Updated training ride schedule

Sept

• Weds 28th – evening training ride 7pm Central Park 3 laps (or 4 if interest) – Start out front of
  Tavern on the Green (@ W65th/66th off Central Park West). Pace will be based on who shows up – possibly split into 2 groups

Oct

• Saturday 1st  – 8am longer ride from CP to Nyack & return (~45 miles/70kms) – we’ll start in CP and then have another meeting point on the Route 9W side of George Washington Bridge to pick-up any joiners from NJ
• Weds 5th – 7pm CP 3 or 4 laps
• Saturday 8th – 8am CP to Nyack with a loop to Haverstraw (~65 miles/108kms)
• Weds 12th – 7pm CP 3 or 4 laps
• Saturday 15th – 8 am CP to Nyack with a loop to Haverstraw (~65 miles/~108kms)
• Weds 19th – 7pm CP 3 laps – adjust pace down as appropriate ahead of ride on 23rd.

Training Ride tomorrow

Per the schedule previously published we’ll be doing another training ride in Central Park tomorrow evening (Sept 21st)

Meeting place is outside front entrance of Tavern on the green (inside park @ W65th st). Link to the right has Google maps reference...

7pm start for 3 laps – pace will depend on who joins us but we’ll adjust to include anyone that wants to participate.

Central Park ride tonight

I'll be in the park tonight as per normal - its a little cooler now and will be dark shortly after 7pm so long sleeves and lights are a must...

$90,000 and 253 riders!

Big thanks to everyone for their efforts so far - we're now passed $90,000 in fundraising (before we add in any contribution from CS' Foundation) and at 253 riders we have the biggest team we've ever assembled for Bike MS! Based on previous year's efforts I think we are well on our way to beating our goal of $125,000...

Head on over to the Bike MS event page to find out more about last minute stuff & logistics for Sunday...

Central park ride tonight

7pm, 90th & 5th at Engineer's gate - all welcome.
I'll be doing 3 or 4 laps...

Training ride again tonight

Same format as last week - meet at 7pm at Engineer's Gate (90th & 5th) and take it from there...

Twilight ride tonight in Central Park

As part of our weekday evening rides, I'll be leading another ride tonight in Central Park.

Meet at 7pm Engineer's gate (90th &5th) - map in the links to the right...

No set format for these rides. Come and do 1, 2, 3 or more laps at your pace - I'm happy to ride with 1st timers and discuss tips/techniques and answer any questions about the event on October 4th.

It will get dark, so lights will be useful

Here's a cool map of the park loop for those that are interested...

Its Training Ride time...

1st of the weekend training rides starts this weekend:
Ride #1 will be this Sunday (6th) starting at 8:45am.
The primary meet-up is on the Upper East Side by the park (Engineer's Gate, 90th & 5th in Manhattan) at 8:45 am. (map in the useful links to the right)
We'll ride over to the west side (Riverside drive), up to the GWB and over to NJ where we'll meet with anyone who wants to start in NJ - ETA 9:30am. (again map in the links)
From that point we'll divide into the two groups -

• The "pace" group (18-20mph) Approx 45 miles (round trip from Central park)


• The "survivor" (15-16mph) Approx 35 miles

The weather forecast is good so should be a nice day for a ride. Look forward to seeing a bunch of you on Sunday!

Team CS Bike Kit for 2009 - ORDER NOW!

As indicated previously we're offering the team CS Bike kit for those riding with us in October or anyone who is interesting in sporting the Team CS look.
Once again we'll be using Champion Systems to produce the kit for us.
This year we have 2 designs on offer:
(1) The classic "One Bank" design that we’ve carried for the last 2 years – will be offered in short sleeved jersey (race cut and club cut) and long sleeved (3 seasons):

(2) The new "2009" design in a different colorway with more options (design proofs):

Orders need to be finalized before Friday - if you're interested in the kit then contact me here

Team Recruitment week - August 10th - 14th

Next week is Team recruitment week - help Team CS recruit more members and we'll raffle off any of the team prizes we win amongst the current team!

The team that raises the most money from August 10 to August 14 will win a $700 Bianchi gift certificate.
The team that recruits the most members from August 10 to August 14 will win a one-year Crunch Fitness gift certificate.

Monday:
The team captain who sends the most e-mails encouraging people to join their team will win a $50 gift certificate to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Times Square
Tuesday:
The team that has the most members update their personal fundraising Web page will win Yikes ID Helmet tags for up to 15 members of their team.
Wednesday:
Every team captain who recruits four or more people to join their team will receive a two-week Crunch Fitness gift certificate.
Thursday:
Every team that raises at least $500 will be entered into a raffle to win a $50 gift certificate to any official bike shop.
Friday:
The team captain who recruits the most people will win a Bike MS Gift Pack including a Camelbak and Cat-1 cargo bag.

