November 2024 newsletter
Brisbane to Gold Coast Cycle for Cancer
BNE[CC] to GC
We’re kicking off the newsletter this week with two very special contributions by club members Hayley Ward and Jason Gagliardi about their experiences on the Brissie to Gold Coast ride on Sunday 13 October. Thank you very much Hayley and Jason for your words!
Hayley
The Brisbane to Gold Coast ride this year was an example of the complete ups and downs that is the sport of cycling. We had heavy rain for about 40km, there were crashes (luckily not too many considering the conditions), lots of flat tyres and possibly the strongest headwind I have ever ridden in as we approached the Gold Coast. You are so exposed to the elements in cycling, and that is part of the reason why I love it so much. It challenges you and tests your limits, and you get to feel all these things amidst hundreds of other riders who are experiencing these things too. I started with a group of about 10 riders, and ended up with two others after people pulled out, or we got split up. Alex and Andrew, the two I rode almost the whole ride with, were absolute dreams to ride with. We battled the winds together and finished in about 3 hours 10 minutes. While we had the intent of riding home, by the end of the 100km we’d had enough and got the train home instead (50c well spent!). I had a great morning out on the Brisbane to Gold Coast, and am so grateful for all the volunteers and support staff who make these rides possible.
Jason
Spirits were slightly dampened and BNECC numbers somewhat reduced for the start of the 2024 Brisbane to Gold Coast charity ride for cancer when the morning of the event dawned with a persistent drizzle. Those who did make it to the South Bank marshalling point and had not received their ride number in the post, like me, also faced a long and very slow-moving queue to procure said number.
This meant any hope of starting with or even finding some G3 buddies in amongst the 5000 riders who signed on this year went out the window but at least the rain cleared up for the start and a hint of blue skies was welcome.
Resigned to starting at the back of the field in amongst the 40km riders, I spotted clubbies Bobby and Steve in the crowd, and we teamed up to roll out, finally, up the chute and into the bus lane for the rare privilege of a traffic-free rip along its elevated expanse. The break in the weather, alas, was not to last and the first hour or so of the ride was through fairly heavy showers.
I lost Steve and then Bobby somewhere along the bus lane but managed to find the wheel of a well-organised group for the first 30km or so. Not long after descending from the bus lane back to earth, the skies cleared again but a stiff southerly was beginning to blow. It was find a wheel or face a long and lonely odyssey. Starting at the back of the field at least meant I was mostly passing other riders, which was great motivation.
I blew through the first rest stop after failing to spot any of the familiar blue and gold jerseys and was feeling good, although I did get stranded for a time without a wheel to follow in the windy expanse of cane fields around Beenleigh. After the second rest stop, I fell in with nice group of eight or so riders and the rest of the ride was awesome, everyone pulling turns and easing the pain of the wind, which was getting up to 30-40kmh by the time the finish line came into view.
Lamb rotis and cans of coke were the fuel of choice and the BNECC contingent had staked out a space to on the Southport lawn to rest, listen to the band, and swap ride stories. The fasties like captain Lachie had blitzed it and had had their feet up since 8.30am or so. Everyone stayed rubber side up in the rain with the exception of Alistair, but he was fine apart from some lost bark.
With a howling tailwind in store and the alternative a crowded train carriage, five of us signed up for the journey back: Bobby, Graeme H, Alistair, Manny and me. With the spinnaker hoisted and barely breaking a sweat to sit on 35-40kmh, we rolled out, past the poor latecomers still fighting the gale. The ride home was a pleasure, and a reward for the hard headwind yakka on the way out.
Despite the damp start it was a great day out, and excellent to see a strong showing from the club across all ability levels. Roll on B2GC 2025.
Membership maintenance
An important notice from your ride leaders
We want to take a moment to remind everyone of a critical step before joining our rides. Please ensure that you register for every ride ahead of time using the Team App. Your safety is our top priority, and by registering, we can ensure we have enough ride leaders on hand to provide a well-supported ride for everyone.
While we strive to make every ride as safe as possible, we are all too aware that accidents can happen. That’s why we ask you to log into the app now and check that your personal details, emergency contact information, and any relevant medical details are up-to-date. This will help us respond quickly and appropriately in case of any incidents during the ride.
