If you’re looking for a way to work off that big Thanksgiving dinner before you even sit down to eat it, the Miami Dolphins have come up with a way to do that while raising money for the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
During a Monday news conference and pep rally hosted by a slew of heavy hitters, the team announced the Dolphins Cycling Challenge, a two-day, 170-mile trans-Florida cycling event set for Nov. 19-21.
Dolphins Vice Chairman Jorge Perez, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee, UM President Donna Shalala and UM Miller School of Medicine Dean Dr. Pascal J. Goldschmidt, were among those at the kickoff.
Thousands of cyclists are invited to bike between 30 and 170 miles across South Florida’s three counties. On the first day, participants will take part in a “Century Ride” – that’s 100 miles – from downtown Miami to West Palm Beach, culminating with a celebration at CityPlace.
On the second day, depending on just how sore you are, there are two rides. One is 70 miles from CityPlace back south to Sun Life Stadium, while the other is a 30-mile ride from Fort Lauderdale to Sun Life Stadium.
The Dolphins team will be dubbed “Team Mad Dog” to honor alumnus Jim “Mad Dog” Mandich, who is being treated at Sylvester.
The former tight end and talk show host announced earlier this year he was being treated for a tumor in his bile duct.
“The Miami Dolphins family, like so many families throughout South Florida, has been deeply impacted by cancer,” Dee said. “The Dolphins Cycling Challenge is being created to inspire all South Floridians to join together to tackle this terrible disease, one mile at a time.”
In April, Florida lawmakers approved $9.5 million for continued cancer research at Sylvester. That money is being used to recruit researchers and move forward with its effort to obtain a cancer center designation from the National Cancer Institute.
The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa is the only facility in Florida with such a designation.
