the Gym.  

Why do this? Well, EY is committed to building a better working world, and one way to do this is to find ways to get our underprivileged youth into college. Our program, CollegeMAP (described in more detail below) needs funding and resources. Mark and I felt that by doing something as significant as RAAM we could channel our passion for cycling into something that will benefit others.

Already we have gained sponsorship from Trek bikes, City Cycle of San Francisco and P-fits.  All of whom believe in our cause and want to make a difference.

Over the next few months we will be sharing our progress and training on both linkedin and our personal blogs, building up to a significant fund raising event in the early spring.

If you would like to support our team in any way please let me know. We can use all the help we can get.

About CollegeMAP

College MAP provides support to underserved students as they consider the dream of higher education. The program helps students navigate the application and financial aid process, provides access to resources, and exposes them to the benefits of higher education.

According to the Lumina Foundation, almost 25 percent of low income students who score in the top quartile of standardized tests never go to college. Yet 65 percent of jobs in the US will require post-secondary education by 2020, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. College MAP works to narrow that gap by demystifying the process of applying to and affording college.

“At some College MAP schools, there is no assumption that students will graduate and go on to college,” said Rick Dalton, President and CEO of College For Every Student. “EY’s role is to get the process started and to unlock the potential of students who might not consider these possibilities otherwise. EY mentors not only introduce these possibilities and facilitate them, but they commit to helping the kids make the difficult transition to college. On a personal level, I’ve seen this really have an impact.”

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