LISBON – Local ultra-endurance cyclist and race director Joe Lawhorn is preparing for one of the most meaningful challenges of his decorated cycling career as he teams up with pioneering blind athlete Tina Ament for the 2026 Race Across the West.

The race begins June 16 in Oceanside, California, and covers 863 miles before finishing in Durango, Colorado. The route traverses deserts, mountains, extreme temperatures, and relentless climbs, making it one of the most demanding endurance cycling events in the world.

Lawhorn will serve as the “pilot” on a tandem bicycle, while Ament, who is completely blind, will ride as the “stoker.” The duo must work in perfect synchronization for days as they cross the American Southwest.

Ament is no stranger to pushing the limits of human endurance. An assistant U.S. attorney by profession, she made history as the first blind American woman to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. She has finished more than eight Ironman triathlons and was a member of the first all-blind cycling team to complete the 3,000 mile Race Across America relay.

Because she is completely blind, Ament competes using specialized equipment and the assistance of sighted guides. During triathlons, guides accompany her during the swim and run portions, while cycling is completed on a tandem bicycle with a pilot responsible for navigation, steering, and braking.

For Lawhorn, the opportunity to ride alongside Ament represents much more than another race.

“Tina is an incredible athlete and an inspiration to so many people,” said Lawhorn. “To be trusted as her pilot for this journey is truly an honor. This race is about teamwork, determination, and proving that obstacles don’t have to define what is possible.”

Lawhorn brings an impressive rÈsumÈ of his own to the challenge. A retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he completed three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan before suffering a traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Following his medical retirement from the military, he turned to ultra-endurance cycling as a way to manage his symptoms and rebuild his life.

Since then, Lawhorn has become one of the most accomplished ultra-cyclists in the world.

In 2025, he became the first athlete in history to earn the Race Across America Triple Crown by completing Race Across America, Race Across the West, and Race Across the East. He is a multi-time 24-Hour World Time Trial Champion and holds the world record for the most miles ridden on a fixed-gear bicycle in 24 hours, covering 431 miles and breaking a record that had stood for more than a decade.

He also holds multiple state-crossing records and serves as race director for the Coal Country Roubaix gravel cycling event and the Midwest Time Trial Championship, both of which attract athletes from across the country.

Beyond competition, Lawhorn is a passionate advocate for veterans’ mental health and youth cycling programs. He frequently dedicates his rides to fallen service members and wounded veterans while using his platform to encourage others to seek healthy outlets for overcoming adversity.

The partnership between Lawhorn and Ament embodies the spirit of endurance sports: resilience, trust, and teamwork.

Over the course of 863 miles, the pair will face long days, sleepless nights, extreme weather, and thousands of feet of climbing. Yet both athletes view the challenge as an opportunity to inspire others and demonstrate what can be accomplished when determination outweighs limitations.

As they roll away from the Pacific Ocean on June 16, their goal will be to reach the Rocky Mountains and the finish line in Durango together proving once again that some of life’s greatest journeys are powered not just by strength, but by partnership.

For local supporters following the race from Ohio, Lawhorn and Ament’s journey promises to be a remarkable example of perseverance, courage, and the limitless possibilities of the human spirit.

Link to follow: https://www.raceacrossthewest.org/live-tracking.

(Submitted material)