Tuesday, 29 November 2011

New name - Team POWERADE

Today we are changing the name of the blog to reflect the new name of the riding group.

That new name is TEAM POWERADE


Why the change? Over the past 2 years our Sunday riding group has associated itself with a number of brands and organisations from Peroni, Cyc'd for Bikes, Smiling for Smiddy and KRAC Racing so it was felt that it was time to bring everyone together under a single name and brand. With the help of Brad we have been able to design our own cycling kit branded POWERADE.

Team Powerade unites all of our other brands and associated organisations, sponsors and supporters and will continue to support the Smiling for Smiddy organisation.

The blog has been updated to reflect the new name as well as a few others things including:

Our Charity - Smiling for Smiddy

Our coffee shop - Conti Cafe

Our bike shop - Cyc'd for Bikes

The blog will continue to discuss topics of interest on all things to do with TEAM POWERADE, our sponsors and supporters.

I hope you enjoy the new blog.

Kent

Monday, 28 November 2011

Two years and 20,000km

Over the weekend I stumbled upon an interesting statistic from my riding.

Last year I rode just over 10,000km in the calendar year and when I went to check my progress this year I realised that since 1 January 2010 I have ridden just over 20,000km!!

Its taken 886 hours of peddle turning over some 408 individual rides and I'd say close to 500 coffee stops to reach this milestone but its been time well spent with great mates and new friends.

While the riding has been awesome being involved in the Smiling for Smiddy events over the past two years has added a whole different dimension to the riding. I'm pleased to say that in those two years I have managed to raise over $50,000 for cancer research through my involvement with Smiling for Smiddy.

I just need to do another 300km before the end of December to make it back-to-back 10,000km years with many more to come hopefully!!

Wednesday, 16 November 2011

You have to watch this!!!

Everyone should watch this and show your children...

Monday, 14 November 2011

Check out the NEW Smiling for Smiddy website

Smiling for Smiddy has launched its new website. Check it out at:
http://www.smiddy.org.au/

Great images and heaps of information about Smiling for Smiddy and the fantastic work it does for cancer research.

Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Cyc'd for Smiddy to do it again in 2012

Well the Cyc'd boys will once again be active in 2012 with Brad signing up for the 2012 Smiddy Challenge.....good stuff mate.



Here's a piece on why the 2012 Smiddy Challenge will be extra special for Brad.....

In late 2010 Brad and Fleur Scriven were motivated to do their bit to fight cancer. Close family friends had tragically lost their son aged only 17 and it was at this that point that Brad and Fleur decided they needed to act.

“There were just so many good families and people around me who have been affected by cancer,” said Brad.

“When a close lost his battle with cancer Fleur and I decided that we wanted to do something positive, we needed to help, particularly because we were healthy and our family hadn’t been affected by cancer we felt that it was even more important that we contribute.”

Brad registered for the 2011 Bottlemart Smiddy challenge—an inspired cycling challenge where participants cover 1600 kilometers in eight days from Brisbane to Townsville to raise money for cancer research at Mater Medical Research Institute. Brad, who had heard about the event from friend (who participated in the Midi-Smiddy Challenge), was determined to not only complete the physically arduous task, he committed to a fundraising campaign to benefit cancer sufferers.

“I got together with three of my mates and started to plan some fundraising activities,” said Brad.

“Our local bike store Cyc’d for Bikes in Norman Park came on board right away supporting us with the donation of a bike—that’s when we decided to call ourselves the Cyc’d boys.”

And Cyc’d they were. The group hosted BBQs and fundraising nights, coordinated a raffle and asked friends and colleagues to support their cause. Together they raised a staggering amount of more than $65 000 for Smiling for Smiddy.

But just weeks before the event with 8000 kilometres of training under their belt the couple’s life changed—Fleur was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Fleur’s diagnosis with breast cancer was ironic because there was no history of cancer in our direct family and that was why we had got involved in the Smiddy Challenge,” said Brad.

“Although Fleur’s surgery was scheduled for during the ride and our focus was 100% on her wellbeing she still wanted me to do at least cycle a couple of days but it was a very stressful time.”

Brad developed a severe case of bronchitis in the lead up to the event. Despite this he managed to complete one day of the challenge before having to withdraw but he hasn’t let this bring him down.

Fleur is now recovering well from her surgery and Brad is back on the bike and ready for the 2012 Bottlemart Smiddy challenge.

What started out as a commitment to help has now become a personal quest. Brad draws his inspiration from Smiling for Smiddy founder Mark ‘Sharky’ Smoothy who started the event in honour of his friend Adam Smiddy who died from an aggressive cancer aged 26.

