24 Hours of Booty is a unique event were cyclists of all ages and abilities gather together and ride their bikes for 24 hours, all in the name of fighting cancer.
The 24 Hours of Booty is an
extraordinary cycling event that
is safe, fun, and open to all levels
of cycling ability, while bringing
cancer awareness to the community
and raising funds for noteworthy
cancer charities.
Last year, my mom and I participated in this event in the town I grew up in. This year we’re headed to Charlotte, the place where it all started 10 years ago.
This year’s already shaping up to be an adventure due to the record breaking heat that seems to be sweeping the country.
At a temperature almost 10 degrees hotter than usual, it’ll make for an interesting ride.
It’s so hot, in fact, the event organizers have issued a code red warning implying the potential for dangerous course conditions and are stressing the importance of safety, hydration, slowing down and taking care of yourself.
If it bumps up to black, the ride is shut down. Fingers crossed the heat’s not only bearable, but that the course stays open!
What’s a 24 Hour Bike Ride?
A 24 hour bike ride isn’t the most standard of events, and I’ve gotten a lot of questions about it.
How does it work?
24 Hours of Booty in Charlotte is a 2.97 mile loop around a neighborhood called Myers Park. While it’s open to traffic, lanes are blocked off and well marked for riders.
You can ride the loop as many or as few times as you want over the course of 24 hours. There’s no winner; there’s no set distance goal; there’s no minimum requirement to ride. It’s just about riding, having fun, and raising money for cancer.
Where do you go when you’re not riding?
Home base is called “Bootyville”. It’s full of tents and tables for eating, vendor booths, and a huge campground for all our tents.
Where do you sleep?
Most people stay in tents on a field in Bootyville. Some people head home for the night or grab some sleep in an air conditioned hotel. Staying overnight’s half the fun though.
What do you eat?
Lots and lots of food. There are at least 4 meals served; usually 5. If you volunteer before the event like we do, tack on another meal to that. The Charlotte event is 7pm to 7pm, so they serve dinner, a midnight pizza party, an early riser breakfast, breakfast, and lunch. The food is provided by local restaurants. Of course there’s snacks and drinks galore to be found in between.
There’s always a chance to grab something and refuel- you burn a lot of calories in 24 hours!
How far do you ride?
As far as you want! Last year I rode 50+ miles. I’m hoping for a little more this year. Some people ride 300 or more!
Do you have to do the whole 24 hours?
Nope. In fact, the Charlotte ride is so popular they have a special event called “Reboot”, where riders can sign up to join the course during the day on the second day of the ride.
How many people do it?
Charlotte, the largest of the 3 events, has 1,200 riders this year {plus 300 volunteers}.
A little perspective? That’s 1,500 people lining up in Bootyville. That’s how many people die each day from cancer. And that’s why these events are so important.
How much money does it raise?
Charlotte has already passed the amazing milestone of ONE MILLION dollars this year, and the event hasn’t even started. That’s beyond impressive, considered the grand total raised so far is $6 million.
What in the world do you pack?
Lots.of.stuff. A tent, sleeping bags, bikes, helmets, shoes, clothes, and more.
This year’s essentials are parred down a little thanks to experience. I’m loading up on a few extras though, like ZICO coconut water, Arctic Ease ice compresses {in case the knee or ankle flare up}, and Grease Monkey wipes to clean up messy hands after messing with bike chains, etc.
So, there you have it, a 24 hour bike ride. Now it’s time to toss the bikes on the car and head to Charlotte for a day of volunteering, and then tonight it’s time to ride!
Last year I participated in an event that was unlike any other. It was a physical event, yes, but one that went way beyond that. It didn’t matter how far you could run, how fast you could cycle, or what kind of shape you were in. It just mattered that you cared.
Of course, it didn’t hurt if you could handle cycling for a couple hours. Ok, more than a couple. Try 24. 24 hours of cycling.
At first I thought the idea was insane. But after lying in my tent at 3 in the morning, covered from head to toe in sweat and dirt, wondering if I should go back out for another loop, I realized it was anything but crazy.
It was an absolute “I have to do this again” event.
So we are. My mom and I are tackling the 24 hour bike ride again this year.
Only this year we’re coming to the home of 24 Hours of Booty- to the infamous Booty Loop in Charlotte where it all started 9 years ago.
And this time the husband’s joining us! He has no idea what he’s getting himself into.
