Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic: Kent’s Mitchell to raise peanut butter for good cause

EDITOR’S NOTE: Want to donate a jar of peanut butter to help ? Jars can be dropped off at Lucky Cup Coffee (1513 W. Meeker Street or at Signs By Tomorrow (22005 68th Ave. S.). Mitchell’s goal is to reach 2,500 jars of peanut butter, which he will then give to Northwest Harvest, a statewide hunger relief agency. For more information, contact Mitchell at pedaling4peanutbutter@yahoo.com

Big challenges are nothing new to Kent’s Martin “Mitch” Mitchell.

Mitchell, 57, recently quit smoking, an addiction that spanned 40 years.

“It’s the hardest thing I have ever done in my life,” he concedes.

For an encore, Mitchell has signed up to ride in the Seattle to Portland Classic, a 200-mile cycling marathon slated for July 17-18. And he’ll be doing it for a good cause, too. To add motivation and increased incentive to the event, Mitchell has chosen to pedal to Portland for peanut butter.

Through his efforts, Mitchell is hoping to gather donations of 2,500 jars of peanut butter, which can be dropped off at Lucky Cup Coffee (1513 W. Meeker St. in Kent). The jars will be given to Northwest Harvest, a statewide hunger relief agency. Northwest Harvest then will disperse the peanut butter to individuals and families in need.

Crazy?

Overzealous?

“When I told my doctor I was going to do this, he thought I was nuts,” said Mitchell, who is being sponsored by Signs by Tomorrow.

Determined might be a more accurate account of Mitchell’s goal.

“I am old and I have never done anything like this before,” Mitchell said.

In January of last year, riding in the annual event wasn’t even a blip in Mitchell’s radar — nor was getting on a bike.

Then, in the matter of a few precious hours, Mitchell’s life changed when he collapsed at work and had to be rushed to Valley Medical Center. A smoker since the age of 17, Mitchell’s life reached a fork in the road.

“They still don’t know exactly what happened and why I collapsed,” Mitchell explained. “But my doctor did tell me that sitting on the couch and watching exercise shows is not going to do me any good.”

But riding a bike?

It’s actually an idea Mitchell posed to wife Loretta many years ago.

“About 10 to 15 years ago, he said he wanted to start bike riding, but he never did,” said Loretta, Mitchell’s wife of 33 years. “After he went in the hospital, he decided he needed to start exercising and eating right … or halfway right. He decided bike riding would be a good idea.”

Mitchell also got some urging from Melissa, 25, the youngest of the couple’s four children. Instead of sitting on the couch or watching from the sidelines, Mitchell chose to get into the game.

“(Melissa) said we should start riding bikes together,” Mitchell said.

Little did Mitchell realize at the time that riding bikes together with his daughter would turn into what awaits him on July 17.

“Eventually, he got a bike and I showed him some trails. He just took off from there,” Melissa said. “He got bit by the bug. It’s amazing.

“I’m sure he’s in much better shape, and way healthier, because that’s his primary workout.”

In preparation for the ride, which draws between 9,000-10,000 cyclists each year, Mitchell has taken part in a variety of similar events in the area, including the Daffodil Classic Bicycle Ride, an Orting-based event that varies between 40 and 100 miles long. Mitchell rode the 60-mile course, which remains well off the 200-plus mile trek he will be taking part in for the STP.

When STP weekend arrives, Mitchell is more than ready to hop aboard his blue and white Novara Strada and begin pedaling.

But there will be some butterflies.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I don’t want to be the last one at the finish line. But it’s a good nervousness. It’s a long ride and I’ve never attempted it.”

And how about the peanut butter? As of earlier this week, about 200 jars had been donated. The goal of 2,500 jars remains.

So does completing the ride.

Of course, those closest to Mitchell don’t doubt his ability to finish what he has started.

“He’s a little nuts, but he’ll be able to pull it off,” Melissa said.

Mitchell agrees.

“I’ve been one of those people who’ve been stuck in their driveway cussing at the (cyclists) because it took me 40 minutes to get out,” Mitchell said. “Now I am going to be one of them.

“But one way or another, I am going to get it done.”

Indeed.

Because challenges are nothing new to Martin “Mitch” Mitchell.