Welcome to our new blog series, Event 360 Explores, where Event 360 teammates answer some questions and provide some information on events in which they participated. We learn so much from producing our own events. But there’s a whole wide world out there for us to explore and discover. This series will share the results of our exploration. First up is Molly Fast who just hopped off a spin bike where she sat for four hours straight (seriously) after raising over $8,000 in less than two weeks.
Name, date and location of event Cycle for Survival, Saturday February 8th, West Los Angeles Equinox.
Event summary Cycle for Survival is an indoor team cycle event which benefits Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the battle against rare cancers. In 2014, over the course of eight days, there will be 41 rides in 13 cities. Equinox, the Founding Partner of Cycle for Survival, provides the space, bikes and spin instructors. The day is split into two sessions- the morning (8:00 am – 12:00 pm) and afternoon (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm). Team captains assign shifts to their team’s participants and how long you ride is dependent upon how many people are on your team (and how long you want to ride). The fundraising goal is $4,000 per team, but in some cases, participants sign up as an “Extreme Rider” where they commit to raising $4,000 on their own and ride all four hours.
Were the three event basics met: traffic, parking and signage? I participated in the morning session which meant I needed to arrive at Equinox before 8am. Being that it’s LA and the traffic is never predictable, and I had never been to this location, I left my house with plenty of time, and got there pretty early (about 40 minutes before the first ride started). The signage was great from the moment I arrived. An excited person holding a large Cycle for Survival sign directed me into the parking garage attached to the gym. Because I was among the first to arrive, parking was no issue. And there were plenty of signs directing me inside after I parked. Once I walked through the doors, I couldn’t miss where I was supposed to go. The flow of the site was great, bolstered by the layout of the gym. And it was only enhanced by the fact that there were a lot of people available to help answer questions.
I will say, that after the morning session ended and I was leaving the parking garage, there were parking issues. The parking garage was full, people were being turned away and the happy person who directed me into the parking garage earlier in the day, had no suggestions for where else people could park except for finding something on the street. Two-hour meters weren’t totally helpful if you were supposed to be there for the entire shift. I felt badly that people were being turned away and reminded myself to make sure I always do the morning session!
If there were a suggestion box on site, what note would you have left behind? Make sure the tv monitors can be viewed regardless of what bike you were assigned to. I happened to be on a bike that was off to the side and the two main tv screens they had up, were straight on so those in the middle section could see them perfectly. Those of us off to the sides were out of luck.
What did you see or experience that made you say “Ooooooh. That would be fun to incorporate into my event.”? Those tv screens which were so hard for me to see were displaying all the various social media channels that participants were using to tag #CycleforSurvival. It was a great way to engage the audience to use social media and spread the word about the event. And then getting to see your own content up on the big screen was pretty cool (I’m assuming, since I couldn’t see the tv screens myself).
What did you get at the event? After check-in and getting my bike assignment, I walked right up to another table and was given a Cycle for Survival branded t-shirt, sunglasses and cinch bag. Walking upstairs to the main floor, there were headbands that you could help yourself to in the food and beverage area (which has a plethora of delicious options).
Would you recommend this event and why? I would. It’s really high-energy and a great way to engage your friends and family in a morning or afternoon of fun. It was impossible to not be inspired by the amazing spin instructors leading you through your ride(s). And given that 50% of people with cancer are battling a rare cancer, you definitely feel like you’re doing something important and meaningful, all while having a lot of fun.
And, most importantly – will you be back? Absolutely!
