www.activepueblo.net

April 30, 2014

Contact: Stephanie Chambers

Project Coordinator

(719) 553-2345 work

Pueblo’s 5th Annual Commuter Cup joins the National Bike Challenge

Pueblo, May 1st through September 2014

Join more than 50,000 Americans as we unite to ride more than 20 million miles in communities nationwide! Help put Pueblo on the map for cycling! Pueblo has a chance to win a bicycle advocacy grant when compared to similar size communities. The data this challenge collects is important for showing state, county and city leaders that people do ride here and investing in bicycle infrastructure is wise and necessary

Pueblo community members are encouraged to join the 2014 National Bike Challenge, a free, online program that encourages bicycling for transportation, fitness and recreation. It even includes a free smart phone app to track and upload mileage for you. Registering is easy and any data you submit will be included in the national, state, Pueblo county challenge (with Pueblo county zip code), your worksite challenge and any social team you might start or join.

The national challenge website:

·  Accepts daily mileage either for transportation, for sport or for mountain biking.

·  Participants earn 20 points each day ridden and one point for each mile ridden.

·  Displays how many calories you’ve burned, how much money and CO2 saved when you commute by bicycle rather than car.

The local Pueblo County challenge is coordinated by P.A.C.E. (Pueblo Active Community Environments), a community bicycle/pedestrian advocacy organization. This will be the fifth year P.A.C.E. has run a bicycle worksite challenge to foster a more bicycle friendly community. The past three years, P.A.C.E. promoted a Commuter Cup Challenge encouraging the community to ride for transportation, not just fun or fitness.

·  Locally May and June points and prizes will lean more toward riding for transportation during National and Colorado Bike Months but all miles count.

·  Earn extra points for the local challenge by signing in at the Bike to Work breakfast stop on National Bike to Work day on Friday, May 16th downtown by City Hall and SRDA at intersection of Union and Grand Ave from 6-9 am.

·  Earn more points for riding to a free breakfast stop on Wednesday, June 25th to celebrate Colorado Bike to Work day. Points given at each breakfast stop so plan a longer ride to join the fun at several stops.

·  Points and prizes for July through September will include all bicycle mileage from participants submitting data that month.

National Bike Month, the National Bike Challenge and Cruisin’ Pueblo cruiser bicycle rides all kick off on Thursday, May 1st. Cruisin’ Pueblo will host weekly casual rides of 3-8 miles starting at Bingo Burger every Thursday at 6:30 pm May 1st through September 2014.

“The past four years of the Commuter Cup Challenge was great for opening people’s eyes to the ease of cycling in Pueblo. We really look forward to using this new online system with results posted immediately to keep people interested in the challenge.” said Kim Arline, the local Pueblo Bike Challenge coordinator since 2010. “Even if you only ride a few times, your data matters! The data collected helps demonstrate the need for more bike lanes and trail connections. You might earn a prize and plus riding is great for your health, your waistline and your wallet!”

"The Pueblo commuter cup bike challenge has helped change my lifestyle by bicycling to work . It became contagious with co-workers", said Mike Archuleta RN BSN MSN CCRN, Trauma Program Manager for St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center. "The St. Mary Corwin team started riding to work together to improve their fitness. Many of the members continued to bike to work during the winter months. By the end of last year’s bike challenge many of us had lost weight and showed improved fitness".

“We have increased this year’s goals for the National Bike Challenge in Pueblo by 15% based off of our 2013 results”, said Stephanie Chambers, the City of Pueblo’s new Bike / Pedestrian Coordinator and Project Coordinator of this year’s challenge. “Therefore, our goals are to surpass 110 participants tracking their miles, and an overall collective mileage goal of more than 67,000 miles. I’m confident we can do even better. Our preliminary numbers are looking great and the official contest hasn’t even started yet”.

Pueblo Active Community Environments (PACE) is a community organization originally established as part of the Livewell Pueblo grantto provide citizen input and collaboration with city and county officials on improving the built environment to promote healthy, active lifestyles. PACE advocates for improved walkability and bikeability but is not formally organized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit but works in association with other non-profits with similar advocacy goals.

For more information on upcoming bicycle events check out the PACE website at www.activepueblo.net.

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