Get Involved with Headride

If you are interested in supporting our dedicated riders and the Headride cause there are a number of ways you can get involved!
1. Donate - it's easy. All you do is click this link and it will take you to the Headride website where you can donate. 100% of your donations go directly to the neurosurgery department at The Alfred
http://www.headride.com/


2. Visit Brown Cow during the week of the ride. During the 22-29 October Brown Cow restaurant in Hampton is donating $1 from every meal to the Headride cause. For bookings contact: 9521 0547 or email: info@browncowcafe.com.au


3. Ride with our cyclists or come and support them. On the final day of the ride (Saturday 29 October) the riders are leaving Sorrento at 10.00 am. They stop for 30 minutes at Mornington Secondary College at 12.00pm. The third stop is at the bottom of Olivers Hill carpark leaving at 1.30pm. The fourth stop is at 2.30pm at the Tour de Cafe in Mordialloc for 15 minutes. You are welcome to bring your bike and ride with our cyclists for the final leg of the journey. They will arrive at The Alfred at 3.30pm for afternoon tea. Headride would love as many supporters as possible to meet them at these destinations! 

Meet The Riders - Jane Fischer & Tony Franklyn

Jane and Tony are sharing the position on the ride because of work commitments. Jane is riding the first three days and her husband Tony is taking over for the last five days. Headride founder Marg Noonan and her husband John have been great friends of Jane and Tony since their sons started at Xavier college 12 years ago. Tony felt Headride was a great opportunity to help acknowledge the life-saving efforts of The Alfred and spend a few days riding with friends, most of whom the couple ride with regularly. To prepare for the 1056km journey Jane has ridden every day for the last few weeks. She and Tony leave at 5.45 for an hour and on the weekends join a group for a longer ride of between 80-120km. Last Sunday they rode 150km. Tony suspects he will be the last over the hills with "predictable regularity". 


Jane is looking forward to the different rides each day. "I love hills but as we are sharing the ride, I unfortunately miss out on the hills on the Ocean Rd. Her husband Tony is looking forward to the downhills and finishing the event. The couple have done Around The Bay 3 times, Murray to Morne and the Tour Down Under Challenge four times. This is their first attempt at a multi-day long distance ride. 


Jane and Tony chose Lance Armstrong as their cycling inspiration after his remarkable comeback from cancer. Jane is a doctor who currently works in the area of Palliative Care. Tony is also a doctor who grew up in Perth. He and Jane have three kids and a great dog. Their family loves skiing and Broome is their top holiday destination as they lived there for ten years. They often go back for Christmas. Jane is an Essendon supporter like her children "which makes it interesting at home" as Tony is an Eagles man. "It makes me a tad more fortunate than the bunch of St Kilda tragics I am riding with" he said. 

Meet The Riders - Martin Krsek

Martin decided to participate in Headride as he loves cycling and enjoys the challenge of a multi-day tour event. He wanted to personally contribute to the Neurosurgery Unit at The Alfred as it is a worthy cause.

Martin started training as soon as he heard was a replacement for another rider who had to withdraw due to a back injury. Prior to this he had been cycling 150 to 200km a week. “I ramped that up to 300km a week, and worked towards the schedule – weather permitting”.

Martin’s training schedule consists of riding six days per week. On Mondays he cycles a 35km recovery ride around Watsons Bay and Bondi beach. On Tuesdays he does an individual speed session of 45km around Centennial Park. On Wednesdays he focuses on building core strength at the gym. On Thursdays Martin participates in a 55km group speed session around Centennial Park. Fridays are focused on hills, strength and speed which consists of 35km around Watsons Bay and Bondi Beach. On Saturdays Martin does an 80km group ride and on Sunday mornings he does a 110km group ride. Sunday afternoons consist of Magneto trainer for 60km.  

Martin is looking forward to the physical challenge of cycling every day, for eight consecutive days. He is well equipped for the 1056km journey having competed in long distance rides before. Martin rode 1300km around the South Island of New Zealand. It was “an awesome experience, great camaraderie, lifelong memories and sense of achievement, knowing I can do it again” he said.

Martin chose elite cyclist Mark Cavendish as his cycling inspiration because “he is just as short as I am, yet a champion sprinter”. Martin is a relatively recent convert to cycling. He only started cycling three years ago. He has an objective to do more multi-stage events, and eventually follow the route of a grand tour.

Meet The Riders - Leeanne Ambrose

Leeanne decided to take part in Headride as a personal challenge but also to help Marg support a fabulous cause. Her training preparation has been comprehensive. Leeanne has somewhat modified her social life because of the early mornings and long rides required to get fit for the 1056km ride. “It has been challenging to fit the rides in around work and home but it has been a lot of fun. I have really enjoyed getting fit and not being scared of riding the hills albeit slowly!” she said.


