What does determination mean to you? What I learned in the 2020 Bike a Thon was just that. The pure definition of the word is the firmness of purpose; resoluteness. This year’s lesson is all about the Greater Purpose.
First the ride
This year’s ride had to change due to the stay at home order mandated by both Pennsylvania and New Jersey over COVID-19. This led to our committee scrambling to figure out how to keep the wheels moving in the fight against cancer. The Bike a Thon has always been its own entity. Since 1972 we have ridden across the Ben Franklin Bridge to a designated endpoint in NJ, all to raise money for the American Cancer Society. This year we became a part of the Determination Endurance Series. The ideas started to roll in. What if we just postponed the ride? It all worked out with the stakeholders involved so we did, initially. On August 9th, we would ride in the 48th annual 2020 Bike a Thon. Would this be an irresponsible decision on our part?
We asked our committee what strain would we put on our vital infrastructure and our public emergency systems. Would we be justified in bringing people together and risking further spread of the COVID-19 virus? The response came back, we will cancel the in-person Bike a Thon event.
2020 Bike a Thon – Virtual
If we must cancel the in-person event, how to we advocate people to continue to fundraise? The Bike a Thon alone routinely brings in over 1 million dollars every year. It would be a huge hit to the cancer support, treatment, and research communities if we do not raise these funds in 2020. In comes the great idea of the Summer of Cycling. We have two dates for the 2020 Bike a Thon: the original June 14th, and the COVID date of August 9th. Wouldn’t it be great to publish a challenge: kick off the Summer of Cycling with the virtual Bike a Thon on June 14th, and end it on August 9th with our closeout event?
Kick off to the Summer of Cycling
On June 14th we went live on FaceBook at 6:15 am (click this link) to kick off our Summer of Cycling event, starting our request for participants to continue to fundraise and to get out and ride your bicycle. From now until August 9th go out and ride your bike, record your miles, and help us raise money to fight cancer.
Back to what Determination means to me. I set out to ride the 2020 Bike a Thon (modified) century route. Trek Bikes in Manayunk fit me with a sick 2020 Domane SL7 to ride. The day before, I took it out on a trial ride and everything checked out. At mile 40 my knee disagreed. Made bike adjustments but the damage was done. Quads started to lock at mile 70, exacerbating the knee issue and I decided to call in SAG at mile 79. This was a disaster. I plan on making 2020 the summer of centuries. Riding 1,000 miles over the next 2 months with my friends and groups in the local area. If you do not follow me I will have links below that you should check out. Be sure to follow along and subscribe to my feeds. I am finishing up my plan and the blog post so keep an eye out for that as well.
My Ride
Ok, I called it at mile 79. Why? The answer is easy, this is the start of a long road ahead. I still have 921 miles to ride. If I shred my knee and create a situation that takes me out for good who wins? Not only do I have miles to ride, but I have money to raise. My goal was $10,000 and at the time of writing this post, I am at $850. I understand that we have no idea what people are dealing with in this stay at home order. But this is what should drive us. Cancer is still out there growing and taking lives.
So instead of saving my ride on Sunday, I chose to wake up the next day to finish the century. Was I sore? Yes, but my knee did not hurt. On to the next challenge! My next century will be coming soon.
Determination
We have to keep an eye on what the goal is. Is it to finish a ride, fundraise, push a mission? For me its to eliminate the word Cancer. I am determined to keep fighting. So let’s go ride everyone! Links are below to donate and for resources to join and follow the Bike a Thon and get involved with me. Stay tuned, and if you want to ride soon, let me know!
Please help me with my mission of raising $10,000.
- Donate here: https://donate.gbjr78.com
- Sign up to ride: https://wwwacsbike.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phillybike
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillybike
- Join our Strava Group at https://www.strava.com/clubs/bikeathon
- Log your miles: http://bit.ly/30K5cyV
- My Blog: https://www.gbjr78.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbjr78
- FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/gbjr1978
- HIlly Philly: https://gbjr78.com/hilly-philly-bike-tour/