Cycle 200 Miles Challenge - FAQs

Supporters raise money for Cancer Research UK by challenging themselves to cycle 200 miles across the month of March.   

Once you have signed up, join the Facebook group dedicated to this challenge by clicking 'Join Group'. Once you're in, you can complete a form to get your free technical t-shirt, get tips for completing your miles, be inspired by other fundraisers, and find out anything you want to know about the challenge.     

Yes! If you don’t have Facebook, you can set up a Cancer Research UK Online Giving Page using the link below and collect sponsorship for your Cycle 200 Miles Challenge:  https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/signup/?fundraising_page_type=00e03c99-e9dd-44ad-9cc1-f848c165311f&channel=cycle-200-challenge-mar-2025  

There is no entry fee for this challenge. Participants are asked to collect funds for Cancer Research UK through your Online Giving Page. This will automatically be sent to us once paid onto your page.   

Whilst we encourage everyone to complete this challenge in March, this is a personal challenge, and you can start and finish your challenge at a time that is convenient for you. You can make up your miles at any point of the month and continue the challenge into April.    

The only thing that matters is that you challenge yourself and try your best to complete as much of the challenge as you can. Whether that’s completing your 200 miles for the whole of March or not, the money that you fundraise through participating will allow Cancer Research UK to continue to fund life-saving research and we can’t thank you enough.     

There are plenty of free apps that will allow you to track your miles. We recommend using Strava so supporters can link their Strava account to their Online Giving Page.  

Find out how to connect your Giving Page to Strava here: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/strava   

*Please note: Strava sometimes there is a 48 hour lag in the Strava data being updated, and if the miles still aren't showing, disconnect and reconnect to do a hard reset and this will add any miles already on the Strava account.  

That is totally understandable and in the interest of safety we ask that you do not share the beginning or end of your routes – if you’d like to share then feel free to post the middle/main part of your cycles.   

Strava allows you to set a privacy zone around your address to hide the start and end of your routes. In the Strava app, head to Settings > Privacy Controls > Map Visibility. For more information see: https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/5999538163853-Activity-Privacy-Considerations  

Please remember if posting screenshots of your cycle routes and information into the Strava club that your location could be visible to others in the group. Please be careful with what you are posting for safety reasons.  

We recommend:  

• A well-maintained road bike that you feel comfortable on  

• Lights and high-visibility clothing (if cycling in the evening)  

• Protection from the elements – layers of clothing, waterproofs and sports glasses  

• comfortable trainers  

• Sunscreen  

• Water bottle  

• Cycling jersey and shorts/pants   

• A properly fitted helmet for safety.   

Begin your warm-up with some light movements to gradually increase your heart rate and warm up your muscles. This can include:  

• Light Cardio: Start with 5-10 minutes of easy cycling at a relaxed pace or gentle pedalling on a stationary bike.  

• Dynamic Stretches: Perform dynamic stretches targeting major muscle groups used in cycling. Examples include leg swings, hip circles, arm circles, and torso twists.   

• Cadence Drills: Increase your pedalling cadence gradually. Start with a comfortable cadence and gradually increase to a higher RPM (revolutions per minute) over 2-3 minutes.  

• Spin-Ups: Perform short bursts (20-30 seconds) of faster pedalling at a high cadence to activate your leg muscles and cardiovascular system.  

• Incorporate Dynamic Stretches: Perform dynamic stretches that target key cycling muscles, focusing on mobility and flexibility:  

• Leg Swings: Stand upright and swing one leg forward and backward, then side to side.  

• Hip Flexor Stretch: Step forward into a lunge position, keeping your back knee off the ground and gently push your hips forward.  

• Hamstring Stretch: While standing, extend one leg forward with a slight bend at the knee, and hinge forward at the hips.  

Stretching after cycling will help relax your body, slow your heart rate, improve flexibility, and minimise the chance of injury.  

• Buttock stretch for 10-15 seconds  

To do a buttock stretch:  

• Lie on your back and bring your knees up to your chest.  

