Newsletter No 16: March 2018
Posted 26 March 2018
Newsletter No 16 – March 2018
Over 30 wonderful years, more than 30,000 riders,
46,000 kilometers and $20,000,000 raised.
Registrations Close Monday 26 March 2018.
(2 Weeks until the ride)
VicRoads Road Works Notifications for the M2M
· Mildura Route: Please note that are resurfacing works scheduled for the Calder Highway in the week leading up to the M2M, VicRoads are trying to be rearranged but if they still go ahead M2M teams need to warn participants of the possibilities of loose stones on the road.
· Swan Hill Route: Spray seal works taking place on the following roads:
Birchip-Sea Lake road between Sea Lake and Birchip.
· Echuca Route: Spray seal works taking place on the following roads:
Boort-Pyramid Road between Bendigo-Pyramid Road and Boort.
Boort-Charlton Road between Boort and Charlton. A detour around the bridge near the start is necessary as the bridge is being rebuilt.
· Extra caution will need to be taken on these roads.
For Real Time Traffic and Road updates go to: https://traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au/
Ride Update: The 32ndYear.
Catering on route options as of early March.
· Echuca Route: The Rapid Relief organisation have confirmed they will supply catering at the following venues for this year’s ride. Start of Echuca and Swan Hill route – Breakfast. Dinner at Stawell for the Echuca route.
· Swan Hill Route: Dunmunkle Lodge at Minyip – Dinner – At the Heart of the Wheat Belt – this is a new opportunity for all those on the Swan Hill route. Well worth it!
· Mildura Route: Beulah Primary School – Dinner – Relaxing venue, great food, cool drinks and great facilities –
· We will send out menus and order forms for these catering arrangements ASAP.
· Hamilton Compulsory Stop: The Lions Club of Hamilton will provide a BBQ breakfast only at the Hamilton Show Grounds this year before the ride commences from Hamilton to Port Fairy. (No dinner being provided this year).
· Hamilton to Port Fairy via Macarthur: The Lions Club of Macarthur will provide county cooking - home made items and hot drinks. This proved very popular last year and the Lions will be setting up in the Lions Park, Main Street. Please be aware a non - licenced provider has been selling items in Macarthur, and it is not advisable to purchase items from this person. Health authorities have been notified!
· Hamilton to Port Fairy via Hawkesdale: The Hawkesdale Community Group will be offering a range of cakes and yummy home made items along with Tea and Coffee for that heart starter on Sunday morning. It has become a frantic centre in recent years – so be ready to get your share!
· Team Captains: Please ensure your members are registering and please send these Newsletters out to all your team members via e-mail- being informed in a timely manner is vital to any efficient organisation.
· All previous Newsletters are located at: https://www.murraytomoyne.com.au/
From the Ride Directors Desk:
Ride Check In Times & Locations: Team Captains Must Check In your teams with the ride officials on Friday evening 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm or Saturday morning from 7:30 am to 8:30 pm
Mildura Route: Friday Night 6 April or Sat 7 April - Fishers IGA, 15th Avenue, Irymple (5 km South of the river).
Swan Hill Route: Friday Night 6 April or Sat 7 April - Showgrounds at Stradbroke Avenue, Swan Hill.
Echuca Route: Friday Night 6 April - Pevensey Motel Lodge Car Park, 365 High Street (New Venue 2018) , Echuca or Sat 7 April – Victoria Park Boat Ramp.
Compulsory Drivers Briefing: All support vehicle drivers are required to attend the Saturday Morning briefing at 8:20 am at the start of each route. This Safety Briefing is most important.
Note: New Reflective Signs in Hamilton directing Teams to the Hamilton Showgrounds.
Hamilton to Port Fairy - Sunday Striders Ride: Saturday Night 7 April or Sunday 8 April – Hamilton Showgrounds before 7:00 am. Check in at the M2M Officials Caravan.
Team Captains will receive their Team Packs at the Check In: Included will be….
Official Ride Guide, Riders Team Numbers, List of Teams Participating.