It’s also worth refreshing yourself on the aggressively capitalised BNECC GROUP RIDING RULES which can be found in the "General Info" section on the team app (or even right here because we ♥ u).
Segment Hunters
The results are out!
Month One of our inaugural Segment Hunters season has come to a close, and what a month it was on the slopes of Mount Coot Tha.
Over the course of October, we had no fewer than 148 club members complete attempts on the backside and 118 hammering it up the front. At the final count all of you hitters out there managed to nail
19 backside PRs
23 frontside PRs
The month had everything. From people completing their first ever reps up the mountain to others bettering their PRs on a weekly basis. We had x3 organised group rides in the end that were “enjoyed” by all involved and we saw engagement and PRs from riders from G1 to G4, across generations and genders and from experienced and inexperienced riders alike. What a month it was – thanks to everyone who got stuck in and made it special.
A huge well done to everyone who achieved PRs across the month, you’re all winners in our eyes. That said, the moment we have all been waiting for – we announce the overall winner of the October challenge who will be taking home $50 in Lost bean vouchers. And that person is:
🚀🚀🚀 John Randall! 🚀🚀🚀
John managed to set PRs up both sides of the hill during the midweek group ride and is our first random draw winner (his effort on the backside being the lucky winning effort). Coffee is on John!
FEAR NOT. For with a new month comes a new opportunity. And in the month of November we have two new segments to cross off your list. Set a PR on one or both segments and you’ll be entered into the draw for November – twice if you complete both in record time.
This month we have one a little longer, ideal for a weekend hit out, and one a little shorter that all groups should be able to access midweek.
Our longer segment will be the classic Upper Brookfield. 10.86km @ 1.3% - but that doesn’t tell half the story! This is a great segment to take on in a group where draft can make a huge difference, so get your pals together, lobby your Sunday ride leader and give it the beans along this beautiful stretch of road.
Our shorter segment for November is the innocuous sounding Gap Creek Rd Climb. 1.6km @ 6.3%, this one is short but has pinches well into double digit gradients – I wouldn’t stress too much about draft on this one, this is all about your legs and your mind.
We’ll keep you updated through the month, have fun and stay safe.
2024 DV Awareness Criterium
Racing to Break the Cycle of Domestic Violence
We’re coming up fast to Lifecycle DV Awareness Criterium, which will be held on Sunday 17 November at Albert Bishop Park, Nundah. The DV Crit is always a fantastic day out, and the club goes all-in to support both a great day of racing, and a very worthy cause. Sunday rides on the day will all be routed to finish at Nundah to watch the racing under the comfort of the BNECC gazebo (conditional on Tom remembering to bring it). Funds raised by the even will support Brisbane Domestic Violence Service and Beyond DV. Here are some snaps from last year’s event to pique your interest.
We’re Looking for Ride Leaders
Want to help out?
If you are a regular participant in our Sunday rides and would like to contribute to planning and leading rides, then please get in touch with Lachie on 0414 109 997. Alternatively, just reply to this email! The club provides plenty of support, including ride leader training with Dave Shelberg and the gang, and First Aid/CPR training.
Hydration tips 🍉
And a free cocktail recipe (omg!)
Summer is fast approaching, so remember to stay fuelled and hydrated out there on those hot mornings. Here are a few tips on getting proper fluids in while you’re on the bike (note that the following could be considered medical advice only if you regard the opinions of an unpaid email administrator to be equivalent to that of a doctor 👍):
Drink to thirst: if you’re thirsty, drink some water!
Don’t drink too much: if you’re not thirsty, you probably don’t need to drink. Exercise associated hyponatremia (low blood sodium concentrations often caused by excessive fluid concentrations) is as dangerous as dehydration.
Sodium is the most important electrolyte in sports drinks. How much you need depends primarily on water loss, heat stress and session length. Of course also consider your own specific health requirements. Sodium citrate is more palatable than normal salt, so if you’re making your own drink mix this is a good one to use.
Carbohydrate intake depends on intensity, session length, and individual health needs. You don’t usually need to eat carbs for activities under about an hour. A general guideline would be to aim for 30-60g/hour for rides between 1-2.5 hours, and about 90g/hour for rides over 2.5 hours. It may take you a while to work up to those levels though, so try smaller amounts to start with.
