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August eNewsletter

Training Peaks

As you start training for Bike MS: Vegas Challenge, resist the impulse to go "all out" in the beginning. Training for an event like Bike MS must be done in small increments of increasing intensity.
The great part about a slow training regimen is that you get to experience positive results without the risk of getting burned out or incurring overuse injuries.

Do not forget to build in time to allow your body to recover. Rest is as important as activity and is often overlooked when trying to manage a training schedule. Remember, your body has its own brain and it will definitely let you know when you have pushed it too far. Also keep in mind that Bike MS: Vegas Challenge is not a race and you should feel no pressure to be the fastest cyclist on the road. By registering and raising money for this cause, you are already a hero to so many! 

Please take advantage of Training Peaks, the interactive, web-based training log and food diary designed to help you create your individual 12-week training plan. And it's FREE for Bike MS participants. You can even get free mobile access to your plan.

Vitamin D & MS

3 reasons to take a ride in the sunshine: The results of three independent studies published in the journal Neurology suggest that higher levels of vitamin D may reduce disease activity in people with MS.The authors comment that ensuring that people with  MS have adequate levels of vitamin D should be part of routine care. “...considering the high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in persons with MS, the high risk of osteoporosis, and the safety of vitamin D at modest doses, the evidence is sufficient to recommend monitoring of vitamin D levels and supplementation as needed to achieve at least a year-round level of vitamin D sufficiency in persons with MS.”

Challenge Week is Coming: August 20 - 24

Team Prize: The top fundraising team August 20 - 24 will win a Packet mailing for the entire team (*members must have reached the $350 minimum by August 24 to receive their packet by mail). Avoid long lines at packet pick ups and get the convenience of your team's rider numbers delivered to their door steps.

Individual Prize: The top individual fundraiser wins a Sigma Bike Computer & Zintro Shell Saddle Bag.

July eNewsletter

Challenge Week is coming July 16 - 20!

Start building your list of who to call and email next week to ask for donations. The list is endless, it should include: friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, classmates, and people you give your business to year round (dry cleaner, dentist, favorite restaurant etc). Remember it never hurts to ask, the more people you ask the better your return will be. Use our Know Your Networks Worksheet as a guide.

Here are 2 ways to win:

• The Coastal Challenge or Vegas Challenge team that raises the most money July 16 - 20 will win a team tent. If the team already has a team tent, they will be served breakfast and coffee in their tent the morning of the ride.

The top individual Coastal Challenge or Vegas Challenge fundraiser that week wins a $250 gift card to Cynergy Cycles in Santa Monica, CA. Shop in-store or online.

Hydrate, especially in the heat

Drink on a schedule. Specifically, you should drink 4 to 6 ounces of water or a sports drink every 12 to 15 minutes during workouts. The heavier you are, the higher the air temperature, and the faster you ride, the more fluid intake you need. Sports drinks are preferable to water. A quality sports drink can supply the fluid, electrolytes, and carbohydrate riders need to maximize their endurance.

Carry at least one full fluid bottle in a frame-mounted cage on all of your rides and refill it as necessary. Another option is to wear a fluid bladder backpack, which holds a large volume of fluid and allows you to drink hands-free through a hose.

Where the Money Goes

The National MS Society has just committed $18.4 million to support 52 new MS research projects and training fellowships as part of its comprehensive strategy to STOP MS in its tracks, RESTORE function that has been lost, and END the disease forever.

New projects include:

> explorations of what causes people with MS to experience pain;

> a DNA bank to aid researchers investigating the genes that make people susceptible to MS;

> new approaches to promoting nervous system repair; and

> fellowships to train promising young doctors and scientists in MS research and clinical care.

June eNewsletter

Road Warriors

Our Bike MS Road Warriors are not content with just one Bike MS challenge...they commit to both the Coastal Challengeand Vegas Challenge this fall. Register for one ride, and receive free registration for the second. Enter discount code WARRIOR to receive free registration on your 2nd Southern California & Nevada Chapter ride.

Thanks to our first 11 road warriors to sign up!

Training Tip of the Day -- Climbing

In this short video, Tour de France veteran Marty Jemison talks about how to properly ascend a hill. 

