Real Insurance has announced its sponsorship of a new Mountain Bike Series in 2011 (March – September).  The aim of the Real Insurance XCM Series is to combine the biggest Marathon MTB events in NSW into a high profile series.  A total cash prize purse of $15,000 will be awarded to the overall winners of the different Series categories.

Clearly, anybody who has raced a 24 hour, 48 hour or expedition event will attest to the dramatic effect sleep deprivation has on performance and recovery.  The devastating effect that poor sleep has on health and well-being was recently bought to the fore by the meltdown of players and coaches in the AFL who routinely take a plethora of legal uppers to get ready for night games and then prescription sedatives afterward to try and grasp some sleep. Getting the balance seems elusive.