Manfred Renner of Exeter joins some 800 cyclists gathered at Narragansett Middle School for the start of the Fidelity Investments MS 150 bike tour.

The Providence Journal / John Freidah

NARRAGANSETT –– Richard Mende had no problem keeping pace with his daughters in a bicycle ride that spanned 150 miles over two days.

“He’s amazing. We’re going up a hill, and he’s passing me,” said daughter Lori Kelley, of South Kingstown.

Not bad for age 77.

“I’ve always kept myself in shape,” said Mende, of Johnston. “It’s just the way I was brought up.”

He does 150 pushups in one go, though he didn’t want to draw attention to that, preferring to focus instead on a good cause.

He and his family members were among 700 to 800 bicyclists who on Saturday set off from Narragansett for Connecticut College, in New London, spent the night there and then rode back Sunday to raise an estimated $700,000 for multiple sclerosis research and to help Rhode Island families grappling with the disease. Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, it was the 22nd annual fundraising bike ride organized by the state chapter of the National MS Society. Similar rides happen around the country.

About 400,000 Americans have MS and 200 are diagnosed weekly, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Some 2.5 million people worldwide have it.

“I do it to raise money to help conquer this disease,” Mende said.

Mende’s late brother-in-law had MS, which attacks the central nervous system. The cause is unknown and there is no cure, but over the years treatments have been found to slow the effects.

So Mende, three of his adult daughters, a son-in-law, a granddaughter and a grandson rode from Narragansett High School in memory of the late Carl Mitchell.

Day one saw challenging Connecticut hills. The trip back began at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, winding through scenic Westerly and Charlestown. Scores of people applauded finishing riders at Narragansett High.

Mende and team finished on the early side, around 1:30 p.m., well before many riders were back, so he had a sea of backpacks, bags and other belongings to wade through in the high school to find his own. But Mende made clear he does not care about the time in which he and family finish.

He said he’s done about 20 such fundraising rides. To prepare for this one, he got on the stationary bike for a half-hour or so daily during the preceding week of gray weather. In the weeks before, he went out riding two or three days a week, 20 miles at a time and sometimes closer to 40.

There are no special diets. “Whatever my wife puts on the table, I eat,” Mende said, though he generally eats smaller amounts than he once did.

Mende said he served as an engineer in the Korean War but that physical discipline was instilled as a child. For many years, Mende taught gymnastics, including to some of his daughters.

mmckinne@projo.com