{"id":118661,"date":"2025-09-04T16:41:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T16:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/118661\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T16:41:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T16:41:15","slug":"riding-through-parkinsons-sarah-macrae-blakeleys-journey-and-the-importance-of-the-growling-beaver-ride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/118661\/","title":{"rendered":"Riding through Parkinson\u2019s: Sarah Macrae Blakeley\u2019s journey and the importance of the Growling Beaver ride"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Sarah Macrae Blakeley, cycling has always been more than a hobby\u2014it\u2019s been a lifeline.<\/p>\n

If you are a reader of Canadian Cycling Magazine, you know how important cycling is to mental health. Riding can bring happiness, escapism\u2013all while keeping you fit. But for Sarah, it\u2019s deeply personal.<\/p>\n

Diagnosed with Parkinson\u2019s in 2019, Sarah, now 57, has been on a journey that began with subtle signs in her 40s. \u201cMy handwriting started to shrink. And enunciating became harder,\u201d she recalls. Initially thinking it was anxiety, she consulted her doctor. She referred her to a neurologist, and she received a Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis.\u201cThat was a tough day,\u201d she says. It was also the start of a challenging, life-altering path.<\/p>\n

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Parkinson\u2019s is an ever-present reality. \u201cI\u2019m aware of it 100 per cent of the time,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s more of a nuisance at the moment. But the challenge is knowing it will only get worse. That makes it even more important to live fully, to celebrate what I can do today.\u201d<\/p>\n

While she knows that Parkinson\u2019s is a progressive condition that will advance, Sarah feels inspired to help raise awareness of how Parkinson\u2019s impacts her and more than 110,000 people in Canada. With more awareness, comes more funding for crucial supports and much-needed research.<\/p>\n

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Exercise has been a critical part of her strategy \u2013 movement truly is medicine. While scientific studies have yet to definitively prove the effects, she swears by cycling. \u201cCycling is like a magic elixir for me,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I take my medication properly and time it right, riding makes me feel normal.\u201d Unlike running, which can feel difficult and taxing on her joints, cycling allows her to move freely and reclaim a sense of control. But she also realizes, as the condition advances\u2013she will need more and more meds.<\/p>\n

Sarah\u2019s passion for cycling extends beyond personal therapy. She began participating in charitable rides, honouring her late sister-in-law who died of cancer.<\/p>\n

When diagnosed with Parkinson\u2019s, she shifted her focus to raising awareness and funds for research through events like the Growling Beaver ride. \u201cIt\u2019s my way of channeling energy,\u201d she said. \u201cI can\u2019t cure Parkinson\u2019s. But I hope I can help the next person\u2014or my children, or their children\u2014by raising funds and awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Riding a bike is a family affair. Her husband, Ken Blakeley, was introduced to road riding by Sarah after a mountain biking mishap. (Ironically, he is now in the bike business). \u201cWe ride together, and it\u2019s one of my favorite things,\u201d she said. Despite the condition, Sarah maintains a consistent routine, combining indoor trainer sessions, spin classes, and weekend rides. \u201cThe trainer is convenient, but the combination of all three keeps me going,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Sarah Macrae Blakeley\u2019s story is a testament to resilience.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to be known as an athlete,\u201d she says. \u201cMaybe I\u2019m inspiring people. Maybe changing perspectives of what it means to be an athlete with Parkinson\u2019s. But for me, it\u2019s about moving, living, and making every day count.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2025 Growling Beaver is October 4. In 2024, the ride raised a whopping $ 680,000 \u2013and this year, the aim is to do even more. The ride begins at the Side Launch Brewing Company in Collingwood, Ont. There are four ride lengths available: 40 km (road), 60 km (gravel or road), 100 km (gravel or road), and the big one \u2014 160 km, a mix of gravel and road. No matter which route you pick, there will be fuelling stations along the way.<\/p>\n

Each ride is marked with turns, plus you can get the route maps, whether digital files or printed. There are also some pretty cool fundraising rewards that you can check out here.<\/p>\n

At the start line, there will be plenty of extra fuel for you\u2013coffee and pastries.<\/p>\n

After your ride, the event isn\u2019t over. You can chill at the post-ride social with food and beverages. Enjoy some delicious fare courtesy of Mamacita Tacos, Big Mouth Food Truck, and Side Launch.<\/p>\n

Learn more about the Growling Beaver ride, and to register here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For Sarah Macrae Blakeley, cycling has always been more than a hobby\u2014it\u2019s been a lifeline. If you are…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":118662,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,85,13093],"class_list":["post-118661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cycling","tag-sports","tag-spotlight"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118661"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118661\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}