Put Your Pedal Power To The Test This Winter With Cycling Down Dementia
Alzheimer’s Research UK is urging people to gear up for a cycling challenge this winter and help leave dementia out in the cold.
Cycling Down Dementia challenges supporters to ride either 300 miles (Pioneer), 1,000 miles (Epic) or their own choice of distance (Maverick) between 1 November and 31 January and raise money for pioneering dementia research.
It’s the third year the UK’s leading dementia research charity has run the virtual cycling challenge. The campaign has raised £275,000 in two years, not including Gift Aid.
More than half of UK adults know someone with dementia and it is the country’s leading cause of death. Most commonly caused by Alzheimer’s disease, dementia affects people’s memory, behaviour and personality. Today, there are no effective treatments to slow, stop or prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s, but researchers are working hard to change that.
Money raised from Cycling Down Dementia will power dementia research in the UK and across the world, to help bring about the first life-changing treatments for the condition.
When someone signs up for Cycling Down Dementia they create their own supporter page where family and friends can see how they are getting on and sponsor them. They can connect tracking apps such as Strava or MapMyFitness to their supporter page to track and record their activity or can manually add rides.
Participants can clock up the miles on the road or on an indoor bike. They can compare their distance and fundraising with others on the website and compete for a place on the leaderboards.
Julia Sobik, Head of Sporting Events at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Everyone who puts their grit and pedal power to the test this winter by taking on the Cycling Down Dementia challenge will be helping us in our mission to make life-changing research breakthroughs for people with dementia.
“For many cyclists, Cycling Down Dementia has now become a permanent fixture on their calendar, helping to keep them motivated to maintain their training during the winter. And we hope it encourages others to get on their bikes during the cold months and challenge themselves to ride further.”
Anyone who raises £200 will receive a free Alzheimer’s Research UK buff and participants who raise £400 will get a free cycling jersey.
To sign up for Cycling Down Dementia go to www.cyclingdowndementia.org
This year sees the introduction of two Cycling Down Dementia sportives run as part of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s partnership with UK Cycling Events.
The first event is at Fakenham Racecourse in Norfolk on Saturday 2 November, with 78-mile and 53-mile routes. The second event is at Lingfield Racecourse in Surrey on Saturday 9 November with 70, 44 & 22-mile routes. For more information go to www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events
For further information about Alzheimer’s Research UK, or to find out more about fundraising for the charity, call 0300 111 5555 or visit www.alzheimersresearchuk.org
