My friend over at Crazy Catastrophes is in Sweden (yeah, I know!), and my sister over here is studying and working out hard for her Certs III & IV in Fitness. My dad's busier than ever with his new job, and loving every minute of it, and another friend turned 21 this year.
Ok, so, maybe everyone is a bit of an exaggeration, but enough people I love are off doing amazing things and having an amazing time, that I've started to feel a bit dull and boring. I mean, I have started my Cert III in Children's Services, and I am enjoying it immensely, but it's not really an exciting adventure like travelling to Sweden or turning 21 would be.
But I am dull and boring no more.
Today, I signed up to take part in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, which is a 200km bike ride over two days, from Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula and back again. I will be riding in a group of hundreds of riders, all doing their bit for a cancer free future.
To say I'm pumped, excited, nervous and proud of myself would be an understatement.
Me, my bike, and my Ride to Conquer Cancer t-shirt
So, what will I need to do for the ride?
First of all, a lot of training. I'm only an occasional rider, so I'll need to build myself up to the point where I can ride the 200km required of me. The best part about that is I'll be able to get help from my trainer at the gym, and The Ride staff organize volunteer-led training rides all around Melbourne for all different levels of fitness and experience. The ride's not until October, so I have around eight months to prepare for the task ahead of me. Hopefully, not a day will go to waste.
The second thing I'll need to do is buy a road bike. Most people don't know the difference between a mountain bike and a road bike, but, when you're riding long distance on the road, having the right type of bike is crucial. A road bike has a much lighter frame than a mountain bike, with thinner tube tyres. It's designed to be no heavier than it absolutely has to be to carry a person, so minimize wind drag and extra weight on a long distance ride. A mountain bike is like the bike I'm pictured with above, with a sturdy frame and heavy grip tyres. It needs to be tough to handle the kind of terrain mountain bikers like to tackle.
I'll be getting my new bike second hand, as a brand new road bike could cost anywhere between $1200 - $1600 depending on the make, and I don't have that kind of money to throw around. There will also be the added cost of buying proper cycling eyewear and cycling shorts; The Ride provides cycling jumpers, so that's one thing I don't need to worry about.
The third thing I have to do is fund raise. The Ride to Conquer Cancer raises money for cancer research and treatment at Peter Mac Hospital, and all riders are required to raise a minimum of $2500 if they want to ride. This is where you can help me go on my adventure, by heading over to my personal fundraising page and making a tax deductible donation.
The amount doesn't matter, just getting behind me and supporting me on my ride means a lot to me. Not only will you be helping me achieve my target fundraising goal, your money goes directly into the bank accounts of Peter Mac. That's right, there's no waiting time, your donations go directly to the Hospital the moment you make them, and are put to use right away.
Or, if you want to join The Ride to Conquer Cancer, click here to register online.
I'm riding today for a cancer free tomorrow, what about you?
~ Australian Kiwi
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