I’m wondering – what thoughts went through your head when you read the title?

Just so you know, here’s the scoop: In 2002, Charlotte attorney Spencer Leuders created the 24 Hours of Booty with the hope of raising money for cancer research. It started with just one rider – Leuders – riding the “Booty Loop,” a tree-lined circle around Queens University for 24 hours.

And it grew from there.

Courtesy of “Charlotte Magazine,” here are some stats you need to know:

• 2.97 miles – the length of the Booty Loop
• 9,199 – the number of riders who have hit the course in the ten-year history of the race
• 5 hours – how long it took the Booty to sell out this year (it’s limited to 1,200 riders)
• 2007 – the year the Booty became the official 24-hour cycling event of LIVESTRONG
• 24 – number of different states riders came from to participate in the 2010 Booty
• 780,000 – calories per hour this year’s 1,200 riders will burn riding the Booty Loop
• 355 – record for most miles cycled during the Booty (by Greg Koenig in 2008)
• 9,000, 1,700, and 70 – snacks, gallons of Glaceau Vitamin Water and Diamond Springs drinks, and gallons of Caribou coffee, respectively, this year’s participants will consume
• $5,267,347 – amount raised for cancer research in the event’s 10 year history

Click here for more of the Charlotte Magazine article.

Some personal stats:

• 7 – number of consecutive years I have ridden the Booty
• 57 – the smallest number of miles ridden (in 2006, after being delayed 12  hours in O’Hare airport; I got in at 3 AM and drove straight to the event, worn out)
• 173 – the most miles I’ve ridden in the Booty (in 2007, when I had something to prove)
• 2 – number of teams I’ve ridden with

I ride the Booty because it’s fun, I like to cycle, and it’s my small contribution to the fight against cancer. I ride in honor of my Dad, a cancer survivor.

At 7 PM tonight, I will be rolling off with 1,199 other riders in the traditional victory lap. As of yesterday, we had collectively raised over $1,000,000 this year – a new record.

Follow me on Twitter or go to my Facebook page for regular updates.

It’s time to ride!