Nona Cycle: Tour de Cure Lake Nona

As we ride into warmer weather, Nona Cycle is gearing up for our first big event of the year, the 2018 Tour de Cure Lake Nona on March 25. The Tour de Cure Lake Nona is one of the events in a series of fundraising cycling events held across 40 states nationwide to benefit the American Diabetes Association. The cycling events help to raise money for diabetes research, advocacy, programs and education.

So how long is this cycling event? Ten miles, 25 miles, 50 miles, 63 miles, 101 miles, and in 2018 they have also added a 5K Run & Walk. The event organizers have planned for all levels of riders and runners/walkers to enjoy the event.

What is Nona Cycle doing to get ready for the Tour de Cure? Nona Cycle has created a team on the Tour de Cure Lake Nona website called Nona Cycle. All of the teams have a personal fundraising webpage to help with their fundraising. Each individual rider, called a team member, has a “Donate” button so friends, family and others can contribute to the team member’s donations. There also is a link to donating to the Nona Cycle team. With 400-plus members and growing on the Nona Cycle Facebook Group, Nona Cycle’s fundraising goal this year is $54,321.00. There also is a friendly fundraising competition with the Seminole Cyclists. You can follow the Local Team Leaderboard to see how Nona Cycle and Seminole Cyclists as well as other teams are doing with their fundraising. There are corporate teams such as Oracle Riders, Lockheed Team Andiamo, David’sWorld Cycle and more.

How do I prepare? Join Nona Cycle’s Facebook group page and meet your new cycling friends. Absorb the information on cycling being posted on the Facebook page. Ask questions as everyone is very supportive in helping each other. Participate in the Saturday beginner rides or Sunday Signature rides with A and B group riders. There are plenty of other rides that the Nona Cycle members create Facebook events for. Have fun and enjoy the rides as you train. Stay tuned as there will be more information coming on the Nona Cycle page.

What is the event like? It is a very festive environment! The start is from the Lake Nona Town Center. There will be many vendor and team booths set up as well as the Tour de Cure booths with volunteers to help all participants. It is always fun to see the teams and cyclists along with their new team jerseys for the year. You might see cyclists, runners, walkers who have Red Rider jerseys or shirts. These participants, who have diabetes, are the heroes of the day. There are plenty of friendly people you will meet along the way, seeing old friends and making new ones. As the course maps become available, you will see aid stations that will have friendly volunteers who help to hydrate you with plenty of Gatorade or other drinks, and plenty of food, peanut butter sandwiches, cookies and more. The courses vary in length, and many cyclists will ride with their friends and teams or make new friends and ride with new teams. There is a lot of fun and bonding along the way. At the end of the course, there will be lunch provided by Tijuana Flats and a celebration party. You don’t want to miss this great event for a great cause.