Help Wanted

Do you have friends and family who are not cyclists, but would like to get involved with Bike MS. We need hundreds of volunteers to make our event weekend run smoothly. Recruit your non-cycling friends to join your team as volunteers and help with one of these critical jobs. 

Sponsor Spotlight

HUGE thanks to Caesars Foundation for returning as our Bike MS Presenting Sponsor. Thank you for your generous

 contribution to our Bike MS: Coastal Challenge and Bike MS: Vegas Challenge!

The Caesars Foundation's Will to Do Wonders is working wonders each day, in cities, in towns throughout the U.S. and globally. With this very generous sponsorship, they are certainly making a difference in our local MS communities.  

Save the Dates

July 16 - 20: Challenge Week #2
Recruit and fundraise to win great prizes. Stay tuned!

For more information about any of the above events, please email bikeMS@cal.nmss.org. 

Where the Money Goes

Most kids who are diagnosed with MS have never met or even heard of another kid with MS. Our Kids with MS Family Day this summer provides a terrific opportunity for both kids with MS (18 years old and under) and their parents to connect with others who truly understand how MS impacts their lives, and learn how to better manage the disease and its symptoms.

May eNewsletter

Training the Mind

The mental aspect of preparing for Bike MS is just as important as the physical aspect. The biggest mental challenge you will likely face in your training is staying consistently motivated. Here are some suggested ways to keep your motivation level high:

• Train with others—Sharing the training experience with others is a powerful motivator for most cyclists. Ride with friends who may or may not be training for Bike MS. (Though if they're not riding in Bike MS, recruit them to your team!)  

• Get objective feedback—Results of hard work can motivate more hard work. Do an occasional timed ride to see how far you can ride during a designated period of time (say, one hour). As you become fitter, you will be able to ride farther and farther in the same amount of time.

• Change it up —Sometimes the monotony of doing the same training ride every time causes motivation to sag. When this happens, change the workout: drive to a different location and ride, do an alternative cardiovascular workout instead, or do fast-paced “intervals” instead of a steady ride.

Challenge Week is Coming...

May 29 – June 1: 
CHALLENGE WEEK in celebration of World MS Day

RECRUIT cyclists, FUNDRAISE and raise AWARENESS to win:

• The cyclist or volunteer who raises the most money May 29 - June 1, wins his/her choice of Corum watch (value $6,000) or new road bike from Cynergy Cycles. 
• The runner up wins prize not chosen by the first place winner
• The team to register the most members May 29 - June 1, wins a supported training ride, complete with a Bike MS SAG wagon, bottled water, snacks and lots of cheering!
• The individual who uploads a video May 29 - June 1, to our Bike MS: Vegas Challenge Facebook page and receives the most "likes" will win  a Sigma BC 509 cycling computer.

Where the Money Goes

For many people with MS, spasticity (muscle tightness and spasms) is a painful and disabling symptom that can have a significant negative effect on quality of life.The search for more effective treatments for spasticity and other MS symptoms is an important research priority for the National MS Society, and the Society is currently supporting a clinical trial of different forms of cannabis products to test their ability to relieve spasticity in people with MS.  The Society is also supporting research on non-pharmacologic treatments for spasticity, such as muscle-targeted exercise.

April eNewsletter

Eye on the Prize

We want to give you a good reason to set your fundraising goal high. The very best reason is because every dollar you raise makes a difference for people living with the unpredictable effects of multiple sclerosis. But our 2012 prizes are another fun reason. Check out this year's awesome jersey.

Where the Money Goes

Learning more about progressive forms of MS is a key priority for researchers and the National MS Society. Join us on May 3rd for An In-Depth Look at Progressive MS. This free, interactive teleconference will provide information about research in progressive forms of MS, ways to optimally manage this disease course and its symptoms, and how to cope with the emotional and family issues that often accompany progressive disease. Learn about resources and assistance that are available to help.

Learn more and sign up for An In-Depth Look at Progressive MS.

Early Fundraising Incentive

Raise $150 within 30 days of registrationand receive a pair of Bike MS socks to wear proudly on your training rides.