I’m not interested in tracking your heart rate or speed or whatnot, but I am interested in recording the exact path we traveled (there were lots of road closures), and to see if the maps provided on the 2010 link above accurately report elevation (profile) information. With luck, I’ll be able to create a Google Earth or DeLorme 3-D fly-by of the route.

If you’ve uploaded your data to Garmin Connect or similar service, that will probably work too although having the original file will be beneficial.

If you have such files, please contact me at admin {at} NewEnglandClassic.org

thanks much.

April Fools’ Day has come and gone and that means New England Classic riders need to get down to business. There are almost 24 million people in this country with diabetes counting on us to get serious about raising the funds that will help improve their lives and find a cure for the disease they battle every day.

It looks like here in New England we can actually put aside those plans for building an ark and tune up the bike. Get on the road and start training folks. It’s now less than 100 days – 99 to be exact – before we roll out of Chomerics on Day 1 of the NEC. A well-trained butt is a happy butt so we need you to get yours on the bike so it’s merrily riding along with us in July.

As for fund raising, the sooner you get started the sooner you’ll have raised well more than the minimum.  It’s all about just asking. Whether it’s in person, by phone, in a letter or email, you need to take that first step of asking people if they would like to help defeat an insidious disease afflicting their neighbors, co-workers, friends and family. That’s no exaggeration. Almost 8 percent of the U.S. population or about 1 in 13 people have diabetes.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t be shy. Make your fund-raising efforts something everyone will want to be a part of. Maybe this time of year you can give out jelly beans to everyone who contributes. And when they say, “But diabetes and candy don’t seem to mix,” simply explain that the NEC is “a sweet ride to beat diabetes”. At the same time you’re reminding them that the simple pleasure of a sweet treat that they take for granted isn’t such a simple matter for people with diabetes.

Now don’t finish reading this and make the mistake of telling your self that July is still a long way off. It’s really not. With your training and fund-raising it pays to build momentum early. No ride is too short because every mile in the saddle makes a difference.  No contribution is too small because every dollar makes a difference.

See you on the road.

YOUR BUTT BELONGS HERE

In February your heart belonged to your valentine. Well, it’s March now and regardless of how you fared romantically your butt belongs with us — on a bike that is — in July, riding to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association.

The 2010 New England Classic rolls out in just 4-1/2 months, just 19 weeks or just 132 days depending on how you choose to count. But no matter how you count it’s closer than you think. And if you haven’t registered to ride yet it’s way too close. What are you waiting for? Spring?? Spring doesn’t really exist in New England. So if you are already sick of winter do your psyche some good and pretend it’s already summer.

What does that mean? That means the NEC is just around the corner and you better get your butt in gear, get registered, start fund-raising and at least think about training!

Don’t believe me? I’ll tell you what. Go down to Parker-Hannifin Chomerics at 77 Dragon Court in Woburn at 1 p.m. Saturday and tell me you don’t see a bunch of cyclists talking about this great ride around New England they are doing to support the American Diabetes Association. There’s no surer sign of summer than a gathering of the NEC Caravan of Crazies.

See you there at the Rider Roundup.

That’s right. You know I’m talking to you. The one who waits until April or even May to register for the New England Classic.

We’ll have none of that this year. You said you wanted your seven-day NEC. Well you got it. The NEC is alive and well and it’s time for us to make a statement that the 2010 NEC will be bigger and better than ever. And to make that happen, I’m issuing a challenge to all you veterans out there.

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away and to show you are thankful for the experience that is the NEC I’m calling on all of you to sign on the dotted line before you reach for a single drumstick and stuff yourself with stuffing. Before Tom Turkey walks the Green Mile I want to see 50, that’s right five-oh, 50, riders registered for the NEC.

There are no excuses. You know you will be there in July so stand up, sign up and be counted in November. And now is the time to corral those friends who have always talked about wanting to try the NEC with you. Don’t let the Caravan of Crazies pull out of Woburn without them this year! This will be a tour that’s not to be missed.

So pull out your plastic, grab the mouse and click register. It’s easy as pumpkin pie!

And watch this space because I’ll be watching for you.

So we’re on for the 2-day 150 and the 7-day 550.  Both rides start July 10, 2010. (Event dates and links have been updated on the right of the page.)

Thank you to everyone who voiced an opinion, you were heard.