• Cross your right leg over your left thigh.  

• Grasp the back of your left thigh with both hands.  

• Pull your left leg towards your chest.  

• Repeat with the opposite leg.  

• Hamstring stretch for 10-15 second  

To do a hamstring stretch:  

• Lie on your back and raise your right leg.  

• Hold your right leg with both hands, below your knee.  

• Keeping your left leg bent with your foot on the floor, pull your right leg towards you keeping it straight.  

• Repeat with the opposite leg.  

• Inner thighs stretch for 10-15 seconds  

For the inner thigh stretch:  

• Sit down with your back straight and your legs bent.  

• Put the soles of your feet together.  

• Holding on to your feet, try to lower your knees towards the floor.  

• Calf stretches for 10-15 seconds  

For the calf stretch:  

• Step your right leg forward, keeping it bent, and lean forwards slightly.  

• Keep your left leg straight and try to lower the left heel to the ground.  

• Repeat with the opposite leg.  

• Thigh stretch for 10-15 seconds  

To do a thigh stretch:  

• Lie on your right side.  

• Grab the top of your left foot and gently pull your heel towards your left buttock to stretch the front of the thigh.  

• Keep your knees touching.  

• Repeat on the other side.  

For more information and guidance on these stretches, please see this NHS link.  

Of course you can! Some top tips for exercising on a hot day include:  

• Wear a damp, cool bandana  

• Hydrate before, during, and after cycling  

• Try to cycle in the cooler parts of the day and in shade where possible  

• Light coloured clothes will reflect the sun’s rays, avoid tight clothes, and switch to thinner socks  

• Sunscreen is important for your skin in the hot weather.   

• If you’re sensitive to insect bites, then make sure to use some insect repellent!  

Remember to listen to your body and don’t push yourself if you’re feeling fatigues, dizzy, etc. Stop for rests and if urgent, seek medical attention. For more information see this guide: https://www.ironman.com/racing-in-the-heat  

1. If you’re unsure about whether the weather will cause sunburn/skin damage, please check the UV forecast here: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/uv-index-forecast/#?tab=map&map=MaxUVIndex&zoom=5&lon=-4.00&lat=55.71&fcTime=1653879600  

2. If you're exercising outside, use plenty of sunscreen with SPF 15+ with a 4 or 5 * rating which will sufficiently protect your skins (and apply everywhere, not just exposed skin!), also apply regularly throughout, during and after  

3. You can find further information via the CRUK website at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/sun-uv-and-cancer  

It’s not unusual to encounter bad whether when exercising in the UK. It’s important that you have the right equipment and tops tips if you’re exercising in adverse weather. Alternatively, it’s more than ok for you to complete the challenge inside at a gym cycling machine or in your home machine, if those are options for you.  

When cycling in adverse weather, remember to check your route and know your trail, understanding your surroundings will help you avoid difficult terrain and ensure you stick to safer, flat surfaces.   

Complete the below form to receive your free technical t-shirt in the post. Once completed, please allow 10-15 working days for your t-shirt to arrive: https://activities.cancerresearchuk.org/cycle-200-challenge-mar-2025 

If you have not received your t-shirt after this time, please contact: supporter.services@cancer.org.uk.    

During registration, we offer the option for people to opt out of being sent a technical t-shirt should they not want one for the challenge. When filling out the sign-up form, simply select ‘no’ where it asks if you’d like to receive a tech top; you’ll still receive an Online Giving Page, be able to join the challenge group, and take part!   

To sign up to the challenge, please follow the link below: https://activities.cancerresearchuk.org/cycle-200-challenge-mar-2025 

If you have any further questions please email supporter.services@cancer.org.uk or call 0300 1231022 (lines open 08:00 – 20:00 Monday to Friday and, 09:00 – 17:00 at weekends)      

Unfortunately, returning t-shirts comes at a cost to Cancer Research UK, therefore, we ask that you keep hold of it for personal use (for example bed, gym, give to a friend, etc).  

