Gumboot Up NZ Get on your Bike and RIDE

GUMBOOT UP NZ

By Marc Gascoigne aka Gumboot

There’s three things I’m passionate about in life. Wearing gumboots, improving mental health and riding my bike. Well ok, there’s a few other things… beer, coffee, donuts and I quite like my family… not necessarily in that order!

So when I had the pleasure of meeting Mike King in August and he challenged me to get involved in Gumboot Friday and organise a fundraiser at “that big bike shed down your way in Cambridge,” I thought, why the hell not?

What are we proposing?

On Friday the 5th of November the TA Sports Cycling Club in association with the Home of Cycling will host a 12 hour Ride-a-thon, from 8am to 8pm. It will be an open roll for accredited riders – come and ride as many or as few laps as you want. We are hoping to have a minimum of 10 riders on the track at all times, with a maximum of 24 at any one time. There will be plenty of opportunity to come on and off the track and share the workload with the aim being to smash out a massive number of total laps in the 12 hours.

What’s the point in doing that?

It has been a hell of a year for many in the cycling community. For some, the mental health challenges have been huge. This is an opportunity to come together and connect, to raise awareness of how challenging life and sport can be, and to raise some money for Gumboot Friday which funds counselling for our youth. 100% of the funds raised will go into counselling. Many people say they feel helpless when their friends and colleagues are struggling – well here’s your opportunity to do something about it and show how much you care!

Do I have to fundraise?

No. It is as much about getting together, having a yarn and doing a ride. If you want to come down and smash out a training session, all good. It will be $10 per rider for as long as you want (numbers allowing). Or if you’d like to get some mates sponsoring you $ per lap that would be awesome. The Givealittle Page is

https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/gumboot-up-nz-get-on-your-bike-and-ride

How many laps / km can you ride in 12 hours?

Is anyone up for 1000 laps? The $10 rider fee will go to Gumboot Friday. Massive thanks to the Home of Cycling for providing this world class facility at no charge.

What now?

Plans for the big day are still in the development stage but we have a Facebook page set up at https://www.facebook.com/Gumboot-Up-NZ-get-on-your-bike-and-RIDE-102699475503706 Make sure you check it out and give it a “like” to keep informed of the details. It would be great if you could also spread the word and encourage others to like the page, get involved and come along on the day. It’s going to be an epic, so lock it into your diary.

I reckon this definitely qualifies as a “mental health” day off but if you have to front up to work on the 5th of November, why not swing into the Avantidrome as soon as you’ve clocked off and join the fun? We’ll even try and save some donuts and coffee for ya and perhaps some beer once we’re done!

Bonus points if you’re wearing your (clean) gumboots in the infield!

“THIS IS HARD BUT WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER”