Boalsburg cyclist plans 150-mile day trip to raise awareness about first responders’ mental health

Marc Warren is used to biking miles through Centre County, but he was looking to add more meaning to his training.

The 60-year-old Boalsburg man found inspiration through his daughter, Ali Rothrock.

On Thursday, he’ll bike 150 miles — from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md., to help raise awareness about first responders’ mental health, a cause that has been a longtime passion for his daughter. Through a Crowdraise site, Warren is raising money for the National Volunteer Fire Council’s Share the Load Hotline, which is a free and confidential resource for first responders and their families.

“I wanted to train for something, but I didn’t just want it to be about me. I wanted to do it for a cause and involve the community,” said Warren.

Rothrock has been a volunteer firefighter since she was 16, and has become a leading advocate for mental health awareness for first responders.

“When I was becoming a firefighter, they give you all of this training about what to bring to fires. However, they never train you about what to do with what you bring home,” Rothrock said.

Rothrock is so dedicated to her cause that she has created her own business, On The Job and Off, that centralizes around mental health for first responders.

She also has a website and podcast and has delivered over 500 presentations across the country.

“I’m really proud of Ali. She’s a big inspiration for this cause,” said Warren.

Warren’s original goal was to compete in the Happy Valley Triathlon, but this plan was cut short when the race was canceled. Now, starting at 5 a.m. Thursday, he plans to bike the Great Allegheny Passage.

Warren is used to biking long distances, but has never biked this many miles in a single day. Warren described his training as a five day a week commitment, and is finally ready to put himself to the test for a good cause.

“Our goal is to raise $750, and so far we are at $560,” Warren said on Tuesday.

Warren hopes to make it to Cumberland around 6 p.m. Rothrock plans to keep people updated on her father’s journey throughout the day on various media platforms using the hashtag #MarcWarrensBikeRide.

“I’m not able to be in Pittsburgh, but I will be giving updates online so people know where he is during his ride,” said Rothrock.

Warren is excited about his journey, and is expecting good weather for the ride.

“The weather is looking beautiful, and you have to be careful about that sort of thing when you’re planning this type of ride,” said Warren.