<—our team this year
24 Hours of Booty is special because it supports cancer; a horrible disease that has affected way too many people. The Charlotte event supports the Lance Armstrong Foundation, The Brain Tumor Fund of the Carolinas, and the Keep Pounding Fund, established by former Panthers’ coach Sam Mills and player Mark Fields.
Want to support the fight against cancer? You can donate to 24 Hours of Booty here, or you can have a little fun and play a game of cancer tag that has absolutely nothing to do with 24HOB, but raises cancer awareness which is just as important. Play tag4cancer on Twitter!
You can also sign up for an online account with the Bee Well for Life program– every mile you log, whether swimming, cycling, or running- results in a donation to an emotional support program for those affected by breast cancer.
Track your training and make a difference- it’s win-win!
Have you woken up the morning after a long race and thought, “wow good thing I don’t have to get up and do that all over again today, my legs are shot.”
Well, what if you did do it all over again? And then again?
What if you ran a marathon 75 days in a row?
That’s what Terry Hitchcock did. 75 marathons, 75 days in a row.
We’re all running a marathon one way or another. Whether it is staying afloat as a single, working parent, battling a disease or trying to conquer a fear, it all involves a fight. Join Fathom Events for an inspirational story about a man who ran 75 consecutive marathons in 75 consecutive days to raise awareness about the struggle of losing a loved one and becoming a single parent.
Dove Foundations says: “An astonishing documentary – it’s truly a story of endurance and faith.”
See what’s possible when physical endurance and the will of the human spirit unite in MY RUN in theaters March 31st- a nationwide, one-night only event.
Interviews with Terry Hitchcock and his son and support member Chris Hitchcock follow the feature movie, which is narrated by Billy Bob Thorton.
A portion of proceeds from the MY RUN Premiere event will benefit the Livestrong Foundation.
From events like Relay for Life to 24 Hours of Booty, an event that lasts literally an entire day & night is unlike any other event you’ll do, and it’s one that absolutely everybody can do- no matter your ability, size, age, shape, or training.
Here’s why:
1. You don’t need to be an elite athlete. Heck, you don’t even need to be an athlete- a repeated loop means it doesn’t matter how fast or how long you go, you’re still in the middle of the action.
2. Even if you are an athlete, you can participate with people that aren’t, and still do it together. There’s no other “endurance” event that I could have done with my mom.
3. You’ll be inspired in ways you never expected. Volunteers are amazing regardless, but try finding volunteers that will make peanut butter banana sandwiches at midnight, or sit at an abandoned intersection on the course alone at 3 in the morning. Now that’s incredible.
4. When you see an 11 & 13 year complete over 100 miles, you’ll realize you’re probably capable of more than you thought.
5. It’s a great way to expose kids (or non active people) to physical activity. Because of the loop set up, kids can easily join in for a lap or two (or more). I didn’t even know this kind of stuff existed when I was a kid.
6. The options are endless. Bicycle, unicycle, tandem, walk, run, skip, hop. Whatever means you choose, goes.
7. Food. Lots of food.
8. Friends & family can join you even if they’re not participating. They can volunteer, spectate, cheer, or keep you company for the night.
9. The money raised goes to a good cause.
10. How much you do is up to you- you’ll learn how strong you are not only physically, but mentally.
11. Exercising on minimal sleep is a different experience than being well rested.
12. No other endurance event occurs in the dark in the middle of the night. When else could you do that safely?
13. Even the shyest of shy can make new friends. When you’re together for 24+ hours, you’re bound to start talking. Plus, you already know something they’re interested in, and there’s probably a story behind what got them to the event.
14. The shower after 24 hours of sweat, dirt, & sunscreen will be the best shower of your life.
15. The night after 24 hours of sweat, dirt, & sunscreen will be the best sleep of your life.
16. You get to see a beautiful sunset.
17. You get to see a beautiful sunrise.
18. You get automatic bragging rights: “I _______ for 24 hours” (biked, walked, etc.)
19. You’ll be able to cover distances you never thought possible. Biking 4 miles then resting and biking 4 more is less tiring than bike 8 miles in a row.
20. You’ll be able to hone your inner Girl Scout skills. When’s the last time you pitched a tent by yourself?
21. You can safely participate even if you are injury prone (or injured).
22. You’ll hear amazing stories from amazing people- on the course, at home base, on the campground. 24 hours is a lot more time than a few minutes during a race.
