If you just participated in the Concord Criterium and you’re looking for another big-time cycling event to take part in, the 12th annual Pedaling for Payson ride is right around the corner.
The event, which takes place Sept. 16 starting at Elm Brook Park in Hopkinton, is a cycling fundraiser to benefit Concord Hospital Payson Center for Cancer Care. This will be the 12th year of the ride, and more than $1 million has been raised since it began, said Gail Dexter, director of annual giving at Concord Hospital Trust.
The money that’s raised will support the most vulnerable patients at the Payson Center with the guidance of a nurse navigator, who will help them find the medical, community and financial support they need at a time of great physical, emotional, and financial stress.
“That person’s really there to help cancer patients go through the process,” Dexter said of the role of the nurse navigator.
The event is really a set of rides, not just one. Cyclists can do a 16-, 30-, 51-, 77- or 100-mile ride on the road, or a mountain bike ride – now in its third year – that has three different loops to choose from. Obviously, the longest of the rides are typically only for experienced cyclists – if you’ve never done a big ride before, you might want to hold off on the 100-miler for now.
There will be a party at the end with food and all kinds of revelry, and there will be several rest stops along each of the routes where riders can stop for water or food. One rest stop will even be serving bacon and eggs, Dexter said.
Since this is a ride, not a race, anyone who wants to can participate. You don’t have to have any prior cycling experience, though due to the lengths of the routes, it may not be the best event for young children – Dexter said she couldn’t recall anyone younger than about 10 having ridden before.
The ride isn’t until Sept. 16, but the fundraising and registration process is already well under way. As of last Friday morning, more than $16,000 had been raised, representing about 19 percent of the total fundraising goal which, by our shoddy math skills, looks to be about $90,000.
You can register online – the link for the page is too clunky to print here, but doing a Google search for Pedaling for Payson 2017 returns the site you want as the top result. You can register as an individual, you can start a team or join a team – there is a button for each option on the website. You can also call 227-7000, ext. 3076, or download a registration form and mail it to Concord Hospital Trust, Attention: Pedaling for Payson, 250 Pleasant St., Concord, NH 03301. Online registration will shut down Sept. 12, at which time anyone who still wants to participate can register at the event starting at 6:15 a.m.
The registration fee is $10. This is a non-refundable deposit that will be applied to your fundraising total. Participants must then raise or pay the additional money to reach the required minimum.
The fundraising minimum requirement is $100 for the 16-, 30-, 51-, 77- and 100-mile rides, $50 for the mountain bike ride and $25 for kids 14 and under. This fundraising goal must be met by Sept. 30 or the credit card you provide at registration will be charged the balance due.
The event will take place rain or shine. Now start raising money and get ready to have some fun – it’s for a great cause.