Discounted early-bird fees for this year's ride!

As of this morning, team CS has 77 members already signed up & we're growing at an impressive rate for the 2009 Bike MS event. Once again we are on track to exceed our goals of amassing a team of 200 riders hoping to raise $125,000 for this worthwhile charity.
If you (or your friends or family) have been meaning to join us, but haven't gotten around to it yet, it's currently $35 for everyone else but only $25 if you signup with team CS before July 31st .
Log onto the Team CS site at and use the discount code MME2009 to get the $10 reduction on the registration fee. like last year the event is capped at 5000 riders - so now is the time to join our team.

How to get your Rider Kit

If you raised $100 online prior to September 19th, you should receive your rider kit in the mail this week (if you have not already received it).

If you didn't raise $100 by that date, you won't be receiving your rider bib in the mail. You'll have to either pick it up before the ride, at one of the locations linked here or on the morning of the ride in our team area. REMEMBER, to get your rider kit you will need to have the $100 in donations. Without the $100 you cannot get the kit….Without the kit you cannot ride….

It goes without saying, but if you're a virtual rider you won't need to pickup a kit :)

From the CS Intranet: Credit Suisse Employees Take to the Streets to Raise Awareness for Multiple Sclerosis

Last week, Paul Calello (Credit Suisse Investment Banking's CEO) showed his support for Team Credit Suisse by participating in an early morning training ride in the Fitness Center at Eleven Madison Avenue. "This event is such a great fit for Credit Suisse: we have a strong culture of giving generously to important causes - and we are also highly competitive," Calello said. "I am sure I speak for everyone when I say we don't want to surrender our leadership position in Bike MS, but, as with the best things we do, it will take a One Bank effort, so I encourage everyone to join us. Getting involved is good for you, good for the MS Society, and a win for Credit Suisse."

Team Recruitment week Aug 18-22

As of today, we're sitting at 53 team members - a great launch pad to crush the opposition next week and move towards our target of 250 riders.

We are aiming at recruiting 100 riders next week. As always, You don't have to work at Credit Suisse to join the team! Tell your friends, co-workers, family, bank manager, doorman, anyone who will listen, that they are warmly welcomed to join our team. The more the merrier! You also don't even have to ride with us on the 5th (although we'd love you to) - see here for the official Virtual Rider program.

Sign up from the link to the right and help us win prizes! The prizes on offer are:

• The team that registers the most team members August 18-22, 2008 will win 2 roundtrip airline tickets on American Airlines. If we win these then we'll raffle them off amongst all the team members on Monday the 25th!
• Monday 18th: The team that collectively sends out the most e-mails via the online fundraising system will win a $100 gift certificate to an Official Bike MS Bike Shop. (A minimum of 100 e-mails must be sent collectively by the entire team, not each individual member.)
• Tuesday 19th: Every team captain that adds 2 or more members to their team is entered to win a Gak’s Snacks Cookie Gift Basket and 2 vintage MS Bike Tour sweatshirts.
• Wednesday 20th: The team captain that sends out the most e-mails wins a 6-month membership to Crunch Fitness. (A minimum of 50 e-mails must be sent.)
• Thursday 21st: Every team that adds 4 or more team members to their team wins a vintage MS Bike Tour hooded sweatshirt for each new member.
• Friday 22nd: The 3 teams that register the most team members will win a Bike MS gift bag filled with bicycling goodies. (Minimum value of $100.)

Virtual Riding with Team CS

Each year we have friends and colleagues who want to be part of the team & who can't make the actual date of the ride. "No problem" we say, you can do the miles in your own time..

This year, the charity have added an official "Virtual Rider" program

Just register with Team Credit Suisse and select "Virtual Rider" when selecting which route you want to ride. You'll get the same goodies (t-shirts, etc.), qualify for the same fundraising prizes, and be just as much a member of the Credit Suisse team as the rest of us. Most importantly, the money you raise will fight MS just as well as anyone else's.

We're working on setting up a number of rides outside NYC (for our team members in Raleigh, Chicago, LA and elsewhere who have participated previously) to enable people to play a part and get a fun ride in with a group of colleagues and friends.
We're also going to produce some virtual rider log sheets so you can record your efforts (don't worry they won't be audited…)
Watch this space...