Ninetta Kosswig
- National: 842nd
- State: 17th in MA
I'm Riding For
Prof. Friedrich Kosswig
I am riding in memory of my dad who was always curious and up to exploring something new!
My Story
Last year I only rode 100 miles. That was the right goal for where I was, and I'm proud I didn't skip. This year I am ready for a comeback: 250 miles in September and $2,500.
I'd love to tell you I've been training all year. But... I have not been on the bike at all yet. I started last month by scrambling up and down mountains on foot with friends for a week. Call it altitude training. My bike has been collecting dust for 10 months, and we'll both get cleaned up this week. Then we have six weeks to get ready for September. Plenty of time. Probably.
How far is 250 miles? It's how high the International Space Station orbits. Point my bike straight up, pedal for a month, and I'd be knocking on the hatch. It's also roughly Boston to New York City, or about 9 1/2 Boston Marathons back to back.
Why am I doing this? Cancer is a leading killer, and I've watched too many family members and friends have to fight it. Too many lost that fight. I want to fight back.
Please support me if you can! A dollar a mile is $250. Fifty cents is $125. A quarter a mile is $62.50. Even a nickel a mile ($12.50) means a lot!
Every dollar raised goes to the Children's Cancer Research Fund, which develops innovative treatments and works toward a cure for childhood cancer.
Donate here (the big orange button on the top of the page) or through my Facebook fundraiser.
You can also Venmo or PayPal me and I'll add your donation to the challenge for you.
Every donation is also a reason to get on the bike. It's a person I can't let down. On mile 40 of a hot Saturday, that's exactly the motivation I need. I'll be thinking of you.
And support doesn't have to be money! Come ride a few miles with me. Cheer me on. Share this page with someone who might chip in. Ask me how it's going and make me admit the number out loud. All of it helps.
I'll post updates in my GCC Blog. You'll be seeing a lot of my sweaty face 😁
Thank you for your support 🙂
Ninetta
F**k Cancer!
My Legacy
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696 mi Ridden$1,020 Raised2019
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1,486 mi Ridden$4,010 Raised2020
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426 mi Ridden$3,066 Raised2021
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632 mi Ridden$1,508 Raised2022
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445 mi Ridden$1,829 Raised2023
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Ridden$1,127 Raised2024
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Ridden$1,304 Raised2025
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226 mi Ridden$1,741 Raised2026
My Challenge
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Racing against the Nor’easter
24 Sep 2026Thank you to everyone who participated in the surprise match day!
With the match you raised $425 in a single day.
That’s amazing! Thank you 💕
I had great ambitions to do a 34 mile ride to reach my goal before a rare September nor’eastern storm will bring rain and 50+ mph winds.
Instead I woke up with a headache, stuffed sinuses and a runny noise. So, I had to settle on an easy 10 miles.
24 miles to go!
Posted 9 hours ago -
10.0 mi ride - Afternoon Ride - Thursday, September 24, 2026
Logged this ride 9 hours ago - View on Strava -
12.9 mi ride - Afternoon Ride - Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Logged this ride 2 days ago - View on Strava -
203 miles up!
21 Sep 2026I’m at the top of Yuri Gagarin’s orbit, about 200 miles up!
In 1961 he became the first human in space, circling Earth once in under two hours.
203 miles done. 47 miles to go.
F**k Cancer!
Posted 3 days ago -
18.3 mi ride - Afternoon Ride - Monday, September 21, 2026
Logged this ride 3 days ago - View on Strava -
I've reached the satellite zone
19 Sep 2026185 miles (about 300 kilometers) above sea level!
Below this height, the thin air still drags satellites back down within weeks to months. Up here, a satellite can finally stay up long enough to do its job.
Here's my climb so far, 11 rides:
Ride 1: 16.2 miles
I'm more than twice as high as the planes you fly in, and inside the ozone layer, Earth's sunscreen. The air is so thin that without a pressure suit, the water in my body would start to boil.
Ride 2: 29.6 miles
I'm higher than anyone has ever skydived. Weather balloons popped far below me, around 20 miles. Up here, the sky is nearly black even in full daylight, yet I can't see a single star. The sun and the bright Earth below are too dazzling for my eyes to pick them out. At night, the stars blaze against a pitch-black sky and not one of them twinkles.
Ride 3: 52.3 miles
Shooting stars burn up around here, and most of them are no bigger than a grain of sand. I've also passed 50 miles, where the US counts you as an astronaut and gives you a pin: astronaut wings. The rest of the world waits until 62.
Ride 4: 78.5 miles
I'm officially in space. The international edge is at 62 miles, about an hour's drive if you could drive straight up. I'm also higher than William Shatner's space tourist flight, which topped out around 66 miles.
Ride 5: 111.6 miles
I'm almost level with Apollo 11's parking orbit (about 115 miles), where the astronauts circled Earth to check their ship before heading off on the 240,000-mile trip to the Moon.
Ride 6: 122.2 miles
The air here is billions of times thinner than at the beach. From up here I can see about 1,000 miles in every direction, roughly from Boston to Chicago.
Ride 7: 125.3 miles
Halfway! I'm at the top of the green northern lights. Above me, the rarer red glow begins.
Ride 8: 138.7 miles
I've passed the lowest point of Sputnik's orbit. Sputnik was the first satellite ever, launched in 1957. It was the size of a beach ball and did little more than beep, and it started the space race.
