Chris Figuereida (pictured at left) is riding his bike across the country and working with the American Heart Association to speak to kids about heart health. What he said and did prompted one student at Worthington Hooker School to ask, “Are you doing magic?” Read on to find the answer.
Figuerida is almost finished with the ride he began April 14 outside of Los Angeles. He expects to ride a total of 64 days and finish at the easternmost point in Maine — a total of 3,746 miles.
The first thing he had the 100 or so fourth and fifth-graders he spoke to do Monday was make a fist — then flex their biceps. That elicited tremendous laughter. Then he told them their heart is also a muscle, and is about the size of their fist — and that, like any other muscle, it needs to be exercised to be healthy.
So he had them shout out what kind of sports they like to play. Back came all the usual suspects: baseball, football, basketball, swimming, rollerblading. Then it was on to their favorite fruits and vegetables, of which they should eat five servings a day.
Figuerida carries a big laminated map of the U.S. with him (pictured). He had two students hold it up while he showed everyone all the states he had cycled through — Connecticut makes 15. Click here to hear the class count the whole list with him.
In addition to speaking to students at about a dozen schools across the country, he also tries to speak to policymakers. Click here to hear what he tells them. Mayoral Chief of Staff Rob Smuts and Alderman Roland Lemar chatted with Figureida before the kids arrived about bike lanes and the slow pace of cooperation across municipal lines to improve non-motorized transportation options in the region.
Figuerida spoke to the kids during their gym class, so they missed out on exercise for this one day, but he had them enthralled with great stories about the fun of exercising and the importance of doing it safely. He said he saw a cyclist wipe out while going 50 miles an hour, smack his head into the pavement and have his helmet practically disintegrate. “But his helmet protected him, so remember to always wear your helmet.”
He showed the kids all his compact equipment, including pop-up tent, tiny sleeping bag and stove, and electronic gadgets. That’s when a student asked, “Are you doing magic?”
Not at all, Figuereida answered. It doesn’t take magic, just a commitment to taking care of your heart.
Then he took questions. The very first one was, “Can I ride your bike?” The answer was no.
What do you cook? “Anything and everything, since I burn several thousand calories a day while riding.”
How many speeds on your bike? “Well, I have three in the front and nine in the back. How many is that?”
What’s your top speed? “I average 16 miles per hour, but my top speed so far is 52 mph.”
Why did you come so far? “Because I’m passionate about exercise, and I want to talk to kids about it.”
How are you getting home? “I’m boxing my bike up and flying back with it from Bangor, Maine.”
At 26, Figuerida has another long ride under his belt: 1,800 miles down the U.S. Pacific Coast from Canada to Mexico. And he’s traveled in 30 countries. He had a stint working for Exxon Mobil (doing exactly what was unclear) and now, when he’s not in the saddle, he designs theatrical props. As a middle aged teacher sighed upon hearing his resumé, “He’s done all that already.”
Check Figuerida’s website for more information.
People occasionally venture off on adventures like this one, just for thrill of it... I don't care about what those people do. But when someone does it for charity -- that's worth knowing and reading about!
He very easily could have selfishly set off on this adventure but he cared enough in his heart to do this not only for himself but also for the benefit others. Just beautiful.