· Vehicle Numbers, Route Stickers for your team for the final stage from Hamilton to Port Fairy via either Penshurst or Macarthur (Pink or Green). Safety pins for rider numbers.
· Time of Departure from Hamilton.
· 
General Information about the availability of meals on route (see ride update).
· Vic Roads: Bike law booklet, information on the Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail.
· Complementary Sunbeam Products – Sultanas and nuts and Carman’s Protein Bars.
Compulsory Team Briefing for Team Captains, Riders, Drivers and Support Crews:
All participants must attend the Teams Briefing on Saturday 7 April at 8:30 am at the official start points for each ride. Here you will meet your Ride Director and representatives of Victoria Police. This final briefing will go over any ride updates as to the road or traffic conditions, weather conditions etc. All the people involved in ensuring the ride is safely conducted will be introduced and their respective roles will be explained. Please ensure your team obeys any safety instructions given at the briefing as it’s in everyone’s interest that you do so.
Ride Directors for 2018: Mildura Route: John Clue, Swan Hill Route: Leigh Parker, Echuca Route: Jeff McLean.
Each Ride Director will have ultimate control of decisions made on the route once the event commences. The Ride Directors will be in contact with Motorcycle Marshals, Medical Vehicles, Lead and Rear Vehicles, Corner Marshals and Victoria Police.
Lead Vehicles: No rider is to pass or gain pace from the Lead Vehicle or their teams will be withdrawn immediately from the event. If riders are ahead of the Lead Vehicle, they are deemed to be excluded from the event.
Rear Vehicles: The rear Vehicle cannot average less than 22K/h in order to complete the event within 24 Hours. The Rear Vehicle will not stop for teams that pull off the road. You should ensure you have at least 1 rider on the road at all times – In front of the Rear Vehicle. If a cyclist is behind the Rear Vehicle, they are deemed to be excluded from the event.
Motorcycle Marshals: Will be wearing orange reflective vests, they will be moving through the ride to give assistance where necessary and to ensure everyone is following correct ride safety procedures, including riders and support vehicles. Please ensure you follow any directions from Motorcycle Marshals.
Medical Vehicles: There will be a Medical Vehicle on each route and their role is to provide assistance to any accident or incident as well as control vehicles in the area. We hope they will not be needed. Each team should carry their own First Aid Kit for minor problems.
Team Numbers: Help officials and your team support to identify you on the road. Each rider is to write their name and basic medical information on the back of your team number before you commence the event. It should be pinned on your lower back and be visible at all times. This is for your safety and to assist any emergency support to help you if you need it.
Mildura Route: Compulsory Stop at Warracknabeal. This is to enable the ride to come back together, teams to regroup and reduce the gap from the Lead to the Rear Vehicle.
Echuca Route: Compulsory Stop at Stawell. This stop will allow you time for teams to re-group and Dinner. Rapid Relief will be providing meals for a gold coin donation.
All Routes: Compulsory Stop at Hamilton. The first in your team to arrive in Hamilton Must Check In at the Hamilton Show Grounds with the Murray to Moyne Officials. (We need to know your Team has arrived).
Accommodation is available in the Sheep Judging Pavilion and showers / toilets are available across the road at the Hamilton Indoor Leisure & Aquatic Centre. (Gold Coin Donation – pays for security officer).
Departure from Hamilton: Team Captains: MUST ensure your team leaves Hamilton on Sunday morning at the correct time. The 2 routes from Hamilton to Port Fairy are designed to get all riders into Port Fairy by 11:30 am – even the slowest! Many teams have a stop along the way either at Penshurst or Macarthur. Please ensure you only stop for a short time – the Rear Vehicle must keep moving to keep the ride on schedule and within the VicPol regulations.
Small groups of 10 teams will leave at 1 minute intervals commencing at 7:00 am. Each team MUST follow your designated route to Port Fairy. This is to ensure groups are spaced out and the flow of local traffic is not impeded. Failure to comply could result in your team being omitted from the event.
