"Thons" Reconsidered
In the past few years, there has been a proliferation of pledge rides or “bike-a-thons,” in which cyclists help to raise money for charitable causes by asking their friends and neighbours to contribute a small sum for each mile they ride in an organized event. This approach has been used by many charitable groups, and even by the League of American Bicyclists, in its Pedal For Power program.
Conventional wisdom is that this is a win-win situation, encouraging cycling while simultaneously raising money for worthy causes.
I submit that this conventional wisdom is wrong, that these pledge rides are bad for cycling, and that they should not be encouraged by the League.
“Bike-a-thons” grew out of “walk-a-thons.” The idea of walk-a-thons is that the participants demonstrate their concern for the selected cause by undergoing the painful ordeal of a long walk, with the understanding that each mile they walk will enlarge the contribution given by the donors who they have signed up. The donors, in turn, get to feel that their contribution has been “earned” by the suffering of the participant who has sacrificed time and comfort for the sake of the cause.
The problem with translating the “walk-a-thon” into the “bike-a-thon” is the application of the concepts of “sacrifice” and “suffering” from walking to cycling. Cycling shouldn’t be seen as a painful ordeal; cycling is fun! Could you imagine a “Cine-thon” where participants asked for pledges based on how many movies they watched? How about an “Ice-Cream-a-thon,” in which people would give contributions based on how many ice cream cones you ate?
Altough “thons” do get people out on their bikes, and maybe even bring some people into cycling in a serious way, I believe that they send a message that cycling is a painful, unpleasant chore that you should do because it is good for you, or because it benefits some charitable organization. Too many well-meaning people sign up for a long pledge ride without an adequate mileage base, with substandard cycling skills and equipment. These people will “learn” that bicycling is about pain and exhaustion, saddle sores and sunburn, aching knees and stiff necks.
An experience like this can turn a potential cyclist off for life. They may still ride an occasional pledge ride, as a masochistic exercise, or because of dedication to a cause, or because they are so proud of surviving the ordeal. They will likely never discover the simple joy of going for a nice bike ride and not coming home a physical wreck.
The people who run most “thons” are good people, with good intentions. However, they have an agenda which does not necessarily include promotion of bicycling. While their use of bicyclists may promote a noble cause, the end does not justify the means.
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Reconsidering the thon
In the few weeks since I first read this article, the thesis here has started to strike a chord with me. I just reread it in almost complete agreement.
I did a one day 115 mile "thon" style ride a few weeks ago, and on the subsequent weekend, a four day, 250 mile ride which occupied the murky space somewhere between a paid for bike tour and a "thon".
The truth was I was doing both rides because they seemed fun and adventurous and a bit challenging. The first ride required me to raise $150, for which I figured I might half-heartedly petition a handful of friends and family. If not, I could cover the cost myself. The second ride was covered by a $300 fee, which included logistical things like sleeping arrangements, breakfasts, dinners, bus rides, support cars, etc. for four days. Any extra after these costs would go to support the cause at hand, which happened to be bicycling advocacy in Massachusetts.
In mentioning these upcoming events, the reactions I got from friends and acquaintances all assumed these were to be terribly painful and difficult undertakings. In the case of the one day ride, I now feel like I encouraged this idea even with my first and very low key attempt at a fund raising email. "What a great cause! Good luck!"
The truth was, while I certainly had nothing against the cause, I didn't feel particularly passionate about it either. But even if I had, why should going on what for me would be a super fun, all day ride be viewed as some kind of sacrifice for a cause, however noble? Sure, my quads burnt a bit at the end. And I didn't quite keep up on my hydration. Or eat enough. It got a bit grueling the last few miles, sure. But I'd do that anyway.
The next weekend, half-way through my tour of Massachusetts, we ran into a local fellow in a bar and grill we stopped at for lunch. He was not a cycling enthusiast.
His first question amounted to, "What cause are you riding for?" Now, we *were* sort of riding for a cause, but the last thing I wanted to do was give him the impression it was some kind of "thon".
"Just for fun."
I was quickly corrected by another rider that we were actually riding for the bicycling advocacy organization in Massachusetts. This certainly was not for fun!
"You know, they've been threatening to build a bike path through this town for years," he said, shaking his head in disapproval. "You guys just want to ride on roads though, right?"
Yeah, just roads.
MS150
I thought I was the only one considering this question, but I kept it to myself.
I've done the last three Minnesota MS150 rides. They're an absolute blast, and a heck of a way to kill a weekend. In fact, I consider it a cycling vacation.
Sure, I raise a lot of money each year. But each time I feel a little guilty because it's such good fun.
Because of this, I do not see the logic between the charity and the event. Why not just ask folks to cut the check? Sure, they might raise a little less money. But it would be less confusing than trying to equate my cycling fun with the suffering of a terminally diseased patient.
thons reconsidered
To the editor:
I just read Sheldon Brown's piece on bike-a-thons and I must respectfully disagree wth his viewpoint on
several fronts.
I am a lifetime bicycle rider, mostly commuting shorter distances (10 miles RT each day) and an occasional long ride (20 miles or so) every now and then.
I also have Crohn's disease, an auto-immune disease that profoundly affests the way my body breaks down food into nutrients. Crohn's sufferes experience low weight, fatigue and frequent, urgent trips to the bathroom. There are over a million people in the
United States who have Crohn's or its related condition, ulcerative colitis. Crohn's and UC patients often suffer in silence because these are not "sociable" diseases -- not the sort of thing one talks about in polite company. There is also no cure for either disease. My lifelong struggle with Crohn's has effectively excluded me from certain athletic and/or outdoor endeavors. I dreamed of going long distances on my bike but never felt I could do it alone.
Enter "Get Your Guts In Gear" (www.ibdride.org), the bike ride for Crohn's and colitis.
GYGIG rides took place this year in Austin, TX; New York City and Seattle, WA. After seven months of training, preparation and fundraising, I recently completed the Puget Sound ride in early August. These three rides saw the participation of a total of 200
riders who came together to ride, socialize and connect with each other. GYGIG became a rolling support group for Crohn's and colitis sufferers, their caregivers, families and friends. Many of the riders have Crohn's or colitis and we encouraged each other to keep riding when things got tough. Every single participant finished the Seattle ride without mishaps, and all of us came away with a sense of accomplishment unlike any other.
The three rides raised awareness about these diseases in the cities where they took place; and also raised over half a million dollars, most of which will fund research to find a cure for Crohn's and colitis.
Because I participated in GYGIG this year, I was empowered to speak more openly about life wth Crohn's and to advocate for others with the disease. I took up an ambitious training program that got me involved with my local bicycling club (Oregon Randonneurs, THE most welcoming and friendy bike club I have ever found), and helped me develop strategies for riding longer distances while living with a chronic illness and accomplishing my goals. GYGIG-Pacific NW gave me the opportunity to ride 141 miles on my bike, traveling through some of the prettiest country I'd ever seen in my life. I know I will want to do this ride again, and have already talked it up to friends of mine in the hopes they'll want to do it with me next time.
Thanks to GYGIG, although I am no super-athlete I have become some kind of bicycle hero to my friends and family. They all ask when they can go on a ride with me. Bike-a-thons do not always have to be ABOUT bicycle riding in order to promote bicycle riding.
Sincerely,
Beth Hamon,
Portland OR
http://bikelovejones.livejournal.com