For Brendan Flaherty, construction manager for Facilities Design and Construction (FDC), Pelotonia has become an annual tradition built on endurance, friendship and a commitment to cancer research.
Flaherty just completed his 18th Pelotonia this year. Since his first ride in 2009, he has personally raised $107,693 for cancer research, including $9,266 this year.
When he started riding, Flaherty said his motivation centered largely on the physical challenge and figuring out how to raise $2,000. Over time, hearing about the experiences of cancer patients and their families changed his perspective.
"I have become aware of the personal battles so many people have had when they or a family member has cancer," he said. “It has deepened my understanding of the ride’s impact and strengthened my commitment to Pelotonia’s mission.”
One of those stories is particularly personal. Flaherty has known a man named David since David was in first grade, when he attended grade school with Flaherty’s son. At the age of 31, David had not been feeling well for about a year before asking his physician for an X-ray. The scan revealed a tumor next to his heart about the size of a tennis ball. He was diagnosed with lymphoma.
David went to The James unsure whether he would survive. He later received proton therapy treatments at the new James Outpatient Care. The treatment shrank the tumor without surgery.
On the first day of Pelotonia this year, Flaherty saw David at a rest stop before the riders reached Kenyon.
"David was riding 100 miles and you could not tell he had been seriously ill with Lymphoma," Flaherty said.
His introduction to Pelotonia came in 2008, when he first heard about the proposed cycling event. The following spring, he attended an informational gathering in the recruiting room of Ohio Stadium, where Tom Lennox, Pelotonia’s first CEO, described the two-day ride from Columbus to Athens and back.
"I knew Tom would make Pelotonia a fun event," Flaherty said.
Nearly two decades later, the people Flaherty rides with have become just as important as the ride itself. His team, Bo’s Tire Barn, is a Peloton within Team Buckeye. Four riders participated in 2009. The group grew to as many as 25 riders around 2015 and has 11 riders this year, usually including at least one rookie.
"My Peloton team is Bo’s Tire Barn. We have become great friends training and riding together. The team grew and we met a lot of fun people. We also raise a lot of money together. You cannot do Pelotonia alone for very long," Flaherty said.
The team has also made fundraising a shared effort. Flaherty said the four original riders set a goal of raising $10,000 in 2009 and ultimately raised $10,005. Since then, Bo’s Tire Barn riders have raised $2,108,162, without company sponsorship.
For Flaherty, the fundraising model has remained one of the event’s most meaningful aspects. He said the donations go directly to The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, while event operating expenses are covered by sponsors.
Flaherty’s connection to Ohio State has also deepened his connection to Pelotonia. He began working at the university in 2007 as a construction manager in FDC. After participating in Pelotonia for several years, he asked to move to the Medical Center team within his department.
His work subsequently included renovation projects at Ohio State’s hospitals, including the new James Cancer Hospital. In 2018, he was assigned as project manager for the new Interdisciplinary Research Facility, a 305,000-square-foot research building that was named the Pelotonia Research Center during construction.
"It’s an amazing facility," Flaherty said.
Many of the riders on Bo’s Tire Barn share his connection to Ohio State and support Pelotonia because of their affinity for the university, he said.
After 18 rides, Flaherty said he is not setting a long-term retirement date from Pelotonia.
"It’s hard to predict the future, so let’s say one year at a time," Flaherty said. "I’m thankful to be healthy and able to train and ride the big weekend every August."
He hopes other Buckeyes will find their own way to participate in the university community.
"Participate in something at the university. There are so many opportunities here to take part in the Buckeye community, establish relationships and enjoy a variety of new experiences," Flaherty said.
You can donate to Brendan Flaherty and Team Bo’s Tire Barn fundraisers online through October 15.