Ride 9: 159.3 miles
I'm just below the top of John Glenn's orbit in 1962, when he became the first American to circle the Earth. He went around three times in under five hours.
Ride 10: 167.5 miles
The thin air here can be over 1,000°C, as hot as lava, but there's so little of it that I wouldn't feel the heat. Anything orbiting here moves at about 17,000 miles per hour and sees 16 sunrises a day.
Ride 11: 185.1 miles
I've reached the satellite zone. Below this height, thin air drags satellites back down within weeks to months. 🛰️
65 miles to go! 🚴♀️
China's space station orbits at about 240 miles. The International Space Station, my finish line, orbits at about 250.
Every mile raises money for children's cancer research. Help me get to the ISS:
https://greatcyclechallenge.com/riders/NinettaKosswig
F**k Cancer!
#GreatCycleChallenge
I created this image with Gemini. And yes, it has mistakes I didn’t have the time to fix all of them. So, screw perfectionism: it’s good enough!
Posted 6 days ago -
Made it up to New Hampshire!
18 Sep 2026I went up the Old Eastern Marsh Trail from Newburyport to New Hampshire during lunch.
18 miles ridden. 65 miles to go 🚴♀️
Posted 6 days ago -
17.6 mi ride - Afternoon Ride - Friday, September 18, 2026
Logged this ride 6 days ago - View on Strava -
Waterfront Views in Newburyport
16 Sep 2026I got to check out the City Rail Trail in Newburyport today. A paved 3.5-mile path featuring public art sculptures, murals, and waterfront views. Lots of people walking so it was more of a sightseeing loop. Did do two rounds!
8 miles ridden. 85 miles to go! 🚴♀️
Posted 9 days ago -
8.2 mi ride - Morning Ride - Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Logged this ride 9 days ago - View on Strava
My Sponsors
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Kick Cancer's Butt Day matched donation
“Here's your matched donation from a group of wonderful Children's Cancer Research Fund supporters. THANK YOU so much for your awesome efforts to kick cancer's butt!”
$275.68Received this donation 15 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you very much for matching donations on Kick Cancer's Butt Day!”
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Matched Day Matching Donation
“Here's your matched donation from a group of wonderful Children's Cancer Research Fund supporters. THANK YOU so much for your awesome efforts to fight kids' cancer!”
$159.76Received this donation 21 hours ago -
Emili Durrant
$103.50Received this donation 15 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you very much for your support on Kick Cancer’s Butt Day! 💕”
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Facebook Fundraiser Donation
$102.53Received this donation 63 days ago -
Facebook Fundraiser Donation
$102.53Received this donation 20 days ago -
Facebook Fundraiser Donation
$102.53Received this donation 1 day ago -
Linda Dodge
“I am so proud of my wonderful daughter in laws continued support in the fight against cancer. She is truly a champion in my heart. ❤️”
$100Received this donation 2 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you for the kind words ☺️ And thank you very much for the donation! I’ve been enjoying visiting and collecting some of the miles up in Newburyport. 💕”
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Jason Viehland
“Wish you many happy miles”
$77.63Received this donation 15 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you very much for your donation on Kick Cancer’s Butt Day! 💕”
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Carol Ann McNamara
“You got this!!”
$51.75Received this donation 65 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you so much for the support! Maybe I can add a hike in NH to my training for this summer. Let me know, when you have any plans to go up again.”
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Nathan Cormier
$51.75Received this donation 15 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you very much for the donation! 💕 Also, thank you for getting the bike up the stairs and supplying Apfelschorle after the rides 😊”
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Nolan and Britnee Cormier
“We love you! Thank you for fighting the good fight!”
$51.75Received this donation 1 day ago
Ninetta
“Love you too 💕 Thank you for supporting the fight against cancer!”
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Silvia Kosswig
“You go girl! We belive in you. We wish you strength,endurance and many happy moments on your way Silvia and Tiffany”
$51.75Received this donation 67 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you both! Let's see how happy I will feel on those long rides 🥰”
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Carsten Koßwig
“I'll give you a head start so that you can come back stronger than ever! Make that bike glow! You can do this!”
$50Received this donation 70 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you very for your encouragement and kicking off my fundraiser! 🥰 ✨🚀 ✨”
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Facebook Fundraiser Donation
$50Received this donation 16 days ago -
Facebook Fundraiser Donation
$50Received this donation 3 days ago -
Lauren Miller
“Hello friend! I hope this finds you well. I love seeing your continued dedication to this important cause and I'm proud to support you. I will also apply for a company match so please consider my donation tripled! ;) Enjoy your miles and stay safe. Thanks for all you do! Miss you!”
$50Received this donation 15 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you so much for your generous donation and your kind words! 💕 I'ts greatly appreciated and really motivates to keep doing this challenge for this cause. I do my best to stay safe amongst Boston drivers. I always assume the dont' see me. Thank you! Miss you too.”
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Sandra Fernholz
“Thank you for doing this year after year. I really admire your persistance!”
$25.88Received this donation 10 days ago
Ninetta
“Thank you very much for your donation and the support. 💕 It's what keep me going.”
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Facebook Fundraiser Donation
$23.82Received this donation 63 days ago -
Oliver Dodge
$10.35Received this donation 12 hours ago
Ninetta
“Thank you very much for your support 💕”
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Ninetta Kosswig
“My brother beat me to kicking off my fundraiser before I'd even cleaned my bike. 🫶 Here's my dollar a mile. ✨🚀✨ Who's next?”
$250Received this donation 69 days ago