Mark Bottom leaves Thursday to meet up with the Pedal for Alzheimer’s cyclists, who started the full ride on Sunday. He’ll finish with the full group next week in Florida. (Courtesy photo)
Mark Bottom’s ‘Pedal for Alz’ kicks off Friday
With his fundraising about $500 from its goal, Mark Bottom leaves today (Thursday) for the second annual ride to support Alzheimer’s disease research.
He’ll join the “Pedal for Alzheimer’s” cycling team on Friday in Columbia, South Carolina for his first 114 miles into
Charleston. He’s slated to finish his 550-mile section with the other riders Oct. 17 in Florida.
After completing the full 1,098 miles in last year’s “Pedal for Pat” (which changed this year to Pedal for Alzheimer’s), Bottom, a teacher and coach at Chase County Schools, chose to do a half-ride due to his schedule.
With last year’s ride under his belt, Bottom said this week he’s less anxious about the experience.
“It helps to have already experienced it. I’m also riding less miles this year so am not going into it with as much anxiety as last year,” he said.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges.
He said he’s been fighting a hamstring issue, so didn’t get as much training in as he’d hoped.
“But, I feel confident,” he said.
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