This spring, the Mercyhurst College Green Team has come up with a unique way to raise money for bike racks in the City of Erie.

The group is hosting the “Pedal for the Planet Duathlon” at Presque Isle State Park, consisting of a 3.1-mile run, a 12-mile bike race, and a second 3.1-mile run. It starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 7.

The Green Team works to bring awareness to students about environmental responsibility and stewardship.

The college already works to displace the carbon footprint of the campus at large, but there are tasks individual students can complete to help protect the earth. This is what the Green Team hopes to bring to the front of student’s minds.

“The mission of this race is to have fun racing while caring for the health of our communities and environment,” senior Emily Monahan said. “For athletes, our bodies are only as healthy as the air we breathe, and our minds are only as serene as the outdoor places we train and race in. We depend on the environment around us.”

The race is being organized by a group of approximately 20 students, though not all of them are on the Green Team. The Yoga Club is helping by leading stretching sessions before the race, and the 3D art class of Associate Professor Tom Hubert, Ph.D., is preparing the awards that will be given out at the end of the race.

Students from other classes are also volunteering for and participating in the event. Senior graphic design major Burim Loshaj created the logo for the event.

“Bicycling is a viable, efficient means of urban transportation that is economical, enables good health, fitness, and environmental stewardship, and revives downtown neighborhoods,” Monahan said.

She said the race is like most others in Erie.

“It is open to the community,” she said, “and everyone is welcome to cheer, volunteer or participate.”

Music, awards, and food will be provided after the race, and students are invited to participate alone or in teams, with any type of bicycle, as long as they have a helmet.

Solo racers can sign up with a fee of $30 before Thursday and $35 after, while relay teams can sign up for between $50 and $60 dollars depending on the size of their team.

Volunteers can email Monahan at emonah24@lakers.mercyhurst.edu, and students can register online or visit the duathlon website.