Science says we can only absorb about 60g/hour of a single type of carbohydrate, so mixing glucose and fructose allows us to consume a higher dose. Conveniently, table sugar (sucrose) is 50% glucose and 50% fructose.
An easy and cheap way to consume the right amount of carbs is to make your own drink mix, so here’s a recipe that gives you everything you need, and nothing you don’t. I like to add a bit of powdered lemon or lime juice for flavour, but feel free to mix it up. A pinch of two of citric acid can also help to offset the sweetness of the mix if you’re using other flavourings. Of course if you have specific dietary or health requirements, make sure you tailor this to your own needs. The ratio I use of glucose/fructose/sodium citrate/flavouring is 1:1:0.12:0.08. The following quantities provide 90 g of carbs and 1.3 g of sodium.
Glucose powder: 45 g
Fructose powder: 45 g
Sodium citrate: 5.4 g
Lemon juice crystals: 3.6 g
An even easier recipe would be to add 90g of sugar to a bidon, along with a squeeze of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of salt. And if you think you’ve got a better recipe (doubtful) jump on the Team App and share it!
Some useful links:
Phil’s Racing Update
Not my artwork 👆
October had some absolute treats for us on the racing front, so let’s dive straight into a round-up of results.
Starting off with a wrap on the Hamilton Wheelers weekly races, the month should have started with an epic Saturday up at Lakeside for a reverse crit. Sadly, despite rolling with our biggest bunch of the year the track was double booked, and we ended up in a mass Redcliffe group ride instead (which those who were there will tell you was arguably harder than a race would have been). We’ll have that day again folks, so watch this space.
The race did happen a week later, and with large numbers committed to B2GC we had reduced numbers. In B Grade, Chris Black attacked on repeat until his legs gave out completely, while Henry Vickers, Danny Seymour and Kris Wall were also in action. Sophie Walker and Diego Rodriguez would also get a hit out in C and D grade respectively.
On the 19th at Nundah, Henry was out again in B grade with Tony “Gibbo” Giblin getting back out in C grade. A top 5 finish in only his second race a fitting return for launching a late attack and oh so close to a podium. Diego was back out in a novel team race in D grade, though his assigned team missed out on placing on this occasion.
Wrapping up the Hamilton schedule, on the 26th we had a support crew down to cheer on the troops. Henry was back out in the yellow and white in B grade, and Diego in D grade. The boys absolutely loving it. The support crew was down to see Gibbo, Kieran Heinze, Hayley Ward and Alex Murphy let rip in C grade, and it was a great show. Gibbo and Kieran kept themselves in the front handful of wheels all race and both came home for comfortable Top 10 finishes.
Elsewhere, there have been some cracking results this month. Danny Seymour set the tone with a podium finish in B grade in the North Arm Road Race. Danny rolled the dice and went with the early break and a punishing pace. The break stayed away and a committed kick at the finish was enough for 3rd on the day. Danny said 'it felt like death by 1000 cuts - but really happy to place'. The following week, back up the coast at Girraween, big Mikey Jaxsson delivered club vengeance and smoked the field to take the win. After letting the early break go, Jacko attacked solo, bridged over multiple laps to catch the break and would latch on in time for the break to catch the back of the main pack. With the main bunch now off track, there was only ever going to be one winner in a reduced sprint finish. Even though he described himself as 'a grey nomad amongst a field of 18-year-olds', our man kicks like a pneumatic mule. A final nod to Jess Wiggins who also got stuck into some crit racing with UQ – after an outrageously good season last time out it’s always great to see Jess out racing.
Please let us know!
While every effort is made to include as many results as possible, not all races post results. Please do let us know if you’ve been out racing and even better – let us know beforehand, and we’ll try and get folks down to raise the roof on your behalf.
BNECC wish SOTS well!
BNECC Women’s Officer — a word from Tiff
Lachlan and I had the pleasure of presenting to the Sisters of the Saddle (SOTS) recently, and we couldn’t be more impressed with their dedication and achievements. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to them for completing 10 weeks of intense training and applaud the incredible fundraising efforts for their charity partners, Zephyr and Traction. Wishing the entire group a safe, fun, and unforgettable final ride on October 26-27!
