New for 2013
New for 2013, the Tour de Cure is introducing a Tour Training Program to help first-time riders and others who need help preparing for the ride, which features 10-, 25-, 40-, 62- and 100-mile routes to suit riders of all abilities and experience. The training program will offer riders a chance to participate in training rides hosted by Suck Creek, Owen Cyclery and East Ridge Bicycles to introduce safe cycling and prepare participants for the Tour. In addition, The Rush fitness centers are offering free spin classes to registered riders who want to train for the event on stationary bikes.
The American Diabetes Association’s annual Tour de Cure will roll into Chattanooga again May 18 seeking to raise money and awareness in an effort to improve lives and promote healthier living.
The event is one of the signature fundraising events for the American Diabetes Association, according to ride director Wendi Mullins, but thepurpose of the event is about much more than money. “My goal is to inspire people to come out and do the Tour, but I don’t want them to come out and do this once a year and just that day,” she says. “I want them to get out their bike and instill a passion to continue to ride for the rest of their lives.
“Because we know cycling provides a huge benefit for diabetes control. We know that – we’ve seen studies and done the research.”
Mullins says that for diabetics and others, 30 minutes of exercise three times per week is excellent for controlling and even preventing the onset of diabetes, which affects approximately 36,000 people in the Chattanooga area.
Companies and other organizations throughout Chattanooga have formed Tour de Cure teams to raise money for the American Diabetes Association and to get their employees and others to live more active lives.
Ride Team Red
The Team Red program is for Tour de Cure riders who have Type I or Type II diabetes along with their family and friends, so they can train and ride together and show others how diabetics can control their health and lead active lives. For more information about becoming a Red Rider and joining Team Red, go to the tour website at tour.diabetes.org.
The work of the American Diabetes Association has a profound impact in Tennessee, which has one of the higher obesity rates in the nation. The funds raised at the Chattanooga Tour de Cure and other events throughout the state are used locally for diabetes advocacy, research and education. In 2012, the Tennessee American Diabetes Association provided $2.6 million for diabetes research, according to Mullins, who says that the Chattanooga event is well on its way to its goal of 750 riders raising $165,000 this year.
In 2014, the ADA will bring its Diabetes Now program to Chattanooga. Diabetes Now is a day-long program already in Knoxville and the Tri-Cities that brings speakers and workshops on diabetes management to help people understand the condition and how to live with it.
“If we can get people out and active, we’ve seen remarkable improvement of diabetes management,” she says. “We’ve seen people who have delayed the onset of diabetes, and some who have prevented it altogether.
Register
If you want to participate in the Chattanooga Tour de Cure, visit tourdiabetes.org or contact Wendi Mullins at wmullins@diabetes.org or at 865-524-7868, ext. 3343 for more information.