Alzheimer’s Research UK partner up with Cycling Weekly as charity partner for #CW5000 2021

Promotional feature with Alzheimer’s Research UK

As many cyclists gear up to take on Cycling Weekly’s #CW5000 challenge, we are delighted to introduce Alzheimer’s Research UK as the official charity partner of our flagship event.

As the full #CW5000 distance returns following a successful inaugural year in 2020, Alzheimer’s Research UK is highlighting the health benefits of clocking up the miles and offering participants a great way to kickstart the year through its Cycling Down Dementia challenge.

Whether you’re looking to ease into the #CW5000 or push hard from the start, Cycling Down Dementia offers three distances to suit every rider with a target of 300km, 1,500km, or a distance of your choice before March 31 2021. You’ll not only be making a dent in your #CW5000 mileage but also raising money for life-changing dementia research.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading charity specialising in finding preventions, treatments, and a cure for dementia. With nearly one million people in the UK living with dementia, more than half of us know someone affected by this devastating condition. And the need for investment in dementia research is now more urgent than ever, due to the impact COVID-19 is having on research efforts.

Dementia research has been making huge strides, and life-changing treatments and major breakthroughs are in sight – but with projects delayed and less funding available as a result of the pandemic, critical progress is at risk. But the charity says that if we act now, life-changing progress can continue, helping protect future generations from the heartbreak of dementia.

Cycling Down Dementia is the perfect way to show your support for scientists working tirelessly to make a difference. It also feels pretty good to get some headspace away from the challenges we’re all contending with! Whether you’re dealing with too many Zoom meetings, homeschooling, or extra care responsibilities, getting on your bike can help you claim back some crucial downtime.

We all know that cycling is a great way to look after your mental wellbeing and your heart, but did you know it’s a great way of looking after your physical brain health too?

Now more than ever, it is important to protect your brain, with a poll from Alzheimer’s Research UK revealing that one in 10 people believe their brain health has deteriorated since the pandemic began. The charity has launched Think Brain Health, a bold awareness campaign that aims to help people make small changes to their lives to support their brain health and help reduce their risk of developing dementia in the future.

Here are three simple rules from the campaign to follow:

• Looking after heart health, by exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and keeping blood pressure, weight and cholesterol in check.
• Staying sharp, by taking part in activities that keep the brain active.
• And keeping connected, by staying socially active and connecting with other people.

There are plenty of resources to help you and your family at the Think Brain Health campaign hub (www.thinkbrainhealth.org.uk), which celebrates everything our incredible brains can do.

Obviously, as a keen cyclist you’ve got exercise covered already. But staying socially connected can feel tough during a global pandemic, especially when group cycles and physical events are off the table. That’s where inclusive virtual challenges like the #CW5000 and Cycling Down Dementia come in - so what are you waiting for, why not join the community today?

You can sign up here for #CW5000 if you haven’t already, and sign up as an individual or a team in Cycling Down Dementia to see how you fare on the challenge’s leader boards.

The money raised will make life-changing breakthroughs possible and give hope to all those affected by dementia.

What more incentive do you need? Get on your bike and help put the brakes on dementia this winter.

To find out more about ‘Cycling Down Dementia’ and to sign up visit: https://cycle.thetreblechallenge.org