Pelotonia expects second year of growth following virtual year in 2020
In the two years since the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic forced a virtual ride, Pelotonia continues to make a steady recovery.
“2020 was tough, not just for us, but for everybody,” Pelotonia President Joe Apgar said. “It’s been really fun over the last two years to see how far we’ve bounced back. I don’t think anybody would have predicted where we’d be today.
“Our community has come back and just been so resilient from a fundraising standpoint and from an engagement standpoint.”
Last year’s Pelotonia Ride Weekend raised $19.3 million, Apgar said. He projects more than $20 million to be raised this year, with Pelotonia expected to clear the $250 million benchmark of total raised since the first ride in 2008. According to Pelotonia's website, 100% of all participant-raised funds go toward innovative cancer research at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
More than $9 million has been raised as of July 26, he said.
Apgar said this year's event, which is Aug. 5-7, is expected to attract 6,500 to 7,000 riders. At least 11,000 total participants are expected, which includes both riders and volunteers.
“They come from all walks of life and all ages, from 14 all the way to late 80s,” he said.
Last year's turnout was just shy of 6,000 riders and about 4,000 other participants, Apgar said.
Chase McCants is one of those riders. Preparing for his fourth Pelotonia ride, McCants said he first started riding when he worked for CoverMyMeds.
“I had never heard of it before, but I thought it’d be a really great way to get in shape,” he said.
But he said he soon found that Pelotonia was much more than a bike ride.
“I wasn’t prepared for the amount of connection between the ride itself and the people that it helps,” he said. “I know everyone has had cancer affect them in some way.”
McCants, who now works for Olive, said he had raised about $1,000 as of July 27, with the goal to get to $1,500.
“It’s just one of the best organizations and best fundraisers that I’ve participated in,” he said. “I think that’s why I’m going to do it every single year that I can pedal a bike.”
Elizabeth Howard is a lead volunteer who has worked the event since its inaugural year. She also rode in 2019 with her father, Charles Cook, who Howard said was diagnosed with cancer but is now cancer free.
Howard said her involvement with Pelotonia was inspired by the loss of her mother, Kay Cook, to cancer.
“At the time I was like, ‘I’m not really interested in cycling,’” she said. “But, I love coordinating things. It’s just something I’ve always been interested in. So I applied for an opportunity to volunteer, and I said, ‘Give me as much responsibility as you can handle.’”
Howard has continued with the event on an annual basis "because it's making a difference."
“I think the reason I’ve stayed with it is not only because of the people I work and volunteer with, who come back every year,” she said. “The sheer amount of money that’s been raised every single year is something that I’m really passionate about.”
The event begins with an opening ceremony 3-8 p.m. Aug. 5 at McFerson Commons, 218 West St., Columbus, and North Bank Park, 311 W. Long St., Columbus. There is to be live entertainment, food and drinks, photo opportunities and motivational programming beginning at 7 p.m.
Routes available Aug. 6 are 20, 57, 84 and 102 miles. On Aug. 7, routes are 38, 80 and 100 miles.
sborgna@thisweeknews.com
@ThisWeekSteve
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Pelotonia expects second year of growth following virtual year in 2020
