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National Brain Tumor Ride

Our Gray Nation Endurance® community will come together on May 18, 2025 for the National Brain Tumor Ride, our signature endurance event, to raise awareness and funds to support the needs of patients with brain tumors and their families. Put meaning behind your miles and ride in person, plan an event in your area, or participate virtually. Your community is here. Let’s discover a cure, together. 

Join us:

In-person participation options include an event t-shirt if you register prior to April 18, 2025. Event t-shirts are not guaranteed to late registrants. Registration fees will increase 30 days prior to event day and again on event week.

NBTS Official In-Person Ride in Waltham, MA: 10, 25, 50 mile ride throughout 10 picturesque New England communities.

Registration Options:

  • Adult Rider: $30 – $300 Fundraising Minimum
  • Student Rider: $30 – $150 Fundraising Minimum
  • Youth Rider: $30
  • Child Rider: $10
    • Children under the age of 11 must ride with parental guardian or participate in the tot ride.
  • Virtual Rider: FREE
    Participate your own way! Plan a solo or group ride, use your stationary bike or participate however you feel most comfortable. Event t-shirts will be mailed to all virtual riders who raise $75 or more by April 18, 2025. T-shirts will arrive to you by event day. Virtual riders who register after April 18, 2025, will not qualify for an event t-shirt.
  • Volunteer: Volunteers are essential to the National Brain Tumor Ride! Registration is free for event volunteers. Once registered, you will receive an email to confirm your volunteer shift.

Pre-Event:

Packet Pick up: 2 pm – 4 pm on Saturday, May 17
Help set up registration, check people in and hand out their participant packets.

Event Day:

Set up Crew: 5:30 am – 8 am
Help to set up for the event includes hanging signage, organizing registration and setting up other aspects of the event.

Registration: 6 am-9 am
Set up registration tent and check in all participants. You will also be asked to collect donations from participants and hand out participant packets. There will be a training that will take place in the morning before the first participants arrive.

Tent Crew – Food: 6 am – noon
Assist in setup up the food area on site. Monitor and distribute food to participants and pack remaining supplies after the event. 

Tent Crew – Honor & Celebrate: 6:30 am – noon
Assist participants in honoring and celebrating who they are riding for. 

Tent Crew: Kids 7 am – noon
Set up kids area and assist kids with activities including coloring and our tot ride.

Parking Attendants: 6 am – 1 pm
Direct all vehicles to the drop off area in order to unload passengers and bikes. Must be on your feet for long periods of time.

Breakdown Crew: Onsite 10 am – 1 pm
Help clean up all onsite supplies and load them into the truck for next year! Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds.

Event Day – OFFSITE

SAG: 6 am – 1 pm
SAG members provide support for the riders along the routes and are vital to the safety and success of this event. Drivers will use their own vehicles, which would be a van, pick-up, SUV or car with a bike rack and will also need to be able to carry an additional passenger. Drivers must have a valid Drivers License, be over 18 years old and must be able to follow maps and be comfortable stopping safely along the roadside. Support vehicles may transport riders and their bicycles to a rest stop or event site.

Route Marshall: 8 am – 1 pm
Direct riders from start to finish safely around the course and back. Route Marshalls will assist with specific road crossings along the course.

Road Crew: 6 am – 1 pm
Road Crew members must have experience with basic bicycle mechanics, tube replacements, wheel swaps, simple gear and brake adjustments and must be helpful and patient. Will be partnered with a SAG member.

Rest Stop Volunteers: 7:30 – 11:30 am
Join us at one of our three rest stops (Concord Courthouse, Middlesex School and Great Brook Farm State Park) to supply water, snacks and encouragement to the riders as they pass through. When you arrive you will assist in setting up the tent and food area and keep it well stocked throughout the event. At the end of the event, you will organize and pack supplies for pick up.

Engage with the National Brain Tumor Ride Community on Facebook!

Once you have registered as an in-person or virtual participant, we welcome you to join our Gray Nation Endurance National Brain Tumor Ride Facebook group to connect with fellow riders and share your miles of progress.

Plan your day:

Event Schedule

7:00 a.m.: Registration opens
8:00 a.m.: Opening Ceremony
8:30 am – 9:30 a.m.: Route groups depart
10:30 a.m.: Tot Ride

Virtual Riders: Reach out to the NBTS Ride Team to discuss ideas on how to plan a ride in your own community.

