The 2016 UnitedHealthcare 9/11 Challenge began on Sunday, September 11, marking the 15th anniversary of 9/11 and making this ride incredibly emotional for many of our riders who were directly affected by the attacks. Unlike 5 years ago, the weather could not have been better for the start of this event. The riders set off for a long day in the saddle with temperatures in the low 80s and light winds. The ride went past the facade of the Pentagon that was lit up and draped with a US flag to commemorate the attack there.

There are several first-time Challenge riders participating in this event, all of whom tackled their first century (100 miles) on day one's adventure to York, PA. Shane has been riding for 3 months and has served in the US Army for many years. He comes from a military family as his dad served in the Air Force. He had deployments in both Iraq and Afghanistan. After a tough time in rehab and a disintegration of his marriage, he was looking for a way out. A close friend recommended he join his local Project HERO Community Center.

After getting over the stigma of wearing lycra and routinely biking with Ride 2 Recovery, Shane found he was feeling better, reducing his prescription drug use from 16 pills a day to 1, and had improved his relationship with his wife to a level not seen in years. Now he was conquering riding 100 miles in 1 day. The smile on his face said it all - no longer thinking about a way out, just being a better person, husband and father.

United Airlines lost two planes and their crews during the 9/11 attacks. With this being the 15th anniversary, it was important to remember the people who were lost, the families of those affected, and to honor those who have served our country in the aftermath.

Several employees, including a flight attendant and reservations agent, made the decision to ride every mile for those we lost. Each of them a cycling enthusiast, the chance to ride several days from DC to NYC and reflect on the company they work for and the way their jobs changed forever on that day made for a sad, but proud moment representing all 18 United employees killed on 9/11.