On this stage of the ride only ONE vehicle is allowed to follow each team. Other non-designated support vehicles must remain ahead of the Lead Vehicle if they wish to travel down the ride route. If your non-designated vehicle leaves Hamilton behind the Lead Vehicle (after the ride has officially commenced) then you will be directed by Police to travel directly to Port Fairy via the Mt Napier Road. This is necessary to prevent traffic congestion and is a response to Police requests. Only ONE vehicle per team will be provided with the Official (Pink or Green) sticker and it is to be placed on the top driver’s side corner of the vehicle – it’s imperative that you know which vehicle is to follow the riders before you start the final stage to Port Fairy.
Extreme care needs to be taken on both routes because of the congestion and narrow roads. Following vehicles need to keep well over to the left (this should involve the left wheel of the vehicle straddling the gravel or the edge of the road where practical). Cyclists should remain as far left as possible, ride in single file on double line sections, on crests and on twisty sections of the road. Everyone (Riders / Drivers) need to show courtesy to oncoming vehicles and overtaking vehicles.
Watch OUT: There are GoPro cameras on the road. There will also be a Police presence in either a patrol vehicle and or Police motorcycle officer allocated to both routes. The Police are there to improve safety for the participants and to enforce the road rules where necessary. Be Warned! Most complaints by the public are from this section of the ride.
Team Organisation and Punctuality is very important for the Final Stage from Hamilton.
Arrival in Port Fairy (Moyne River): On arrival in Port Fairy you will be directed by Marshals across the very busy Princes Highway (extreme care required) and then through to the finish reception area (Railway Place) in the centre of town. Leading cyclists may be controlled to ensure a steady flow of riders come into the finish together. Most teams wait for all members to arrive so they come across the line as one group – quite a spectacle. Therefore there is no reason to race to Port Fairy – most teams ride as a group at a steady pace from Hamilton – enjoying the scenery, farmland and views of the coast as you come closer to the Moyne River.
At the conclusion of the Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay, entertainment will be provided and participants will receive their medallions. The Graham Woodrup Memorial Award will be made on the stage to recognise someone who has made an exceptional effort and inspiration to others in the course of his/her team's involvement with the Murray to Moyne, In Memory of Woody.
Showers are available anytime in Port Fairy at the Belfast Aquatic Centre – Campbell Street. (Gold Coin Donation).
(STOP PRESS) Special Reminders: Make sure you have your reflective vest for night-time riding and sufficient batteries for your front and rear lights.
Training Tips #4 Murray to Moyne 2018 – 3 Weeks to Go
It is now into the final 3 weeks to the Murray to Moyne, perhaps leaving 1 to 2 weeks of moderate to hard training, and a week to 10 days to freshen up, or peak for the event. If you have been following these training tips, you should have excellent endurance from the many long rides you have done, you will be relatively strong from hill climbing efforts, and you should be able to ride at a reasonably high intensity, without too much discomfort, from doing your cruising intervals. You need to maintain this fitness up to the event, but, be fresh and ready to go when you start the Murray to Moyne.
It would be a good idea to do a mini rehearsal by doing a very long ride, incorporating hills and some 10 to 20 minutes efforts within that ride. A good time would be to do this about 2 weeks before the event. The weekend before Easter would be appropriate.
The last week to 10 days, which incorporates Easter, should be devoted to peaking or freshening up, and maintaining the fitness you have gained. Current research suggests that to do this effectively, you should cut down on the volume (less, longer, slower, distance) and increase intensity over shorter periods, and less overall time devoted to it. It is very difficult to do this after having been used to a heavy training load, and continually building on your training. Everyone is different, you cannot afford to slacken off too much, but, alternatively, you do not want to train too hard up to the event, and not have enough recovery, thereby having tired legs on the Saturday morning start.
By all means, have some relaxed longer rides over Easter with your team mates, but don’t go too far, what you do that weekend is not going to improve your fitness for the Murray to Moyne. In the final week, just a couple shorter sessions of high intensity, no later than Wednesday, dispersed with some very easy shorter rides for recovery, so you can keep burning the calories, and keep the body in tune. A good intensity session I believe, at this stage, is to do a series of very short 20-30 seconds efforts (very hard but not full sprinting) with 30 to 45 seconds rest between (if you can). Do as many as you can handle, perhaps up to 10 efforts, have a 5 to 10 minutes rest of easy pedalling, then try another set. You may not be able to handle a set of 10, you could do 2 to 3 sets of 5 - it depends on your fitness, your cycling background, or simply your age. Just don’t overdo it - you are only maintaining your fitness in readiness for the event.