Like several of our Headride cyclists Leeanne has participated in long distance ride Murray to Moyne. “We did the ride relay style so we all rode 300kms in 24 hours. It was a great ride except for the wind and rain for the last 100kms. The three of us who did that ride Andrew, Tomo and myself are now doing Headride together” she said.  

Leeanne is looking forward to riding with a great group of people and having lots of laughs along the way. Cadel Evans is her cycling inspiration as is Headride founder Marg Noonan. “I have a huge amount of respect for Margie in the way she has come back after a near death experience. She is as tough as ever and is always inspirational” said Leeanne.

Leeanne grew up in a small country town called Dimboola that is “the metropolis of the world!” Leeanne loves outdoor sport and has a rowing background where she represented both Victoria and Australia. She started cycling about six years ago but can’t see herself representing Australia. “That is never going to happen in cycling but I am hooked on it nonetheless!” 

Meet The Riders - Billy Wickham

In April this year Billy returned to nursing at The Alfred hospital following six years of service in the Royal Australian Air Force. Whilst browsing through the staff information pack, a flyer for Headride caught his eye. He began his nursing career in the neurosurgical department at The Alfred and is a keen cyclist who has always wanted to ride from Adelaide to Melbourne. "Headride, from the moment the bulletin caught my eye, was a cause I wanted to be apart of" he said. 

Finding the time to train has been a challenge for Billy, as weekends are particularly busy in his house. Billy rides to work most days to keep fit. On his days off he rides as early as possible so he is home in time to have breakfast with his girls. Billy says "every kilometre helps however you fit it in and the rest will work itself out". 

Like many of our riders Billy is looking forward to being outdoors and "just riding". He is looking forward to "the shared challenges that are encountered along the way, the journey and the unplanned events that help create the story". 

Billy has some experience in long distance riding. He rode in the 2000 Great Victorian Bike Ride when he first became interested in cycling. Over nine days the group rode from Macarthur to Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road. However his biggest cycling achievement is completing the Audax Alpine Classic. Two mountains, four big climbs and 200kms in one day. He recalls "the sense of achievement and satisfaction riding into Bright after 10 hours". 

Billy's cycling inspiration is Rob Furmston (aka Old Man Chalk Bones). "I hope to be as enthusiastic about life and cycling when I'm as young as he is!" said Billy. An interesting fact about Billy is his first job was a paperboy. "We ruled the streets on our bikes in the early morning and as the rest of the town slept. It was doing this that I saved up to buy my first road bike... a Ricardo." 

Meet The Riders - Mark Hardgrave

Mark is taking part in Headride because it's a great cause and "and a good bunch of fellow riders to spend a week with". To prepare for Headride Mark has been riding on the weekends and to work 2-3 times per week. He also takes the occasional spin class for fitness. Mark has plenty of experience in long distance bike riding. He has ridden from Adelaide to Melbourne once before, in a group with Headride founder Marg Noonan. "I recall the first few days were long but you do get used to it. With plenty of breaks the ride passes quite quickly" said Mark. 


Eddie Mercx is Mark's cycling inspiration because "he was a big guy who went up the hills very well - something I would like to do!"said Mark.


Mark never rode a bike as a kid, instead he spent many hours on a horse mustering cattle. When asked what he is looking forward to the most about this event Mark responded "just getting away and relaxing".
We don't know too many other people that would find riding 1056 km relaxing! 

Meet The Riders - Garry Snell

Garry  has ridden with Margie for a long time and wanted to support her by taking part in Headride. He also wants to challenge himself. 

Garry's preparation for the 1056km journey has not been ideal. He suffered a serious lung infection which kept him off the bike for four weeks. He has been training for the past two weeks but has a lot of catch up to do. He is hoping that he can ride himself into fitness during the week of the event. 

Like our other riders, Garry is looking forward to the challenge, being with like minded people and developing new friendships, and of course raising money for an excellent cause. Garry has experience in long distance rides having ridden in the Murray to Moyne multiple times. On one occasion Garry and a group of cyclists completed the 520kms in 21 hours, an amazing achievement! 

Garry's international cycling inspiration is Eddy Merckx also known as "the cannibal" who he believes is an "amazingly strong and talented Tour De France winner". His favourite Australian cyclist is Stuart O'Grady who has unbelievable strength and endurance. 

Cycling is not the only outdoor sport Garry enjoys. He spent six years working at Mt Buller and at a Canadian ski resort operating the snow grooming equipment. He skied all day and worked all night which meant no time for sleep! 

Meet The Riders - Laurance Davis

With his 50^th birthday approaching, Laurance decided Headride would be the perfect opportunity to get fit and turn 50 in good shape. “I had been a bit of a “lazy” rider for the last 4-5 years since my own fall on Beach rd.” Like Marg, Laurance ended up in The Alfred hospital so raising money for it is extremely worthwhile. 

