Manny's Century Ride for Huntington disease supporting The Huntington Society of Canada
Manny's Century Ride for Huntington disease supporting The Huntington Society of Canada
About A Century for Huntington Disease
Thank you for your interest in supporting Manny in the Century Ride for Huntington Disease!
On June 6, Manny will be cycling an imperial century in support of the Huntington Society of Canada (HSC). HSC aspires to a world free from Huntington Disease (HD). Together, with your support, HSC maximizes the quality of life of people living with HD through services, support, advocacy, and research.
One in every 7,000 Canadians has HD, a devestating, degenerative brain disorder. The symptoms are like having Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS in one disease. Every child of a parent with HD has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease.
There is currently no cure. Please show your support and help the HD Community find meaningful treatments!
Manny has started his journey! To track him on his ride, go to https://www.strava.com/beacon/fDp9r0iYUTo.
Ride Details:
Who: Manny Ferreira
What: Cycling an Imperial Century for HD
When: June 6, 2020
Distance: 100 Miles/160.9 KM
Time Limit: 8 Hours
A Message from Manny
Like everyone, as a family we are dealing with these uncertain times of COVID-19 the best we can. Social distancing, working remotely, schedule changes and self-isolation have all changed our lives significantly. I am lucky in that I’ve always enjoyed cycling and it is an activity that can be done in isolation. This year, I have been doing a little more early season cycling than I normally would, to get some exercise. On a ride I began thinking if there was any way to do what I love, give me a goal to work towards and actually make a positive difference and raise some funds for a charity.
Individuals with Huntington disease have to deal with many challenges besides those brought about by this pandemic. So, I thought it would be a perfect fit as a charity.
For me, the event will be very tough but when you think about it nothing compared to what the strong, HD community has to deal with each and every day.
Wish me luck (I’ll need it lol) and donate to this amazing cause!
Cheers,
Manny
Want to learn more about the Ride and Manny? Keep Reading!
Who is Manny?
Manny (Manuel Ferreira, D.Ch.) is a chiropodist by profession and an avid sportsman. In 2019, he came third in the men’s singles division of the Canadian Pickleball Championships. He’s played slopitch at the national championship level, plays tennis and squash regularly and is a former cross-country ski coach (one of this students made it to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang!). Manny also qualified for the Boston Marathon! Cycling is Manny’s passion, though. His beloved Cannondale bike is named “Precious” and he’s cycled pretty much all over the world, including parts of the Tour de France route! His old bike had 125,000 km on it before its frame broke and his dad braised an internal tube to in it to keep it on the road. He says he still wants to say “weeeeeeeeeee!” when he’s going downhill, but his favourite is going uphill (weird!). His number one goal when on the road is never to be passed by another cyclist on a hill!!
Manny is connected to HSC through his partner, who is a staff member. But also, some of his patients are from families affected by HD, so he’s especially motivated to do this and hopes to raise $10,000 for HSC to direct into its programs and services.
Manny's Route
What is a Century Ride?
A century ride is a badge of honor among cyclists. It's road cycling ride of 100 miles (160.9 km) or more, usually as a cycling club sponsored event. Many cycling clubs sponsor an annual century ride as both a social event for cyclists and as a fundraiser for the club's other activities.
Manny's Route
In Manny’s case, his ride will be a large loop from his home in Ayton, ON following a rural route to Southampton, ON (the furthest point) and back home via a different route. The chosen loop is a bit longer than a regular century ride – just over 178 km in total.
The mapped ride is shown to the right and was chosen not only for its beautiful scenery but also the dramatic elevation changes – over 940 m! The first part of the ride will be gradually downhill to Southampton, but the second half is all uphill, until Manny arrives back at home.
How will Manny do it?
Manny doesn’t like to carry much when he’s riding, so he’ll have his trusty Garmin GPS watch, a heart rate monitor, a supply of water and electrolytes and that’s it! Most organized century rides would have a rest stop every 25 miles or so. In Manny’s case, this is a solo ride, so instead, he’ll have a personal SAG (support and gear) wagon checking in with him along the route, ready to help fix punctures and other bicycle-related problems, so that he can get back on the road as quickly as possible. The time limit he’s set for himself is eight hours – depending on the weather conditions, this could be tough. Remember, this is a RAIN, SHINE, SNOW OR SLEET ride – it will happen whatever the weather.
*It’s important to remember that Manny cycles a minimum of 30 km a day, and while this is a much longer ride than normal, he will train and condition himself properly so that his body is ready for the challenge. For safety reasons, a ride of this length should never be attempted without proper support and conditioning.*
About the Huntington Society of Canada
The Huntington Society of Canada (HSC) strives for a better future for those affected by Huntington disease (HD). There are three main areas that HSC focuses on:
1. Funding cutting edge research into slowing or stopping the progression of HD
2. Funding Family Services workers across Canada to provide support for those affected by HD
3. Raising awareness of HD, educating the public and health services professionals, as well as advocating for the rights of those affected by HD