Ride with GPS
Learn how to get started with the app:

  1. Click on this link to access our route maps. If you are new to the site, please sign up and create an account. The event will automatically sync to your account on both mobile and desktop.
  2. Next, download the “Ride with GPS” app either on the Apple Store or Google Play.
  3. Log in to the app and click on events where you will see the National Brain Tumor Ride listed. Once you click on the event, it will bring you to the four routes with maps.
  4. For more information on how to access the maps via web and connect your Garmin or Wahoo devices, please visit the “Ride with GPS” participant support page.

Download our Good Move Fundraising app! Track your miles as you train for this year’s National Brain Tumor Ride with the Good Move Fundraising App! You can also communicate with your network to solicit donations, invite people to join your team, update your personal fundraising page and more! Download the mobile app on the Apple or the Google Play Store. You will also receive an email after you register with more information and a direct link to get started in the app!

Questions? Email us at rideinfo@braintumor.org.

As a brain tumor survivor, 2-time Gray Nation Endurance Boston Marathon finisher and captain of Team Double-O-Snow for the NBTS Ride, it meant the world to put meaning behind my miles for NBTS.

Alan S.
gray nation endurance

Team and Individual Fundraising Incentives

Fundraising for the brain tumor community takes real commitment to our cause, so we want to celebrate your successes.

Commemorative Pin

Our NBTS Accelerator Club will recognize event participants like you driving brain tumor breakthroughs forward through your fundraising efforts. The more you raise, the more additional prizes you can earn. By raising $250 or more on your personal fundraising page by event day, you will become part of the NBTS Accelerator Club.

$250 – Accelerator: By raising $250 or more on your personal fundraising page by event day, you will become part of the NBTS Accelerator Club and receive exclusive benefits, including:

  • 2025 Accelerator Pin. Wear it at your event to raise awareness and share pride in your fundraising efforts
  • Recognition at registration and packet pickup
  • A Digital Accelerator Badge on your personal fundraising page

$5,000 – Changemaker 
In addition to the Accelerator Club benefits, you will also receive:

  • VIP Fast Lane at day-of event registration and t-shirt pickup
  • Changemaker lanyard
  • Verbal recognition at the event by the event emcee
  • Changemakers will be highlighted on social media

$10,000 – Groundbreaker 
In addition to the Accelerator Club Benefits, you will also receive:

  • VIP Fast Lane at day-of event registration and t-shirt pickup
  • Groundbreakers will be recognized on stage at your event!
  • Groundbreaker medal
  • Groundbreakers will be highlighted on social media

Additional Individual Fundraising Prizes:
Achieve one of the milestones listed below by June 1 and your prize will be mailed directly to your home post-event.

  • Raise $300 by April 1st to receive a 2025 National Brain Tumor Ride cycling jersey
  • MORE INCENTIVES COMING SOON!
Team Fundraising Prize:

All teams who raise $2500 or more by April 18, will earn a team sign!

Fundraising Resources & Help Desk:

National Brain Tumor Society wants to make sure you are successful in your fundraising efforts. Equip yourself with these curated fundraising resources to maximize your impact.

  • Download our Good Move Fundraising app! Fundraising and communicating with your network is now easier than ever with our new mobile app available on the Apple or Google Play Store. You will also receive an email after you register with more information and a direct link to get started in the app!
  • Fundraise on Facebook: Connect your NBTS fundraising page directly to your Facebook profile and solicit donations from your online community! PDF Instructions | Video How To
  • The third time’s the charm. It often takes 3 requests for your friends and family to remember to donate. Ask, ask and ask one more time.
  • Information kitsTeam Captain Guide | Fundraising Guide | Fundraising Tips | More resources…
  • Share the impact of donations to the National Brain Tumor Society.

Highest Earning Teams
Rank Team Name Amount Earned
1 Team Kermit $290.00
2 Team Bentley $100.00
3 Denver Brain Tumor Ride $50.00
4 Team Renzo $30.00
5 The Bananahead Gang $30.00
Highest Earning Participants
Rank Participant Name Amount Earned
1 Steven Branfman $130.00
2 Ellen Branfman $130.00
3 Jessica Giunta $100.00
4 James McCarty $100.00
5 Aj Colaizzi $50.00
6 Renzo Martinez $30.00
7 Joel Loitherstein $30.00
8 Rachel Backner $30.00
9 Joycelyn Finjap $0.00
10 Deana Martin $0.00

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Event Sponsorship

As an event sponsor, your organization will connect with the brain tumor community on a platform that will enable meaningful and enduring impact for both your brand and our mission. Sponsorship will allow your organization to make a difference in the lives of millions.

For more information, please contact: partnerships@braintumor.org or 617.863.8345.

Email us Sponsorship Opportunities

For more information about the National Brain Tumor Ride, please contact your Regional Director, Rachel Backner at rideinfo@braintumor.org.

Thank you to our sponsors & media partners


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