Ready, Set, Go! Cyclothon Kicks Off the Fargo Marathon Week

Riding 15 or 26.2 miles through the streets of the valley is not a walk in the park...

FARGO, N.D. — People hopped on their bikes and zoomed off to the finish line at the Cyclothon to kick off this year’s Fargo Marathon Week.

Rider’s tell us about their experience and what it feels like to be a part of the cycling crowd.

They tightened their helmets, tied their sneakers and waited for their countdown.

“I’m pumped this is going to be so much fun I’m excited to like wave at all the cars,” said Tom Hanson, a 26.2 mile rider.

Riding 15 or 26.2 miles through the streets of the valley is not a walk in the park…

“But as you go and you’re around all these people and everybody’s pumped up and you have the people on the sidelines cheering you on it’s like you forget about how much you may be struggling or how out of breath you are and you just keep going with everybody you just go with the pack,” said Mckenzie Paulson, a 15 mile rider.

That adrenaline for many is the driving force to crossing the finishing line.

Biking the distance can seem intimidating, but to these power rangers they aren’t letting those numbers scare them.

“We went on one training ride and we’re just going to see what happens and it’s going to be fun,” Hanson said.

To this team, it’s not about winning; it’s about taking in the experience.

“We were going to do sumo wrestlers but you could imagine how that would have worked out, power rangers a lot better,” Hanson said.

And for others, it’s about completing a goal, and pushing yourself to do the best you can.

“Usually at that seven I’m like hey you’ve already gone half you only have half more let’s just keep going you’re almost there,” Paulson said.

On a normal day, these five are co–workers, but on cyclothon day, they are more than that.

“We were all going to do this anyway and we decided to kind of make it a theme kind of raise one for Type 1 diabetes,” Hanson said.

Those with the Fargo Marathon are giving people aside from runners a chance to be a part of the festivities.

“There is absolutely no way I could run a marathon. I’m not running a half marathon, but I can bike a marathon that’s pretty much what we can do,” Hanson said.

Riders say it gives people a chance to show their abilities in different ways.

“I’m just happy that I have the ability to move my body in the way I do and have the opportunity to actually get on a bike and do a race like this,” Paulson said.

Whether you bike several miles every day, or only hop on once in a while, many of the riders say to take the chance, get out there and enjoy the ride.

“If you have a reason to do something go do it I mean it doesn’t matter if it’s hard or easy just go out there and have fun with it that’s the whole point of everything,” Hanson said.

They say it’s an experience of a lifetime.

Activities will be going on throughout the week leading up to the 5K Friday, and the 10K, half marathon and full marathon on Saturday.