Pedal for Peace

Details, Details, Details

2010-08-31T20:13:00.004-04:00

As the ride approaches (it's 11 days away!), here are some useful details to keep in mind about the weekend as you're planning your trip up to Brunswick, Maine:

Friday September 10: come see Paula Lerner give a multimedia presentation on her work in Afghanistan at Frontier at 7pm.

Saturday September 11: Bike mechanic available beginning at 7. Century riders begin around 7:30. 50 milers begin around 9. 25 milers begin around 11. Food and celebration, networking and reflecting begin around 1pm at Frontier.

Training Tip # 7:
No matter how hard or lightly you've been training, it's time to start tapering! For most of us, this is the fun part. Keep riding your bike, but ride shorter and easier than you have been riding. Your training from this point on should feel easy, and leave you wanting to do more. Save it! Use the strength and endurance you've been building for the ride on September 11.

Fundraising Tip #7:
Not so much a tip as a useful piece of information: If donors wish to give you a check, feel free to accept it and mail a batch to us at Bpeace, Pedal for Peace, 5 East 22nd Street, Suite 9J, New York, NY, 10010. Or have your donors send a check to us themselves, just put your (rider) name in the memo line so we can credit it to your account.

The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown!

2010-08-24T20:28:00.002-04:00

Between now and September 11, the rider who raises the most money will have their funds MATCHED by our generous and anonymous supporter who has agreed to match funds up to $10,000! Seize the opportunity to do even more good for Bpeace!

TRAINING TIP #6:
It's been proven. People are more motivated and perform better when they are acting for someone else and not simply for personal achievement. LUCKY FOR YOU Bpeace is:
-helping over 30 Afghan and Rwandan entrepreneurs
-comprised of over 200 volunteers
-creating over 1,700 jobs
-supporting over 13,500 family members who benefit in some way from Bpeace's work.
That's a lot of people to ride for. Go here bpeace.org/afghanistan.html and here bpeace.org/rwanda.html to read profiles of Afghan and Rwandan entrepreneurs.

FUNDRAISING TIP #6:
Three simple tricks - be clear, concise, and persistent. You've probably sent out personal emails by now and/or posted your ride on Facebook etc. Time to do it again! Remind your friends/family/colleagues that they still have time to donate to the cause, tell them exactly how, and tell them why they should support you.

Pedal is 3 1/2 weeks away

2010-08-17T20:10:00.002-04:00

Are YOU ready?

This week we need to recruit volunteers. If you know someone who doesn't feel up to the ride (and you can't convince them of how fun it'll be...), encourage them to accompany you and help out by volunteering! Ride-day volunteers will receive free food, a t-shirt, and a front row seat to the action. Interested volunteers should contact Katherine at katherinecreswell@gmail.com.

Training Tip #5:
It's been hot, you've been busy, you had a flat tire: whatever the excuse, the Pedal is around the corner and any training ride is better than no ride! Grab a friend, a water bottle, and get on your bike! Remember it's always easier to keep going when you're doing it for someone else. Think of all the inspiring and challenged people in Afghanistan and Rwanda for whom you are riding.

Fundraising Tip #5:
Thanks to rider Greg, here is a tip: copy and paste the HTML from your team or individual page onto your personal blog or twitter account. Let others know what you're up to!

We're 40% There!

2010-08-10T11:59:00.005-04:00

As of August 10th, we have 10 registered riders! That's 40% of our goal of 25 riders, which more than doubles our participation from last year. Way to go!

As a registered rider, your next steps are to FUNDRAISE and TRAIN!!!

Training Tip #4:
It's been hot out, and 100 miles is a log way to ride a bike. So are 50 and 25 miles. BE PREPARED. Start practicing now with proper hydration and caloric intake during your rides. Sometimes Gatorade or an energy bar can upset an uninitiated stomach, so practice consuming what you intend to consume during your chosen ride on September 11. (We will have water, Gatorade and granola bars to hand out)

Fundraising Tip #4:
-Get back to your roots: Remember when hosting a car wash or bake sale was the fundraising method of choice for elementary schools and sports teams!? It's car wash season, and I can think of no better way to use up the honkin' zucchini from your garden than to make zucchini bread (or chocolate zucchini cake!).
-Are you a craftsman or artist? How about holding a sale benefiting Bpeace and your ride? Let your natural talents shine, or use the fundraiser as an incentive to try out a new craft.

