Pelotonia Legends can’t be stopped – no matter what the challenge! This year we all faced a headwind no one expected, but Pelotonia participants have continued to show up in big ways to raise money for innovative cancer research through My Pelotonia.

The blog Pelotonia Legends in Action provided an update on 3 participants who checked off their Pelotonia goals. Read below for 3 more updates:

Complete 6,000 burpees in 60 days

Why you are participating in Pelotonia this year?

Participating for another year was a no-brainer for me. I signed up as soon as registration opened and had no hesitation in remaining committed once the transition was made to the My Pelotonia platform. I’m participating for the same reasons I always do. I believe in this mission and the work we are funding. If I can use my time, talents, and physically healthy body to ride, volunteer, fundraise (or do 6,000 burpees!) I’ll do so for as many years as I can to support Pelotonia and (hopefully) inspire others to get involved.

I knew I wanted my primary goal to be something physically challenging just like my 100-mile ride is. In 2018, two friends and I created a fundraiser that led to us doing 723 burpees each, in a weight vest, the Friday of ride weekend. It was a little crazy, but so much fun! We raised a lot of money and people remembered it, so I decided to play on that. It’s my sixth year participating so 6,000 burpees in under 60 days became the goal! 

I was devastated when the Ride was officially cancelled, but being able to curate my own legendary participation was an awesome experience. While it wasn’t the same as riding 100 miles in the heat in one day, 6,000 burpees was… a lot. Some days I only did 100, some days it was 250+. And some days my body didn’t feel like doing any! There was still a physical and mental challenge to complete the goal I’d laid out for myself and that kept me connected to the feeling of Ride Weekend which felt really special. Plus, I was able to engage with followers regularly as I shared progress updates which led to support from a handful of new donors, and a friend even joined me for the last 500 burpees! 

Swim the 4-mile circumference of Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, CT

Why you are participating in Pelotonia this year?

I have participated in every Pelotonia since the second year (I missed the first one due to getting a stem cell transplant that day), because I want to give something back to The James. The doctors and staff there saved my life in 2009 when I had Stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, so I owe them more than I can ever repay. I think they are doing exciting new research and I want to help support their efforts.

How did you choose your Pelotonia goal?

Since there would be no in-person Pelotonia Ride this year, I felt free to try something that presented a different challenge: swimming a great distance. My wife and I spend summers on a small lake in Connecticut, so I thought it would be interesting to try to swim the circumference of that (admittedly small) lake. I estimated it to be 4 miles around, but it actually proved to be 2.2 miles. Never having swum even half that distance before, I knew I would actually have to train to have a hope of completing the “Lake Quassapaug Loop Challenge” as I called it. That created a second goal: train in some dedicated manner to prepare to not embarrass myself on the day of the Loop Challenge.

The weather report for my swim day predicted rain and lightning, so I just decided to move it up to the next day. Unfortunately, that morning at 5am, my start time to avoid boats, offered dark skies and very choppy water. It felt like swimming uphill against rapids for the first 3/4 of the Loop. But I was fit and ready, so off I went with my wife taking photos.

It’s quiet swimming alone. No sounds but the splashing of your stroke, so you can think about lots of things. I couldn’t help but remember 11 years ago on the day of the first Pelotonia that I was undergoing my stem cell transplant at The James. I was too weak to turn my head to look out the window. Now, here I am swimming around a lake, full of health, all thanks to the James’ doctors and staff.

I finished strong and not too winded in just under 2 hours.  I felt good about my swim, the friends and family who supported me, and the Pelotonia cause. I was glad I could give something back to this hospital that has done so much for me and many others. 

Ride 200 miles by Saturday, August 8th. Stretch Goal – An additional 45 miles – the distance I would have ridden on August 8 for Ride Weekend.

Why you are participating in Pelotonia this year?

Every year, as more people are being diagnosed, it becomes even more important that we do something to find a cure. I ride for those that cannot and those that fight daily to battle cancer-patients, doctors, researchers, families and supporters. We have all been touched by this horrible disease are truly in this fight together. How did you choose your Pelotonia goal?

I tried to push myself out of my comfort zone. I had the luxury to choose something difficult that challenged me and required sacrifice. I thought of those that have to face treatment each day don’t have that choice, they must be brave daily. 

Completing my goal was exciting but emotional as well. It rained the day I completed my 200 miles; it rained on and off the entire ride and was fitting for the day. All that I could think was after the rain the sun always shines and there is always hope of better tomorrows.

Fundraising for Pelotonia 2020 concludes on October 31, but there’s still time to conquer some personal activity and fundraising goals. Share your Pelotonia goal-getting moments on social media, tagging @Pelotonia and #MyPelotonia!