Dear
It's the beginning of Spring, time to dust the cobwebs off your bike, pump up the tyres and head out for some fresh air! It's less than 50 days to go, and we are down to the business end of preparations.
We are getting close to capacity on the eastern side of the bay with 100 places left available in each of the 210km Sorrento return and the 100km ride options. Make sure your friends and colleagues don't miss out, tell them to register now!
Please take note of the key dates for September. After 5pm Wednesday 17, you will not be able to transfer, cancel or request for a refund. From Monday 22, the rider kit mail out commences. These dates help us to send your rider kits to the right place!
in this newsletter we bring you:
- Getting your bike ready
- Ride Nutrition
- Go Bike Expo, presented by Honan Insurance Brokers
- Volunteer update
- Rider Kit Information
- Have you started fundraising for The Smith Family?
- Carbo Pasta Night
- Get your family to romp while you ride
- Souvenir Merchandise
- A healthy dried fruit and nut message
- Getting out and about in the Over 50s Riding Program
- Recruit someone to come on Around the Bay with you
From the ATB Team - Michael, Peter, Jenny & Jeremy
PS. For those of you who have only just joined the Ride, please visit our previous Enewsletters.
Getting your bike ready
It really is worthwhile getting your bike checked by a mechanic at your local bike shop to make sure it is ready to ride. Finding the right bike shop is the first important step to great bike riding.
Or maybe you are keen to get your own hands dirty? Here are some video clips that relate to skills, maintenance, information and group riding skills.
Ladies, there is also plenty of female specific information to help you prepare yourselves.
Ride Nutrition
Riding an event as long and as challenging as Around the Bay requires some good fuel in the body. It is also recommended to train with the product that you are going to use on the day of the event. The new PowerBar Performance Bar with C2MAX and PowerBar Gel will be given to riders in the lunch packs on the day of the event .Below you will find some comments about the bars and gels that will be useful for you.
POWERBAR Performance Bar with C2MAX
Helps deliver more sustained energy to muscles by using a 2:1 glucose to fructose ratio, shown in research to deliver more energy to athletes’ working muscles.
- Offers 230mg of sodium the key electrolyte lost in sweat
- 40g of carbohydrates
- 8g of Protein
- Available in three great tasting flavours Chocolate, Vanilla Crisp and Cookies & Cream
Recommended intake: Consume one bar per day before or during exercise and consume with 200 – 400mLs of water or other liquid.
- Research proven carbohydrate blend for faster energy delivery.
- 200mg of sodium
- 28g of carbohydrate
- Available in delicious Chocolate and Strawberry & Banana flavours.
Recommended intake: Consume with 400mL of water every 30-45 minutes during intense exercise.
For more information on PowerBar and their products visit http://www.powerbar.com.au
Go Bike Expo, presented by Honan Insurance Brokers
Make sure you visit the Go Bike Expo presented by Honan Insurance Brokers, at the Alexandra Gardens which opens from 4pm Friday 17 October through to 5pm Sunday 19 October for all the latest and greatest from the cycling world - bikes, gear, holidays and much more!
Win a TREK Madone 5.2 Pro Road Bike, valued at $5,000 thanks to Rapido Cycles. Registered riders automatically go in the draw and entry is free for all Go Bike Expo visitors that complete an entry form.
The winner will be announced at 4.30pm Sunday 19 October at the Around the Bay in a Day main stage.
Volunteer Update
We currently have 374 volunteers signed up for the day. These enthusiastic people have offered to get out of bed bright and early to make sure the event runs smoothly.
Make sure that you give a smile and a wave to the Volunteer Route Marshals who stand along the route, rain, hail or shine to direct you on your way. We still have positions available for more Route Marshals - so please encourage your friends and family to participate. There are many other volunteers out there on the day
- so remember to make them feel fantastic!
To find out more, visit the Volunteer page on our website.
Rider Kit Information
IMPORTANT: Rider Kit mail out commences Monday 22 September. Registered riders please login and check your address details prior to Wednesday 17 September, to be sure this valuable pack reaches your current address before the day.
Forgotten your login details? Please contact Bicycle Victoria to gain access, or call 03 8636 8888.
Participants in the 80km, 100km, 210km and 250km will be mailed out a Rider Kit containing:
- Ride Guide - important information on the day, eg. Start/Finish location, rest area locations, parking availability and lots more.
- Bib Numbers – you ticket to the ride – you must have this with you on the ride day to collect your lunch and to board the ferry.
- Event Jersey - To those that registered prior to the early incentive cut off date.
- Promotional items - from our sponsors.
50km Riders*: You will be receiving a confirmation letter in the mail shortly. Please bring this letter with you in order to get your Kit at;
- 2pm - 7pm Friday 17 October from Engineers Lawn at Alexandra Gardens (near the Corporate Bar)
- 10am - 2pm Saturday 18 October from Engineers Lawn at Alexandra Gardens (near the Corporate Bar)
- 3.30am - 8am Sunday 19 October from Palms Lawn at Alexandra Gardens (near Skate Park)
*Members eligible for the event jersey upgrade will not be mailed. Jerseys will be available for collection from the Alexandra Gardens at the above times.