Recruit Friends to Ride!

2010-08-01T18:32:00.003-04:00

Our goal for August 1 was 20 registered riders. We haven't met that goal yet. WE NEED YOU TO RECRUIT FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES TO PEDAL FOR PEACE WITH YOU!!! Know anyone? You can register as a team to double your fun - just click the scroll down menu on the registration page and choose a team name. Time to spread the word and get training and fundraising!

Training Tip #3:
If you are riding more than normal these weeks or intend to try out a new cycling distance, you need to be taking care of your body! Be sure to stretch before and/or after your ride/workout (the jury is out as to whether or not it is "better" to stretch before or after a workout, so just do what suits you best). Also remember that any scheduled ride can be converted most easily to a run workout by exercising for 1/5 the time you were going to ride if you need a break from the saddle.

Fundraising Tip #3:
BE BOLD! Go out on a limb and ask people you may not know so well to sponsor you to ride. They might be impressed with Bpeace's mission and your commitment to ride. Face-to-face interactions or personal emails work well for this.

In case you aren't already, become our fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=119723444741468&ref=ts

Ride Routes are Up!

2010-07-27T21:10:00.001-04:00

The 25, 50 and 100 mile ride routes are available to view on this Google Map:
25 miles - blue line, goes through Freeport
50 miles - red line, goes through Freeport and Bowdoinham
100 miles - both lines, does the 50 mile loop twice

View Pedal 25, 50, and 100 Mile Routes in a larger map

WANTED: 20 Riders by August 1st!!!!!

2010-07-25T19:54:00.002-04:00

We have 6 riders registered as of July 25th. We want more - including YOU! 20 riders wanted by August 1. If you haven't yet registered, please consider doing so and recruit friends! Get a team together, have more fun, and make a bigger difference in spreading Bpeace's mission.

TEAM DETAILS: Choose a Team Leader (maybe this is you, or perhaps a cheerleading friend of yours), then assemble as many friends, coworkers, or strangers as you want and begin training and fundraising together. Check with your employer to see if they will contribute to your fundraising efforts by matching what you raise as a team. Each rider still needs to meet the minimum fundraising requirement of $250, though when done as a team, the amount raised is much greater than as an individual. The Team Leader will get weekly fundraising and riding tips to share with their team, a special prize TBD, and the satisfaction of helping to motivate a group of people for a good cause.

WEEKLY TRAINING TIP #2:
Hopefully you've been riding already. With your Pedal distance in mind, establish a training schedule. Aim for 8-12 hours/week of riding if you are a beginner. Ride 3-5 days/week, with 2-3 days of easy distance, and 1-2 days of intervals or harder riding. An example of an interval workout is 2 x 10 minutes at a comfortably hard (anaerobic threshold) pace within a 1 1/2-2 hour ride.

WEEKLY FUNDRAISING TIP #2:
Things to do at work: Put a can on your desk for donations from coworkers. Work with your HR department to have a dress down day at work, where colleagues pay $10 to wear jeans and the money goes to your fundraising total.

2010 RIDE REGISTRATION OPEN!

2010-07-18T19:37:00.004-04:00

If you are thinking about participating in the 2010 Pedal for Peace (and why wouldn't you be thinking about it?!), NOW is the time to register so you have time to raise the $250 minimum. Do that by clicking the link on the right.

This year you have 3 ride options:
25 miles - heads south through Freeport. Moderate with few hills and plenty of beautiful scenery.
50 miles - incorporates the 25 mile loop, swings by the start halfway through to resupply and get cheered on, then continues north into Bowdoinham. Good roads, few hills, farm and ocean scenery.
100 miles - completes the 50 mile loop twice. This allows for plenty of resupply options and a bail out option halfway through if needed.

Check back here regularly for ride updates, training and fundraising tips, and group ride options in the Brunswick, Maine area.

TRAINING TIP #1: Decide which ride you will do NOW and begin riding half the distance. Slowly add 1/5 the distance to your longest ride each week.

FUNDRAISING TIP #1: Pick the lowest hanging fruit first, i.e. ask those people closest to you whom you see all the time to support you in your ride. Do this in person or with a personal email.

Pedal for Bpeace Route Map

2009-07-24T10:15:00.000-04:00

The B-Peace ride - both loops on one map
Find more Bike Rides in Brunswick, Maine