Features, The DIRT Dad Fundo Across America

DIRT Dad Fundo Across America—Week 7 in Review

Minooka, Illinois to Westfield, New York

Miles Ridden—454

Feet Climbed—8,065

Time Spent Pedaling—24 hours and 21 minutes

Calories Burned—14,928

Amount Raised For The DIRT Dad Fund—$366

$%&! Days—One

Number of Days With Significant Leg Soreness—48

So Far—Half Moon Bay, CA to Westfield, NY

Miles Ridden—3,314

Feet Climbed—112,414

Time Spent Pedaling—186 hours and 52 minutes

Calories Burned—110,636

Amount Raised For The DIRT Dad Fund—$9,279

To support Chris in his effort to raise awareness of The DIRT Dad Fund, the non-profit he created to assist members of the worldwide cycling community, check out this link to learn more.

Find out where you can pledge a donation and subscribe to The ZOMs newsletter to follow along on the journey.

Chris Schwenker

Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.

Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.

His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.

His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.