Race to Anyplace

By MIDN 4/C Ben Anderson

The Eighth Annual Race to Any Place, which is presented by Trib Total Media and sponsored by GNC, is the largest stationary bike race in Western Pennsylvania. The fundraiser is an important team fund-raising event benefiting the Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is a six-hour long relay race where riders switch out twenty-four times doing fifteen-minute intervals on an Airdyne bike. There are seventy teams that compete in the competition, and therefore a great deal of money was able to be raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Carnegie Mellon University’s NROTC unit sent two teams to the competition for a second year in a row; a team comprised of Navy Option Midshipmen and another with Marine Option Midshipmen. Both teams competed well with the Navy Options posting 133.53 total miles and the Marine Options just coming out on top with 135.28 total miles. The top rider for the Marine Option team was Midshipman 3/C Derr who rode 6.13 miles and 6.15 miles, and then rode one more time for his Fraternity. The rest of the Marine team included: 2nd Lieutenant Morgan, Gunnery Sergeants Falls, Gunnery Sergeant Frantz, 1/C MIDN Lethbridge, and Hronas, 2/C MIDN D’Ambra, Giger, Molesphini, and Werner, MIDN 3/C Licht, and MIDN 4/C Anderson.  Midshipman 3/C Cortell, for the Navy Options, posted their best three rides with distances of 5.97, 5.91, and 5.94.  Rounding-out the rest of the Navy team was: Lieutenant Leary, Officer Candidate Wilkins, MIDN 1/C Bartholomeaux, MIDN 2/C Jones, 3/C MIDN Cortell, Talarico, and Roe, 4/C MIDN Brocavich, Brand, Medenbach, and Van Arsdale. Even though the two teams dominated their division, they finished 6th and 7th overall among the thirty Airdyne teams.

There was no doubt the civilian community recognized our continued support and participation in this affair. They certainly enjoyed the unique atmosphere we provided by demanding the very best from each and every rider who dared to jump on that Airdyne bike. Once again, by taking part in such a rewarding and selfless cause we represented the military and our respective services well at this event. Although it was a difficult challenge for all the participants, the Midshipmen who participated had a great time motivating one another, building a sense of pride and camaraderie, and giving back to those in need.