Members and staff of the Andover/North Andover YMCA logged thousands of miles on Expresso bikes during the month of October, beating other YMCAs from around the country to become the Y Madness Expresso Bike Champions. The national contest, which was sponsored by Expresso Bikes, started on September 24, 2019. The goal was to ride as many miles as a team/YMCA as possible in a 24 hour period. Andover/North Andover YMCA members and staff rode every Tuesday, advancing through the Super 16, Electric 8, Fearsome 4, and then finally winning the championship on Tuesday, October 27, 2019. During the final rounds, the Y stayed open for 24 hours on Tuesdays so that dedicated riders could log miles on the bikes.
“I am humbled by the drive and dedication of our members. The sense of community has been overwhelming,” said Andover/North Andover YMCA Health and Wellness Director Cara Green. “I get choked up when I see how passionate and committed everyone has been. I am honored to be a part of it.”
In all, 300 riders from the Merrimack Valley YMCA participated in the contest, logging 8,129 miles and burning 250,612 calories in the process. MVYMCA member and LIVESTRONG participant Liz Roos finished 22nd overall in the country with a total of 387 miles. The Expresso Bike Y Madness Challenge website (https://expresso.com/YMadness2019) has more information on total miles for the MVYMCA and for individual riders.
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The Y won the grand prize, which is a brand new Expresso Bike for the branch – and of course bragging rights as the #1 Y in the country. But for the participants, it was more about the thrill of the competition and the sense of community that resulted from the contest than the prize. As member Greg Galat put it:
“Hands down, the best thing the Y has ever done.”