Diet leading up to and during the event plays an important role, however, there is much conflicting opinion of what is appropriate, and discussion is well beyond what can be addressed in these training tips. Just keep your energy levels up on the ride, and keep well hydrated, both of which you should have a good appreciation of from experience in your preparation.
Please contact me if you think I can provide further help in your preparation, and I hope these training tips have been of some help.Have a safe and enjoyable Murray to Moyne, obey the rules, and good luck!
Jeff McLean 0427 681 744
Teams Riding in 2018 (Some)
Team 1 B – Belfast Bikers - Moyne Health
Team 101 – BIOYA – Altona Nth Primary School
Team 361 – Boort District Health Service
Team 71 – Casterton Memorial Hospital
Team 220 – Castlemaine Rouleurs
Team 70 – Chiropractic for Health - Wodonga Hospital
Team 60 – Cohuna District Hospital
Team 953 – Flying Angles –WRAD Lookout Project
Team 360 – Monash Health Service
Team 104 – Portland Whitelioners – Portland Regional Health
Team 354 – The Hunters - Huntingtons Victoria
Team 121 – Scrubbers & the Gasman - South West Healthcare
Team 104 – Lorne Spinners – Lorne Community Hospital
Team 128 – Cytotoxic Cyclists – Children’s Cancer Foundation
Team 2000 – CORNS BC – Australian Red Cross
Team 16 – GMHBA – Western District Health Service
Team 226 – Better Health Channel – Solve Disability
Team 5381 – Grassmere Primary School – SWHC Palliative Care
Team 65 – Timboon Cruisers – Timboon & District Health
Team 240 – A & B Ballarat West Rotary – Leukemia Foundation
The Murray to Moyne Cycling Relay Committee is a community organisation dedicated to raising funds for Moyne Health Services and facilitate fund raising for health related institutions across Victoria, SA, & NSW and to promote healthy lifestyles through cycling, following the inspiration and example made by Graham “Woody” Woodrup.
This cycle relay has been organised by: John Clue, President; Hester Woodrup, Vice President; Kate Winnen, Secretary; Bernie Waixel, Treasurer, along with the following Members of the Board & Committee: Karen Foster / Sophie O’Keefe (Moyne Health Services Representative), Jeff McLean, Peter Bollard; Peter Goy, Charlie Blackwood; Mike Cornett; Jenny McLean; John Ralph; Errol Carter; Ailsa Paltridge; Alice Birrell; Cynthia Mclaren; Denise Wilkie; Helen Tredinick; and IT Support: James Ng.
Special Thankyou to Lou Hollis (M2M Administrator) for all your hard work, organisation and cheerful attitude in making it all happen. Thanks Lou from everyone!
The Board and Committee would like to thank all 2018 participants of the M2M and to wish you all success in helping you reach your team goals and personal milestones. We look forward to the 2019 ride and hope you will all assemble in 12 months time on the banks of the Mighty Murray River to cycle the 520 kms to the Magical Moyne River and enjoy the friendships and comradery you make on your journey, whilst improving your health and raising funds for your chosen health charity.
STOP PRESS:
Devastating Bush Fires have affected some roads near the M2M route from Hamilton to Port Fairy.
Both the Hamilton to Macarthur and Hamilton to Hawkesdale routes are open, however, some of the side roads are affected by the Bushfires of 18 March 2018.
We will update you closer to the event.
Some of the Teams who participate in the M2M have been affected by this event. We send you all our best wishes and support at this time.
Registration Timetable:
Normal Registrations: Close Monday 26 March 2018
If you have any questions:
Please contact Lou
M2M Administrator
0467 788 765 or admin@murraytomoyne.com.au
