Ride Ballarat

Everyone has a different reason for getting on the bike.

Maybe it’s the challenge, the people you ride with, getting fitter, clearing your head, the coffee stop at the end, or simply because you love it.

For some people Ride Ballarat will also have a much more personal meaning.

What gets you out on the bike?

Spring is here in Ballarat. Getting out on the bike through winter can take a bit of convincing, but we have made it.

The days are getting longer, the mornings are warming up, and it is starting to feel like the momentum is back.

And having a group to ride with makes a huge difference. Sometimes knowing someone is waiting for you is all you need to actually get out the door.

This spring, let’s go further together. Join our 50km + 100km in Ballarat on 15 November.

Choose your distance: 50km or 100km.

Register now: https://rideballarat.com/cms/home

Tag the people who kept you riding through winter!

Visit Ballarat City of Ballarat Ballarat In The Know Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club - Road / Track Eureka Cycling Club

📸Brad Whittle

Remember when you were the new person on the group ride?

For someone who's new to cycling, turning up to a group ride for the first time can be pretty intimidating.

Will I keep up? Will I know what I'm doing? What if I get dropped?

Sometimes all it takes is one person saying, "Come with me."

Our cycling community grows when we make it easier for new people to become part of it.

So next time you're heading out, invite someone along. Introduce them to your riding group. Wait for them at the top of the hill. Show them the good coffee stops.

You never know – you might be the reason someone discovers just how much they love riding a bike.

And maybe they'll be lining up beside you at Ride Ballarat too.

This week we’re shining a light on the brain cancer research happening at the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute.

Led by Dr Rodney Luwor, FECRI’s brain cancer program is focused on glioblastoma – one of the most aggressive and complex forms of cancer.

Glioblastoma is currently incurable. Even with treatment, the average survival time after diagnosis is just 12–15 months.

One of the reasons glioblastoma is so resistant to therapy is its ability to suppress the immune system – essentially hiding from the very cells that should be attacking it.

What researchers are working to understand is how these brain tumour cells block immune function – and importantly, how we can stop them.

It’s research happening right here at FECRI, and it’s one of the many reasons we Ride Ballarat.

Ride for research. Ride for change. Ride Ballarat.

Why do you ride?

For the fitness?

The challenge?

The racing?

The headspace?

The coffee?

Or simply because spending a few hours on a bike with good people is a pretty great way to spend a day?

Everyone has their own reason for getting on a bike, and we'd love to hear yours.

Tell us in the comments – what keeps you riding?

For us, Ride Ballarat is about bringing all of those reasons together and adding one more: riding to help support cancer research at the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute.

Can't join us on the bike? You can still play an important part in Ride Ballarat!

Share our page, encourage others to register, or make a donation to support the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute.

Every action, no matter how small, helps us raise awareness, grow the event and support life-changing cancer research.

Find out more at rideballarat.com

Why do we need new approaches to bowel cancer?

One of the exciting developments in cancer treatment has been immunotherapy – using the body's own immune system to recognise and attack cancer.

But these newer treatments that have transformed the treatment of some cancers haven't had the same success in bowel cancer.

Why?

That's one of the questions researchers at the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute are working to answer.

Their research is investigating how bowel cancer suppresses the immune response within a tumour and how microbes in the bowel may play a role in weakening the body's natural defences against cancer.

If researchers can better understand how bowel cancer hides from our immune system, it could help identify pathways towards new treatments.

Research takes time. It takes brilliant people. And it takes funding.

That's why we Ride Ballarat.

Sometimes the hardest part of a ride is just getting out the door.

Especially during a Ballarat winter.

Cold mornings, dark skies, wet roads and that very tempting option of staying somewhere warm can make motivation pretty hard to find.

That’s where riding groups and our cycling community can make such a difference.

Knowing there are people waiting for you. Having a regular ride in the calendar. Meeting for a coffee afterwards. Or simply having someone beside you when the weather is less than inviting.

It’s not always about training harder or riding faster. Sometimes it’s just about having people around you who give you that little bit of extra motivation to get on the bike.

And more often than not, the rides you nearly talked yourself out of are the ones you’re most glad you did.

That’s one of the things we love about cycling – the community that comes with it.

So if winter motivation is getting a little low, find your people, make a time and get out for a ride. Spring isn’t too far away!

5 Benefits of Cycling for Your Physical and Mental Health

1. Improves Heart Health

Cycling is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise that strengthens your heart, improves circulation, and can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

2. Supports Mental Wellbeing

Getting out on the bike can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve your mood, and provide valuable time to clear your mind.

3. Builds Strength and Fitness

Cycling develops leg and core strength, improves endurance, and increases overall fitness while being gentle on your joints.

4. Boosts Energy and Sleep

Regular physical activity can improve sleep quality, increase energy levels, and help you feel more productive throughout the day.

5. Creates Social Connections

Whether you ride with friends, join a local club, or take part in community events like Ride Ballarat, cycling is a great way to connect with others and enjoy shared experiences.

No matter your age or ability, every ride is an opportunity to improve your physical health, support your mental wellbeing, and enjoy everything cycling has to offer.

https://rideballarat.com/

Your fundraising has a purpose

When we ask you to fundraise as part of Ride Ballarat, there's a very good reason why.

Behind every dollar raised are researchers asking difficult questions about cancer and searching for answers.

At the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, one of those areas is bowel cancer.

The team is investigating how bowel cancer interacts with our immune system, why our body's natural defences can be suppressed by these tumours and what could potentially be done to change that.

That's why we'd love every Ride Ballarat rider and team to do more than simply register.

Set a fundraising goal.

Share your page.

Tell people why you're riding.

Ask your workplace, friends and family to get behind you.

Because collectively, those donations help support research happening right here in Ballarat.

Your ride can make an impact long after you cross the finish line.