Training for Headride has provided Laurance with a good focus, with his mother passing away a week before he signed up. His friends challenged him to get fit and ride the distance, “I pretty much agreed straight away” he said.

In order to get fit for Headride, Laurance enlisted the help of a specialist cycling personal trainer. Together they focused on bike work, diet, stretching, technique on hills and descending, breathing and the general set up of the bike.

Laurance has lost 7-8 kgs since beginning his Headride training regime. He has given up drinking for the months leading up to Headride.  His 50^th Birthday celebrations are “on hold” until after the ride when he can enjoy a few red wines.

Over time Laurance has increased the number of rides per week from riding twice to six times. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays he rides 42kms, Fridays he rides an easy 31kms and he rides longer distances on the weekends with other Headride cyclists. Laurance is riding an impressive 360-390 kms per week.

Laurance is looking forward to the camaraderie that Headride will provide. “I expect there’ll be lots of laughs and funny moments, quotable lines, terrific photos and the like” he says.

Laurance believes achieving the 1056km ride with the Headride group, completing each day’s ride and raising $50,000 for The Alfred will be something special. He is delighted how people have embraced the cause and been willing to donate and sponsor.

On a personal level Laurance is looking forward to proving to himself that he is fit, having turned 50 in “good nic” and enjoying the 8 days of riding from Adelaide to Melbourne. He is also looking forward to being joined by family and friends on the last leg of the ride. “From Mordialloc onwards will be pretty exhilarating” he says.

Laurance nominates Cadel Evans as his inspiration as well as other Aussie riders O’Grady and McEwan.

Laurance has participated in Around the Bay but never anything like Headride. He is a passionate St Kilda supporter, a family man with a wife, three children and a “wonder dog” called Lenny. He loves travelling to Europe, and of course his work as a Partner at Madgwicks Lawyers.

Anything else to add Laurance?

“On the bike, they call me LARRY!” 

Meet The Riders - David Thompson

Having heard Margie's story, David Thompson decided to become involved in Headride and show his support to The Alfred hospital. "I hope I never need their services, but if my family or I do, I'd want them to have the equipment they need" he says. To prepare for the massive 1056km journey David's training regime is simple: "drink less and ride more". David loves challenges and is expecting days 3-5 of the ride to be the most difficult. The longest ride he has undertaken thus far is the Murray to Moyne. The weather conditions of the last 90 kms were particularly harsh, with participants riding into driving rain and wind. "That was hard but stopping, and the brunch at the end, was a great reward" he says. 

David's cycling inspiration is Cadel Evans after his amazing victory at this years Tour De France. "Those couple of days in the mountains at the end of the Tour were amazing" says David. Like Margie, David is a long standing St Kilda supporter and hopes to one day see the Saints win their second flag. 

Meet The Riders - Leigh Hamilton

Leigh is an accountant who decided to take part in Headride because it is a great cause and a challenge. To prepare for Headride he rides Saturday and Sunday mornings, increasing his distance to about 160km per weekend. During the week Leigh works out at the gym and runs. He is hoping that this event will provide camaraderie, high-level fitness and a great sense of achievement. Leigh is no stranger to riding in long distance events. He has participated in Ride Around the Bay 6 times, he has ridden the Otway Classics twice and ridden once in both Kinglake and the Tour Down Under. "It's always a relief to finish" he says. 

Leigh nominated Cadel Evans as his cycling inspiration for his gutsy determination when he is usually "outnumbered" in the critical stages. When asked to tell us something interesting about himself, Leigh responded "You are asking that of a boring accountant, who takes a week off work to ride from Adelaide to Melbourne". 

The Journey

Marg and 17 cyclists will ride from Adelaide to Melbourne. That is a total of 1056km! The route follows the South Australian and Victorian coastline. The riders will pass through towns such as Meningie, Robe, Mt Gambier, Port Fairy, Apollo Bay and Torquay before catching the ferry to Sorrento. From there they will ride through Mt Martha, Frankston, Black Rock and finish at The Alfred in Prahan. Riders will be monitored via a GPS so we can follow their journey throughout the week! 

Meet Marg

This is Marg, the inspiration and creator of Headride! Marg is a keen cyclist who has engaged in both track and road cycling over the years. In 2009, Marg was involved in a life-threatening cycling accident. She sustained severe orthopedic injuries and required an emergency craniotomy. The Alfred hospital saved her life. While Marg feels she will never fully repay her debt of gratitude to The Alfred, she has set up Headride to give others a 'second chance' just as she had.

Marg and 16 cyclists are riding from Adelaide to Melbourne from October 22-29. They are raising money through sponsors and donations. They hope to raise $50,000, which will go directly to neurosurgical department at The Alfred.