Now is when the real work begins. We are under a microscope and we have to produce. We need to increase ridership and fundraising. You all have great ideas, it now is the time to act on them. If you have ideas to share, contact the Ryan or marketing team at marketing {at} newenglandclassic.org and share them. If you’d like to be on the marketing team, contact admin {at} newenglandclassic.org. Many hands make light work.

At the same time, we will be doing advance planning for the 2011 NEC. This advance planning includes investigation of a downsized ride. If you would like to participate in this effort, your contributions will be welcome. Whether the ride will be downsized in 2011 depends entirely on our success in 2010. .

But, for veterans and new riders alike, the decision to include a 7-day ride this year is welcome news and we all owe a thank-you to Chris and the other decision makers at the ADA to risk the event for one more year. And we owe a HUGE thank-you to Ryan who was able to make our case for preserving the 7-day in such a persuasive (and successful) way.

Now it’s our turn to get to work.

Our lovely and talented volunteers will be at the booth from 9:00 to 1:00 to answer any questions you might have about the NEC, and what’s involved in participating.

See you there?

2 days to go

Lindsay

You can visit us at the Diabetes EXPO (it’s free!) THIS Saturday, March 14, 2009 at Boston Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA 10am – 4pm to meet cyclists already training for the upcoming Tours! We’ve got long-time rider, Lindsay, from the NEC Tour de Cure spinning for the entire event, a total of 6 hrs!

She’s peddling with a purpose and hoping to re-recruit YOU! Stop by the Tour de Cure booth at the EXPO and chat it up with other veteran riders as well.

If you can’t make it out this weekend – you can still take advantage of the great EXPO rate!

• Simply visit: http://tour.diabetes.org/site/R?i=BfjMo1j1kf6kjW96DwhRYw..
• Click the “Register as an Individual (or if you’d rather: “Create a Team”, or “Join a Team”)
• At the Registration page use the Promotional Code  EXPO (all caps) to utilize this ONE TIME $20 registration fee.
• Then, well – you know the drill! Fill out the necessary contact info and registration info we need in order to set you back on track to ride in the NEC Tour de Cure!

http://tour.diabetes.org/site/R?i=1MXf2eDudgMICik7suj0wg..

This offer is valid ONLY from Friday, 3/12/09, at 6am through Sunday, 3/15/09, until 11:45pm.

Register today & tell your teammates!

If you are a returning Team Captain:

• ( re)recruit at least 5 other riders for your team
• raise $5,000 as a team

You will get our new ADA Tour de Cure arm warmers! These slick sleeves will keep you comfortable while blazing trails in near-blizzard conditions!

Hope to see you this weekend – or hear from you soon!

Warm regards,
~Ryan, your-Friendly-Neighborhood-ADA-Guy
Associate Manager, New England Classic Tour de Cure
American Diabetes Association
80 Elm Street
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: (888) 342-2383 x3456
Fax: (207) 774-7714
rwilliams@diabetes.org

JOIN OUR FIGHT AGAINST DIABETES:
http://tour.diabetes.org/site/R?i=KEak01kVjDvNseqSaScrJA..
Who Are YOU Fighting For?
American Diabetes Association
Cure. Care. Commitment.

See here for the scoop

Unfortunately for New Englanders the ride on the sun-baked asphalt will probably have to wait at least until May. But your best cycling buddies are hoping you’ll join them Feb. 28 at Clark University in Worcester for the American Diabetes Association’s 2^nd Annual New England Classic Rider Roundup. Follow this link for directions to Clark where we’ll be meeting in the Grace Conference Room of the Higgins University Center: www.clarku.edu/admissions/visit/directions.cfm

We’ll be hanging out from 1 to 4 p.m. to share a few memories, and laughs, from last year’s ride and to talk about plans for the 2009 New England Classic, July 11-17.

Be sure to bring along any fun photos you may have from last year and more importantly bring along any cyclists you think might want to join us in having a great time on a great ride for a great cause. We’ll answer any questions they have about the route, training or fund-raising. And this year we hope to have someone available to tell us about diabetes research and the great work being done by the American Diabetes Association.

Haven’t registered for this year’s ride yet? Well go to www.newenglandclassic.org

and sign up now to join us for another adventure!

Until then we’re looking forward to seeing you at the roundup.

Tim Wilson

New England Classic Organizing Committee