In late July, while on their summer break, Duke Club Cycling riders launched a 12-hour bike marathon to support Duke Health’s COVID-19 Response Funds and local cycling organizations that advocate for cycling as an alternative and safer form of transportation.
Due to the pandemic, each of the seven riders rode solo. They chose their routes—some rode in the outdoors, some rode virtually via Zwift, a multi-player virtual cycling app that allows individuals to ride indoors with others from around the world, and some rode both ways.
The team harnessed the power of social media to spread the word and report on their progress. They rode a total of 731 miles in 44 hours and fifteen minutes and raised over $2,000.
The students made an $844 gift to Duke Health’s COVID-19 Response Fund to support the area of greatest need and donated the rest of the funds to Bike Durham, Durham Bike Co-op, and Duke Club Cycling.
“We wanted to do something that would directly help the COVID-19 pandemic efforts and also support local organizations that are very close to us and share similar values like bike advocacy, safety, and accessibility,” says Ricky Romersi, president of the Duke Club Cycling.
By Aliza Inbari