Event: 7 September 2014
The AGSD-UK is a small charity with a giant vision; it will be running its third sportive in the South Downs National Park on 7 September 2014. Over the first two years of the GSD Giant, participants raised over £16,000 for the charity and we hope to do even better in 2014. The funds raised help to support families living with a rare group of genetic conditions – Glycogen Storage Disease or GSD.
Unlike most cycling enthusiasts who seek to load masses of glycogen into their muscles, children with GSD are unable to convert their own stored glycogen back into glucose, the sugar they need for energy in muscles and the brain. Without close attention to nutrition some children’s blood-sugar content can drop to life-threatening levels that cause brain seizures. Other GSD children suffer from muscle pain and extreme weakness and where the heart and breathing muscles are involved they have a high risk of cardiac or respiratory failure.
Allan Muir, Development Director of the AGSD-UK, said: “I would like to thank the 500 plus riders who have taken part in our past events and would urge all prospective participants to visit the website, follow us on twitter and “like” the GSD Giant Facebook page. In these times of austerity small charities are really struggling and the help of fellow cyclists to publicise our activities is invaluable. To ensure that the charity extracts maximum benefit, the 2014 event will be managed by our own team of experienced staff and volunteers and we hope to offer an even higher standard of safety and rider-experience both during and after the ride.”
“If you haven’t already confronted the GSD Giant I can thoroughly recommend it to you -‐ it’s an experience you won’t forget and hopefully you’ll join the growing number of riders who return each year.”
The 2014 GSD Giant takes place on 7 September with its HQ at Goodwood Racecourse, West Sussex. There are three routes to choose from (44, 76 and 104 miles) and participants are asked to raise a small amount of sponsorship each – fundraising small amounts is really very easy for most individuals, but the combined sponsorship makes such a huge difference to the support the AGSD-UK can offer children and their families.