Sending out your technical t-shirt comes at a cost to Cancer Research UK so please only order one t-shirt per fundraiser to ensure as much money goes towards our life-saving research as possible. We ask for everyone requesting a t-shirt that they donate something to their fundraising page.   

Alternatively, additional t-shirts can be purchased here.    

Unfortunately, medals come at a large cost to the charity so we will not be sending these out. However, we will send all participants a certificate at the end of the challenge in their completion email. You can also access downloadable digital badges to shout about your achievement on social media.   

Yes, under 18s can take part in this challenge, but we do not market to them and any third-party platform forum (e.g. a Facebook forum) is only available to over 18s. If under 18s are taking part, their parent/guardian must consent to the child’s participation, supervise the challenge, and accept responsibility for complying with the challenge rules. Currently we are unable to accept registrations for a child, so the child’s parent/guardian have to register on the child’s behalf. Similarly, if a child wants to raise money online and/or join a forum, the child’s parent/guardian must register for an online fundraising page and/or join the forum on the child’s behalf.    

Participants must register as individuals but can take on the challenge in a team. You can split the activity up between a group or you can all complete 200 miles across the month. To raise money together, you can set up a Team Giving Page once you’ve registered and received your individual pages. To do this follow these steps:.   

To set up a team:   

1. All your team will need to sign up to the Cycle 200 Miles in March Challenge so they each have their own Online Giving Page   

2. Once everyone has signed up, log into your account   

3. Hit the 'Create new team' button and follow the instructions   

4. Once you've created your team, you can send the team page URL to friends and family so they can join too!   

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/get-involved/find-an-event/charity-walks/how-to-set-up-a-team

Using our Online Fundraising Platform is the easiest way to raise money. You will receive a Fundraising Giving Page once you’ve registered here: https://activities.cancerresearchuk.org/cycle-200-challenge-mar-2025 

You can then share the page with your friends and family to gather sponsorship for your challenge.    

We don’t set a fundraising target for participants, but we recommend that supporters set themselves a reasonable target of raising £150 or more.  

We have plenty of fundraising tools and ideas to help you raise life-saving donations. Please see our fundraising hub with everything you need from the challenge here:  https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/get-involved/find-an-event/cycle-200-miles-challenge/fundraising-materials 

You can use our sponsorship form to raise money rather than using an online giving page. Simply download the form, to print it off and keep track of all your collected or pledged sponsorships. Once you have completed your fundraising, please send the form with a cheque to:     

Cycle 200 Challenge in March, Cancer Research UK, PO BOX 1561, Oxford, OX4 9GZ.    

This challenge is a fundraising initiative specifically developed by Cancer Research UK, and therefore all fundraising must go solely to the charity.     

Gift Aid is a tax relief allowing UK charities to reclaim an extra 25% on every eligible donation made by a UK taxpayer. This means Cancer Research UK can claim an extra 25p for every £1 donated, without it costing you or your sponsors an extra penny. If the donation is eligible for Gift Aid, sponsors need to fill out the sponsor form, following the guidelines at the top of the page.    

Facebook Fundraisers are automatically set up to only stay open for ten days. To make the most of your fundraising efforts, you need to change the end date to keep your fundraiser open throughout and after the challenge. To change the end date simply, click ‘More’ under the invite button, then click ‘Edit Fundraiser’. We recommend setting this date to at least a month after your challenge has ended so you can continue to collect vital donations for your efforts!   

Unfortunately, once your Facebook Fundraiser has finished you cannot reopen the same fundraising page. However, you can create a new one and set the end date for past your challenge, so that you can continue receiving donations once you’ve finished your challenge: http://www.facebook.com/fund/cancerresearchuk/   

To see your past fundraisers, go to the Facebook home page on a desktop and look underneath your name on the left-hand side - click fundraisers > your activity > scroll down the page until you reach "your past fundraisers"   

Donating on Facebook is safe and secure and there is no fee taken from Facebook to set up a Facebook Fundraiser. If you have any suspicious charges, we recommend speaking directly to your bank. If you have any questions about your Facebook Fundraiser please contact Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/help