The Smith Family
Online sponsorship is NOW available!
Online sponsorship is the easiest way for riders to be sponsored.Just click here, type in the riders name and away you go!
Online sponsorship can be used for not only riders to receive donations from friends, family and colleagues but donations can be made towards an entire team or riders can even sponsor themselves.
It takes less than 3 minutes to make a donation online and don’t forget all donations $2 and over are tax deductible!
Not sure how to ask friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you?
Just click here for a scripted email you can cut and paste and forward onto them. It’s that easy.
Don’t forget Industry challenges
Industry challenges are back for 2008. This year the team who raises the most amount of money for The Smith Family through the following categories will take away the inaugural trophy and win great prizes. Your team is automatically registered for the challenges by just participating in the event.
- Highest Team fundraiser (with more than 10 riders)
- Highest Team Fundraiser (with 10 riders or less)
- Highest Individual Fundraiser
- Highest Fundraising Team from the ‘Finance Industry’
- Highest Fundraising ‘Motor Vehicle’ Team
- Highest Fundraising ‘Big Brands’ Team
- Highest Fundraising ‘Local Council’ Team
- Highest Fundraising ‘University/School’ Team
- Highest Fundraising Legal Firm
Highest Fundraising ‘IT’ Team
For further information regarding fundraising for The Smith Family please contact Belinda Griffiths on 03 9473 4308 or via email
Carbo Pasta Night
In anticipation of your big ride, you and your team mates are welcome to the Alexandra Gardens on Friday 17 October from 5.30pm to enjoy a delicious pasta meal.
A mouth watering selection of gourmet pasta and sauces will provide you with a full tank of fuel to burn off over the weekend's activities.
Come down and enjoy live music, and a few beverages from The Spokes bar. Or just wander around the GO Bike Expo to see what's new in the cycling world.
And wait there's more... complementary massages, thanks to Elmore Oil. Carbo pasta night tickets are $20 per person and you can buy them online until 5pm 14 October!
Pre-purchased tickets will be mailed out from Monday 6 October..
The family can Romp while you ride!
The ‘Go for your life’ Melbourne City Romp gives your partners, children, and friends the perfect opportunity to have fun in the city while you’re out riding.
The Romp is most easily described as part treasure hunt, part ‘Amazing Race’ and part puzzle. It’s a great way to get out and about in the city exploring Melbourne’s best loved icons as well as its hidden treasures. Plus there’s $100,000 of prizes up for grabs throughout the day.
The Romp doesn’t require any great level of fitness so is perfect for those of you who aren’t quite up to a big bike ride but would love to have a day of fun away from the TV.
All proceeds from the Romp go to help the Burnet Institute in its fight against the world’s most serious infectious diseases and cancers. Romp entry fees are super cheap (including a family ticket for up to 6 people for only $55!) so check out their website www.cityromp.com and enter now.
Around the Bay Souvenir Merchandise
SCODY has designed an souvenir polo shirt as part of the new event merchandise range. Available for $40 in Men's and Ladies sizes in a choice of Light Green and White.
Also available is the souvenir cap in Navy or White for $20.
Around the Bay in a Day 2008 Additional Cycling Kit
You're sure to get heads turning wearing the complete Around the Bay in a Day 2008 cycling kit. SCODY is producing quality unisex wind vests for $90 and men's and ladies specific knicks for $110.
A HEALTHY DRIED FRUIT & NUT MESSAGE – Sponsored by FreshLife.
Consumer awareness of following a healthy diet continues to grow as governments sponsor programs to improve public health and manufacturers introduce more nutritious products in line with this. Initiatives such as MyPyramid show nuts as important for a healthy, balanced diet.
Leading market research from Mintel shows: “Consumption of nuts or dried fruit has numerous functional benefits such as improved cardiovascular, urinary tract, neurological and even dental health. "
“Consumption can also be directly linked to reducing risks for cancer and diabetes as well as lowering cholesterol and helping in weight maintenance. As media and the industry promote such findings sales for nuts and dried fruit escalate.”
FreshLife has a great range of dried fruits and nuts which are delicious and healthy snacking alternative and are an excellent way to maintain energy levels for training sessions leading up to the big event. They are available in Woolworths (Safeway) stores all around Australia.
Getting out and about in the Over 50s Riding Program
Get active and meet new friends by joining Bicycle Victoria’s Over 50s Riding Program. No cost is involved, a bike and a helmet is all you need.
The program aims to develop community riding groups for people over 50, led by trained voluntary, local ride leaders. Rides are held on bike paths could be between 2 – 20 kilometres each time.
Participating involves three easy steps: register, choose a ride, and contact the ride leader direct. Visit Over 50s Riding Program for more info or ride locations.
Recruit someone to come on Around the Bay with you
Make the most of not only having a riding buddy, but also a weekend escape at St Kilda Rd Parkview Hotel. 
Bicycle Victoria members are entitled to go in the draw for an accommodation package for two at the Parkview Hotel by getting your friend to join the ride and fill in the form with your information and their bib number and you are in with a chance.
If you have already recommended someone, no worries, go online and complete the form, you're still in it!
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