We emphasized that their cycling journey doesn’t end there. In fact, it’s just the beginning! We proudly introduced BNECC as Brisbane’s premier cycling club, a super friendly and supportive community where riders of all levels can continue to grow and enjoy their passion for cycling. We warmly encourage the ladies to join us and experience firsthand what makes our club the best in the Brisbane
A special shout-out goes to our own BNECC hero (in full club kit) who stepped up to save the day by providing a SOTS rider with a spare tube and offered to change her flat tyre. This act of kindness didn’t just stay on the road—it traveled back to us through the SOTS group and highlighted the spirit of camaraderie we hold so dear at BNECC. Bravo!
Bikes and Bubbles
On Sunday 20 October a small group of ladies spent a wonderful hour learning essential bike maintenance skills. Thanks to Rod Brooks, our super instructor who guided us through cleaning our bikes and regreasing our chains. It was a hands-on session, and we all came away feeling much more confident in taking care of our bikes. A huge thank you to Rod for sharing his knowledge and helping us keep our rides smooth and efficient.
If you missed this session, stay tuned for more maintenance workshops in the future.
AusCycling Pilot Program – She Rides
BNECC is proud to announce that we’ve been asked by AusCycling to run the pilot for the She Rides program. This initiative aims to encourage mums and children to ride their bikes together, promoting active lifestyles and family bonding. Dave Shelberg and Tiffany will lead the program, which includes six mums and their children. Running over three weeks in November, the program will equip participants with the skills and confidence they need to enjoy cycling safely. We can’t wait to see these families thrive on two wheels!
If you know anyone that would like to register here is the link.
Australian Transplant Games 2024
A big congratulations to our Club Captain Lachie Ninness who cleaned up at the Aussie Transplant Games down in Canberra in early October. Lachie did us proud, topping the podium in both the road race and the time trial. It sounded like a fantastic event, full of healthy competition and camaraderie. Well done Lachie!
Your News Desk Needs You!
Something you want to see here?
If you’ve got some cracking content (pics, videos, rants, etc), breaking news, or know of an achievement you want to shout about, PLEASE send it through to our breaking news desk so we can include it in a future edition.
We’d also be especially interested in any smaller milestones you reckon are worth sharing. Seen an example of outstanding camaraderie in last month? Let us know.
Lakeside let-down leaves lasting laceration on Morty’s left limb
The club would like to thank the many generous members who have energetically delivered tubeless tyre changing advice at Cam Mort in the weeks since his most recent abortive Carbrook step-up attempt (See September Issue "Step-up Success"). It is my sad duty to today inform devotees of The Mort that the cycling gods have once again taken special interest in our unfortunate club mate. Just as Apollo guided the arrow that ultimately laid low the great hero Achilles, so too did Moreton Bay Council lay waste to mighty Morty with their lackadaisical approach to pothole maintenance. In the hot-tempered aftermath to the cancelled crit (cheers Lakeside!) Morty was thrown from his bike after backing himself to boldy go where no rider before him in the bunch had dared: across a swimming pool sized crater in the bitumen. His braggadocio earned him a chaperoned trip to the Royal Brisbane, where it is said the medics were all very quietly impressed with his bravery.
Christmas Party Reminder 🥳
The holiday season is almost here!
Don’t forget to mark your calendars and RSVP for our BNECC Christmas Party. Join us on Wednesday 4th December, kicking off at 18:00 at the Crown and Rose Pub, Southbank (275 Grey Street). It’s going to be a fantastic evening of good company, great food and plenty of festive cheer.
Make sure to RSVP in the Team App to reserve your spot.
Coming up
3 November: SCCC Glass House ITT
16 November: She Rides
17 November: Lifecycle DV Awareness Crit
22 November: Murarrie Grand Opening
4 December: BNECC Christmas Party (Crown & Rose Pub)
26 December: LSC Shop Ride (Mt Mee)
And a very happy birthday to the following clubbies (if your birthday doesn’t appear here, it’s because you haven’t put on in the app, and now you don’t get a cake emoji):
Anthony 🍰
Brett 🍰
Liam 🍰
Linda 🍰
Michael 🍰
Paul 🍰
Wilson 🍰
Junior member TBC 🍰
