Endomondo–Free your endorphins

Despite the current ‘cost of living challenges’ facing all community events, Bike Manawatu is 100% committed to ensuring the 51st year of the Novice Tour – once again provides a safe, fun, competitive cycle racing event.

We will adopt a high-quality assured approach in implementing the Local Roading Authority’s/Cycling New Zealand’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) standards which ensure best practices and rider and spectator safety.

If the level of community funding secured is not sufficient to contract in external road management service providers with the ability to stop/go traffic, the Novice Tour will proceed on a ‘local club racing’ model, whereby our team of trained/experienced road marshals will, where necessary, pause racing in order to give way to traffic and ensure rider safety.

Although funding external road management services with the ability to stop/go traffic is ideal, if this is not feasible – we are confident that the event’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) will provide a competitive, fair, enjoyable and importantly safe racing environment.

Irrespective of which model of traffic management/racing is finalised, as with all CNZ/Bike Manawatu events, normal road rules will apply and a full rider briefing confirming the event rules will be provided to all riders prior to the start of each race.

It’s amazing what you can find free on the internet. If you have a smartphone with a GPS (e.g. Nokia, Android or iPhone) you can download an app that uses the phones GPS to track your ride (or run etc). It actually sends progress updates while you are on the road… Your friends can see your ride details while in progress and take a look at your completed ride on the Endomondo website, including speed and a nice map of the route.

Here is an example of my light ride last Wednesday.

Pros:

Neat way to track your cycling
Family can check on your ride… no more wondering how much longer you are going to be out on the road.
Could be some safety benefits.
Gives you a ride profile as well as a time & distance marker for every km of your ride to review later

Cons:

Now your spouse can actually see how much time you are riding and how long you were at the coffee shop… try explaining that one away!

I’ll be using it on Saturday for the Taupo Event… Hope my stats aren’t too embarrassing