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Traci Voss

I'm riding for the kids - Please donate now!

Raised

$1,341.52

My Goal

$1,000

Select amount to donate

$36
Provides a book pack to help children in need improve their reading skills
$61
Provides a child in need with a new uniform or shoes so they can fit in at school
$140
Supplies a sports pack so children in need can play their favourite sport
$250
Provides reading buddies and books so children can develop their literacy skills
$624
Sponsors a disadvantaged student with their entire education for 1 year!

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A GREAT RIDE FOR A GREAT CAUSE...

I'm riding in Around the Bay 2021 to help kids in need!

Because 1 in 6 Australian kids are growing up in disadvantaged homes, where even the basics in life are hard to come by. But by supporting their education, they can break this cycle of disadvantage.

Your donation will give these kids the essentials they might otherwise miss out on like school books, bags, uniforms, shoes and the help they need to keep up at school. Its a great cause!

Plus, your support will give me great motivation to keep pedaling in training and on the big day!

Thanks for your help and don't forget to leave your message of 'encouragement' when you donate :)

Traci 

My Training Activity

Distance Completed

5,854km

Last 7 days

Longest Ride: Sun 3rd / 212kms

And it's done!

Thank you to EVERYONE who has donated towards this ride.   On Sunday 3rd Oct I set up in the Garage and rode 210km + 1km for luck in 6 1/2hrs. 

Since signing up for the ride, I've ridden 4,330km, I've raised over $1,200 and I couldn't have done that without you believing I would, and encouraging me so that I did!

Friends, family, work, you've all ensured I've come through and thanks to Zwift I've made a range of new friends and connections that have allowed me to set up an ongoing fitness plan that works in my life. 

Now to work on improving that (moving) time in 2022!  

4 weeks to go - what is the plan?

For those following along you will have likely seen the news that the ride has been postponed.  It won't be run in October, and while there's efforts to try and make it work early 2022, there is a chance it will be cancelled. 

But do not fret - I committed to doing a stupid thing on Oct 3 and so I will,  but it will be a virtual ride instead.  I'll put up details closer to the time - but I think there will be a chance to watch along and engage if anyone is so inclined. 

In far better news - thank you to you ALL for helping me meet my fundraising goal!  I hope that the funds do make it through, but I'm sure the organisers will let us all know in the next couple of weeks. 

I"ve been keeping at it in the Garage.  I completed my longest ride - 170km - the PRL Full in ZWIFT which is 11 loops of a circuit in London, including climbing Box Hill.  It was also my first chance to work with sports nutrition and I think I have a brand and flavour I can tolerate. Everything I tried worked insofar as I had no tolerance issues - so thats nice. 

I've also found a good group ride 7am Saturdays that do 100km (and a 180km version too) which I've joined the last two weeks.  Next week is Rapha 100 Womens and that has over 1,000m of climb so that'll take a bit longer - I'm expecting 4hrs. 

I've also joined the Zwift Academy this year (like everyone else) and have started their training programs, so between the social rides, the training rides the endurance/distance rides and general experimentation with body and recovery - I'm feeling pretty good.  

6 weeks out!

6 weeks until ride day and COVID is really having a good old time in Melbourne. 

I've been training indoors 100% since mid June and challenging myself with some of the more intense climbs and long/intense rides the system has to offer. 

On Saturday I was able to knock off the longest ride in Zwift, The London PRL Full - 175km, 2,200m of climbing.  

My aim was to work on two things
1. pacing
2. nutrition

I've finally done some research and purchased a few types of sports gels/nutrition and needed a long ride to help me test them. One warning you get is to never wait until the day to eat them, as some can be a bit tough on the digestive system.  I can say thankfully that the three I tried had no real issues and I've definitely got a preferred source. 

Pacing wise, I was doing ok.  the route is 11 laps of a circuit across London, half is mostly flat, half is a climb up, but after 7 laps my times started to fall.  The only good thing is, I never dropped to my small gears. I stayed in my big tooth at the front. 

This was about where I wanted to be this far out from the ride - it's only another 35km more - 1 - 1.5hrs depending on pace - I know I can do that. 

Those who follow on facebook - I have committed to riding whether this ride goes ahead or not. Whether it will be my own route around my home, or virtually through Zwift - we all committed to me doing something stupid - and I'm going to follow through.  

Thank you all for your support - and for getting me across my fundraising goal!  

2 months?!

Can it be just over 2 months until the day.  A lot has gone on since the last update and ALL of it has been virtual indoors. We've had two lockdowns, I've had an additional 2 weeks isolation due to a quick trip to Sydney, and the winter weather. 

Zwift has really changed things for me - I completed a 6 week training program to improve my strength, but it also helped teach me the basics of the pedal stroke. things that we all take for granted but I've never had any kind of instruction before. 

I'm on a waiting list for a new road bike - IF it arrives in time, that's getting a bit scary - that I might not have a decent bike to ride on the day. 