23. The minute it’s over you’ll be inspired to do it again next year- only bigger & better.
24. You get to be part of something much, much bigger than yourself.
P.P.S. Clipless pedals rock. I’ve logged 60+ miles and I’m wipeout free (knock on wood). So don’t be scared of them. 😉
Eight years ago Spencer Leuders rode his bike for 24 hours around a neighborhood in NC- a route fondly known as “booty loop”- in support of a friend with cancer.
Eight years and three cities later, 24 Hours of Booty is raising millions of dollars in the name of cancer, with thousands of cyclists biking through the day and night in support of those who have fought, are fighting, or will fight the horrible disease of cancer.
This weekend I was honored to be one of those cyclists.
There’s really no way to adequately pack such an experience into a recap, but I’ll do my best.
By the time the event clock started rolling at 1 o’clock Saturday, I’d already spent a good nine hours with the ‘booty crew’ playing the role of volunteer before I switched over to cyclist.
The 24 hour ride kicked off with a ‘survivor loop’- those that had beaten cancer got things rolling (literally) by leading the riders around the first loop of the course- a 2.1 mile loop around a corporate park.
Home base was "Bootyville”, where riders could get on and off the course as they wanted, to rest, eat, or just hang out.
Beyond keeping things safe, there are no rules in booty land- you ride as much as you want, as often as you want, and as fast as you want. (Which also means you get to ride as little as you want and as slow as you want- it’s not a race, and there’s no winner, besides those the event is benefitting.)
The course loop started out with a slight downhill which turns into a fairly flat area- though after riding it 26 times, I’d probably be more inclined to say it was a series of small up hills. The end of the loop was everybody’s favorite part- a long, gradual hill that turned into a fairly steep hill right at the end of the loop. After powering through the hill a few times, you start believing somebody’s raising the summit when you’re not looking.
Some riders had lofty, specific goals: 300 miles in 24 hours, 100 miles without stopping, 75 miles before night fall, or simply “more than last year”.
The founder, Spencer, was challenged to ride 200 miles- he finished before midnight rolled around. (He rode fairly casually at first- chatting with other cyclists, but when dark fell and the number of riders on the course dropped, he kicked it into high gear and started booking it.)
Every rider had their own approach: do as many laps as possible in a row, do a lap and stop, ride only at night, etc. Worried about my knee, I rode a few laps and took a break, rode a few laps and took a break, repeat, repeat, repeat.
I skipped the first lap in order to watch my mom finish her survivor loop- she was nervous about being with ‘serious’ bikers and riding her heavy hybrid up the big hill- but she did it, and with a smile on her face.
After she did a loop or two, I joined her & rode my first lap with her, then continued while she went back to her duties as a Booty Organizer Committee member- “BOC” if you’re hip.
In between laps, I hung out in Bootyville, either eating, rehydrating, or volunteering. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but it was h.o.t & humid. It was hard to get enough fluid without constantly drinking.
Before we knew it, the sun set and the heat started to subside. After riding a few laps at dusk with me, my mom & team headed home to get some sleep. I took advantage of a safe, closed course to do my first night time bike riding. (I had to use my new head & tail lights after all!)
By 11 Bootyville had turned into zombie land, as the few people left sticking it out for the night were either sleeping or out on the course. The midnight pizza party brought the whole place back to life though. I didn’t even realize how hungry I was before I devoured 2 slices in a matter of seconds.
After filling up on pizza, I tried to get a few hours of sleep in my luxury hotel for the night. Besides having to get up to pee constantly, I was able to get a little bit of rest which recharged me for some early morning riding.
The next few hours went by in a flash- my teammates returned, riders with families brought their kids out to ride, & spectators came by to cheer.
My stepsister & brother in law should probably win an award for best enthusiasts- they not only volunteered for a shift, but stayed to cheer on the start of the race, then came back to cheer at midnight, and again at the end of the race. To show my appreciation, I joined them to cheer on the last loop of the event.
But plans changed when two riders from Team Fight (Ulman’s training team) came by and said I was riding the last loop with them. I ran to get my shoes, hopped on my bike, and met them at the loop entrance to join everyone for a final lap.
At the beginning, 24 hours seemed like a long time. During that last loop, I couldn’t believe it was already over.
Though many people did much more, I was proud of my 54.6 miles of riding- farther than I’ve ever ridden before, and more than I thought I’d be able to do untrained & recovering from injury.
All I could think was next year I’d be back- doubling the money I raised, and doubling the miles I rode. 100 miles—at least. 😉
(More to come later, but first it’s time to drive back to NC!! :))
