Frequently Asked Questions

• Your username/password and National MS Society email
• Fundraising and My Participant Center
• Event details
• Age requirements
• Safety
• Teams
• Volunteering
• Training
   

USERNAME/PASSWORD AND MS SOCIETY EMAIL

1. I forgot my username and password.
   Remember that your username and password are case sensitive. Need help finding one or the other? Click here. You will receive an email with your username and password. If you still have problems, please contact us.
   
   
2. How do I change my username and/or password?
   Click on "My Account" in the left-hand navigation. Log in and you'll see a link that says "Edit profile." Click and update!
   
   
3. How do I unsubscribe from email?
   Toward the bottom of each email message there is a link stating, "Click here to unsubscribe from this email message." Click this link and follow the instructions given to unsubscribe.

FUNDRAISING

1. What is the fundraising minimum for this event?
   The fundraising minimum for the Sanford Health Pedal the Plains Ride is $100. Please note that you must have $100 in confirmed donations in order to ride. Be prepared with cash, check or credit card to pay your remaining balance at check-in.
    
    
2. Can I still ride if I don’t raise the $100 minimum?
   No. All participants are required to have $100 in confirmed donations in order to ride. Wondering what the difference is between confirmed and unconfirmed gifts? Click here. Be prepared to pay with credit card, cash or check at check-in if you have not reached the minimum amount by event day.
   
   
3. I’m worried about fundraising. Are there any resources available to help me?
   Yes! Click here to check out a list of fundraising tips, ideas and strategies. You can also read below to learn more about using your online Participant Center to help you reach your fundraising goal. Research shows that people who use online fundraising tools raise an average of 40 percent more than those who don’t! Plus, anytime you have questions or need fundraising support, feel free to contact us at 612-335-7900 or specialevents@MSsociety.org. 
   
   
4. How do my fundraising efforts support people with MS?
   Funds raised through Bike MS events help to provide critical programs and services to the more than 17,000 people living with multiple sclerosis in the Upper Midwest Chapter area and drive cutting-edge research projects all around the world to help find a cure. To learn more about the National MS Society and what we do, visit MSsociety.org.  
   
   
5. Can I earn prizes or perks for my fundraising efforts?
   Absolutely. To reward you for your hard work, we offer prizes at various fundraising levels and special perks and recognition for members of our exclusive fundraising clubs.
   
   
6. Can I choose to waive my prizes back to the MS Society?
   Yes, many participants generously waive or donate their fundraising prizes back to the National MS Society to even further their support of the movement to end MS. Anyone who does so is inducted into our Extra-milers Club and receives recognition on our website.

ABOUT MY PARTICIPANT CENTER | Download the Participant Center tutorial now

1. What is a personal page?
   A personal page is an online promotional tool for your use when asking your friends and family to join your team or sponsor you by making a donation. Once you sign up for an event online, by default, a personal page is created for you. You have the option of personalizing this page by going to your Participant Center. You will be able to customize images, text and the style/color layout of the page.
   
   
2. By default I have a personal page; do I have to change it?
   Once you sign up for an event online, a default personal page is created for you. A compelling personal page attracts and engages supporters. While you can spread the word using customized email solicitations, your personal campaign page can be your own creative expression of your commitment to the cause. Customize your page by selecting the layout and style that work best for you. Utilize the elements of text, photo and status indicators to their fullest advantage.
   
   
3. How do I change my personal fundraising goal?
   First, you will need to login to your Participant Center. On the middle of the Participant Center home page is a toolbar where you can modify your personal fundraising goal. Enter your new goal and submit the changes.
   
   
4. How can I see who has made a donation to my account?
   Login to the site using your Username and Password. Go to your Participant Center and click the "My Progress" tab; this will allow you to view your donor list and any amounts that have been donated.
   
   
5. What is the difference between making my personal page private or public?
   By default a personal page is public, meaning your name will appear in the participant search list, and anyone accessing the site will be able to support you. Setting your personal page to private means your name will not appear in the participant search list, and only people you personally invite will be able to support you.
   
   
6. How can I see who is on my team?
   Log in to your Participant Center. Under the “Progress” section, select “Team” to track your team’s progress, update your team’s fundraising goal and review/maintain your team roster.
   
   
7. How do I change a team message?
   Simply go to your Participant Center and from the “Home” page, update your team message on the right-hand side. Post welcome messages to greet new members and to remind them about upcoming deadlines or team challenge announcements. Update regularly!.
   
   
8. What is an unconfirmed gift?
   One exciting feature of your Participant Center allows you to record cash or checks that someone has given or promised you. The system adds these offline gifts to fundraising amounts that display on your Personal Page, My Progress page and Team Page, if you are a member of a team. All cash, check and pay-later gifts that you enter are unconfirmed until the National MS Society receives payment and marks them confirmed. Credit card gifts are confirmed immediately. To make sure we accurately confirm offline gifts, it’s extremely important that you follow specific rules when entering cash, checks or pay-later gifts into your gift summary. Read the rules. 
    
    

EVENT DETAILS

1. Where can I go to learn what to expect the weekend of the ride?
   Visit our event details page to get all the information you need to prepare for the weekend. If you have any other questions, just contact us at 612-335-7900 or specialevents@MSsociety.org.  

AGE REQUIREMENTS 

1. Is there an age requirement for Bike MS events?
   Yes, all participants must be at least 12 years of age in order to ride in Bike MS. Click here to learn more about this policy.  

SAFETY

1. Where can I learn about cycling safety?
   Safety is a top priority on Bike MS events. Click here for tips on safe cycling and to learn about the safety support provided on Bike MS events.

TEAMS

1. How do I learn more about starting a team for Bike MS?
   Visit our teams page or contact Amanda at 605-336-6326 or amanda.nielsen@nmss.org.

VOLUNTEERING

1. I have friends and family members who are interested in volunteering for the ride. Are there volunteer opportunities available?
   Yes! Volunteers are vital to the success of Bike MS events. Visit the volunteer page to check out available positions, or contact Will Ziegenhagen at 612-335-7992 or will.ziegenhagen@nmss.org.

TRAINING

1. I’ve never done a 170-mile ride before. How do I train?
   Good question. Visit our training page for training tips, a sample training guide and information about upcoming training rides. Plus, be sure to visit TrainingPeaks.com, the official training software of Bike MS events.