I want to give a huge shoutout to the AHDR group on ZWIFT - there's a Tuesday social ride for women, and it's really helped me connect on FB and on rides. 

Anyone following my training will have noticed I've had lots of shorter rides (20-30km) due to the training programs, but I finally knocked out a 160km ride last weekend thanks to some of the women of ADHR who let me join in.  

I've been doing more climbing work in ZWIFT, given the Bays isn't that intense I feel in a much better place knowing I can do that kind of work in the virtual world.  Next step is to get back into the real world for some longer weekend rides. 

Nutrition is still an item I'm not fully across, but I've made some good contacts and will really get some time into that this coming month. 

4 months to go

It’s been a difficult month.  My longest ride at 120km and then two weeks of a cold and now lockdown.  

I realized I needed help to get through the dark winter months and have got myself an indoor trainer and have spent the past few days learning how to use it.  This will form most of my riding with at least one long outdoor ride each weekend at least for the next couple of months.   

Having a couple of weeks when I couldn’t ride was tough.  I did test the waters earlier than I should which caused a setback.  The indoor trainer has really helped me feel like I’m getting back into things.  

I still think I can do this ride.  I just think I have a much better understanding of just how hard it will be.   


skill building

Yesterday I didn't have as much time to give to a longer ride, and after Saturday's 100k I wanted to work a bit on my stamina when it comes to inclines. 

Where I live there isn't really anything, unless you count overpasses. So I got down to my old stomping ground of Brimbank Park and rode laps.   

For those who are unfamiliar with the park - it's a gorgeous area, great for the family, for runners, for social walking, for cycling - with playing areas, bbqs, lots of little paths - with it mostly within a valley.    So I literally parked at the base, and rode circuits going up and down and up and down.  These are short  .5k climbs of around 40-55m each time - nothing serious to those who can ride - but I'm not a light lass, and I haven't had a lot of elevation since coming back to cycling late last year - so it's something. 

I had an initial goal in mind of 10 loops, after 3 rounds I got a little worried. After 6 loops I was concerned and after 7 I decided I'm too old to be that stubborn.  

For just over 30km, I had an elevation gain of 520m. These little snippets will be important over the next 5 months.

In other news, I looked at the 16 week training program provided by the Bicycle Network - that's another post in itself. 

5 months to go - launch of fundraising!

I'm officially launching my fundraising page today.  5 months today I will be riding my longest ride ever, 210km as part of celebrating my 40th year, what is possible, and for an incredibly good cause. 

I'll be updating regularly as I train and grow and build.  I have only been back on the push bike these last 6 months after a 5 year wait, and have never ridden a group event, and nothing ever as long as this.  It is unknown. 

I'll be challenging myself throughout the winter to grow my capacity, my fitness, my understanding of my body (fuel needs!), and learning more along the way about myself, my mental strength and the science/mechanics of cycling - and I hope making new friends along the way. 

I want to share this with you, and encourage you to keep me honest, and support the Smith Family by sponsoring me on this ride. 

My Achievements

Ride for the Kids

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Log training ride

$36 to provide a book pack

$61 to provide a uniform

$140 to provide a sports pack

$624 to sponsor a student for one year

Reached Goal

Thank you to my Sponsors

$156

Annie Lindsay

Wishing you a great ride for a worthy cause. X

$140

Sue Owen

Go Traci!

$104

Joyce Liang-ridley

A journey in self-discovery. Ride on Traci! Proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone.

$104

Lauren Smith

Huge amounts of respect from one who can't ride a bike. 😁

$63.44

Alexis Eddington

Congats on completing the ride!!

$63.44

Caprichsia Winkler

Amazing dedication Traci, and for such a wonderful cause too! Congratulations

$63.44

Susie Conway

$63.44

Sue Owen

$63.44

Mereta

You can do this. Such a wonderful cause. Very proud of you working towards the big event

$50

Kevin Yap

Go Traci!

$37.44

Craig Willis

$37.44

Tom Eastman

You rock! It'll probably suck at times. You'll keep going anyway.

$37.44

Sandy Wingrove

Cheering for you!

$37.44

Anonymous

$37.44

Roz Beste

Love that you doing this. Enjoy!

$37.44

Martin Spinks

Good luck Traci, hope you reach your goal :-)

$37.44

Wan Chee

Love what you're doing!

$37.44

Alissa

Go Traci, Go!

$36

Jane Noonan

Good on you Traci, bravo on the riding!

$36

Stella

Awesome Traci. Great cause and I know you can do it

$20.80

Bev Wriedt

What a fantastic (and mammoth) undertaking Traci! Best of luck for the challenge xx

$20.80

Ty Noble

Go Traci! You got this!

$20.80

Sharone Ciancio

Go Traci! It will be a great achievement for you and of benefit to others in need.

$15.60

Renee Hutchinson

Go Traci!

$10.40

Miche

You are the BEST! Mwah!

$10.40

Anonymous

Congrats on setting this goal for yourself. And it is a fantastic way to help charity; I had never heard of this before. I will donate again, as time allows.