“Mark’s ability to stay passionate and positive is inspirational,” said Brad.

“Helping people with cancer has become a personal quest—it’s something that in some way, shape or form has to continue.”

Brad

You can support Brad on his journey at his fund raising page at http://www.smiddyfundraising.com.au/brad_scriven_2

Monday, 7 November 2011

Cyc'd for Smiddy blog reaches 5,000 page views

Wow who would have thought that the Cyc'd for Smiddy blog would have reached 5,000 page views in just 6 months!!!

Six months ago I started the blog to let people know about our involvement in the Smiling for Smiddy Challenge to raise money for cancer research and to raise awareness of this fantastic cause.

In those six months a lot has happened. The four members of Cyc'd for Smiddy, Gav, Brad, Dammo and myself have raised over $60,000 for the Mater Foundation, have ridden around 35,000 km (this year) including the Smiddy Challenge and received the most unbelievable support from family, friends and businesses. Also in that time we have been rocked by the news that Brad's wife Fleur had been diagnosed with breast cancer......who would have thought any of this would have happened in just a short six months.

I'm planning on sticking with the blog and hope that its following continues to grow. I hope in the coming months to announce a new project for raising money for cancer research so stay tuned for an exciting announcement (hopefully!!)

I am amazed by the following that the blog has had and for those of you who are interested in some stats here are where most of the visitors have come from.....


Australia
3,655
United Kingdom
603
United States
292
Malaysia
76
Poland
28
Canada
26
Netherlands
 25
Russia
24
Germany
22
India
14
New Zealand
4
Indonesia
3
UAE
2
Germany
2




Saturday, 5 November 2011

Smiddy triathletes fight cancer at Noosa Tri

A team of 50 triathletes have added a fourth leg to this year’s Noosa Triathlon – fundraising for cancer research.

Participants, including six-time Paralympian and cancer survivor Michael Milton, tackled the 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run course as part of Smiling for Smiddy’s ‘Tri to Fight Cancer’ supporting research at Mater Medical Research Institute (MMRI).

The team has raised more than $78,000 for research into a disease which sees more than 100,000 Australians diagnosed each year.

Smiling for Smiddy founder Mark Smoothy said, “Many of our Tri to Fight Cancer participants have personal stories and connections to cancer so it’s inspiring to see them combine their participation with raising funds for research”.

“The Noosa Tri is is a challenging event and competing in memory of loved ones lost to cancer will make crossing that finish line all the more rewarding”.

Since 2006, Smiling for Smiddy has raised more than $2 million with funds supporting MMRI and the team is on track to raise $700 000 this year through its program of challenge events.

Smiling for Smiddy supports three world-class research projects at Mater: melanoma, prostate cancer and a study into complementary therapies to improve quality of life for cancer patients.

Mater Foundation Executive Director, Nigel Harris said, “Too many Australians are touched by cancer. Thanks to vital funds raised by Smiling for Smiddy, scientists at MMRI are one step closer to developing new therapies for prostate cancer which could harness a person’s own immune system to fight the disease.”

Other beneficiaries of Smiling for Smiddy funds include Melanoma Patients Australia, Flinders Medical Centre Foundation and the PA Research Foundation.

Smiling for Smiddy honours the memory of Adam Smiddy, a 26-year-old Brisbane physiotherapist and keen triathlete, who passed away to an aggressive melanoma in August 2006

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

Great ride with Kate of 7 in 7 fame

Today's ride was a little special as one of the Smiddy riders from the challenge who we got to know really well joined us for our Wednesday ride. Kate was on her way to Tassie for a wedding but still found room for the bike!!

Kate is a dead set legend not only did she ride to Townsville with us she then went onto ride with Sharky in the next leg of his 7 in 7 epic down the West Australian coast. So on top of the 1600km she had already ridden after just a four day break and trans Australian flight she was back on the bike for another 2,800km!!!

Unlike the Townsville ride where we were blessed with tailwinds for much of the 8 days Kate and the Sharky had headwinds almost all the way to Esperance.

Today's ride started at Adam Smiddy Park (named of course after Adam for whom the Smiddy Challenge is named after). As it was a late start by Cyc'd standards Brad and I used the time wisely and did two repeats up Mt Cootha just to get the legs working before joining the other 9 riders for a riverloop.

It was great to ride with Kate and hear first hand about the epic ride in WA and just how hard it was.

Coffee at the Garage was our reward and sadly it was all over too quickly and we bid Kate farewell. We hope to see her in Brisbane again soon.