It was back in March that a group of Tour de Rock hopefuls showed up in the parking lot of the Saanich police station ready for our first training ride. Everyone looked a bit nervous, our biggest worry getting trapped in the clip-in pedals and tipping over onto the wet pavement. We rode 25 kilometres and felt exhausted afterward.
Now, with just five weeks left to go before the Tour de Rock kicks off on Sept. 20 鈥� a 13-day, 1,100-kilometre bike ride from Port Alice to Victoria 鈥� it鈥檚 hard to believe how far we鈥檝e come.
In the past six months, we鈥檝e clocked about 2,770 kilometres over 64 training days; from stunning, oceanfront routes on long rides through the Saanich Peninsula and West Shore to the gruelling climb in the summer heat up Mount Washington.
We now know the roads of Greater Victoria by how steep the grade, how narrow the shoulder, the temperament of the drivers and the likelihood of getting a flat tire.
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We鈥檝e spent many hours planning and hosting events to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society, which funds programs such as Camp Goodtimes, the happiest place on earth for kids affected by cancer. And many have forged bonds with our junior riders, the kids battling cancer who give us the fuel to ride.
Today, the team will gather in Nanaimo for the 鈥渕ock tour,鈥� a dress rehearsal where the 24 riders will cycle from event to event under full police escort. It will get us ready to ride together as a team, looking polished and professional. 聽
鈥淲hat [the mock tour] is going to do is give the riders a glimpse of starting and stopping, getting off your bike, shmoozing with the public, promoting the tour and then getting back on your bike, going to another location and doing it all over again,鈥� said Dan Mayo, co-chairman of the Tour de Rock steering committee.
It鈥檚 also part of a five-day-in-a-row ride regimen meant to prepare our bodies for the Tour de Rock; the strain of getting on a bike every day and riding in whatever weather conditions the Island decides to throw at us.
鈥淚t trains your body that this is going to happen every day for two weeks and you鈥檝e got to be ready for it,鈥� said Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Jesse Foreman, a trainer this year after having ridden the Tour in 2013. Foreman said he鈥檚 blown away by how far some riders have progressed in their training, especially those who had never been on a road bike.
鈥淭o see everyone come this far, looking like confident riders, is exciting for the trainers for sure,鈥� Foreman said. 鈥淪eeing everyone get up Mount Washington, it鈥檚 a really emotional confidence booster for everyone on the team. If you can get up that hill, there鈥檚 no hill on the island that you can鈥檛 deal with.鈥�
The team is made up of 24 riders with diverse backgrounds 鈥斅燫CMP officers, municipal police, retired officers, military members, auxiliary constables, three media riders and one guest rider: Reynolds Secondary vice-principal Dean Norris-Jones. Because of geography, we鈥檙e separated into two groups for training purposes: South and North riders. It鈥檚 even more difficult for officers in remote postings such as Const. Tyson Richard of Port Hardy RCMP, who either has to train solo or drive for hours to link up with other tour riders.
Jack McClintock, a retired officer from Central Saanich police and at 59, the most senior member of the team, said nothing could have prepared him for how intense the training would be.
鈥淚 knew from the beginning every day was going to be a challenge,鈥� said the father of three. 鈥淏ut there was never a day where I felt I鈥檝e hit the wall. I felt there was always something I could summon that could get me up the hill, get me around that last lap.鈥�
McClintock said during long rides, he has a lot of time to think of why he鈥檚 doing the ride.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine the agony for a parent when their child is diagnosed with cancer. Nor can I imagine the feeling ... when a child looks at their father and says: 鈥楢m I going to be OK?鈥� And what can a father say?鈥�
For Chris Kippel, an auxiliary constable with Comox Valley RCMP and full-time chiropractor, almost every ride reminds him of his wife, Katie Lamont-Kippel, who lost her battle with breast cancer on March 4, 2008. The two met in 2001, after Katie鈥檚 initial treatment. She was cancer-free for five years before the disease returned and spread throughout her body.
Kippel now wears a vial around his neck with his wife鈥檚 ashes to help him through the training.
鈥淪he鈥檚 a big motivator to get me out there on the bike,鈥� he said.
Looking back over the last several months, Kippel said the physical part has been easy in comparison to dealing with the emotions about his own loss and meeting other families going through the same thing.
鈥淸The hard part is] getting out there and telling your story every time, explaining why you鈥檙e doing it and what it鈥檚 for,鈥� he said.
For many riders, beyond the physical and emotional barriers, it鈥檚 a constant challenge juggling the training and fundraising alongside daily work and family commitments.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to believe it鈥檚 already been six months, but for families and everyone, they know it鈥檚 been six months,鈥� said Saanich police Const. Justin Whittaker. 鈥淵ou have absolutely no idea what鈥檚 involved until you鈥檙e actually in it.鈥�
Whittaker said it鈥檚 the constant support from his wife Shannon and children Zackery, 13, and Ryan, 10, that has helped him stay focused. Looking forward, Whittaker said he鈥檚 excited for the whirlwind two weeks that is the Tour de Rock. 聽
鈥淭he real satisfaction, the pat on the back and the feeling of accomplishment for me will probably be channelled toward Oct. 3 when we roll into Victoria,鈥� he said.
Katie DeRosa is one of the media riders for this year鈥檚 Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, a 13-day bike ride from Port Alice to Victoria. Follow DeRosa鈥檚 blog for details about the ongoing training, leading up to full coverage of the ride Sept. 20 to Oct. 3. To donate to her fundraising campaign, go to convio.cancer.ca/goto/katiederosa. Since 1998, the Tour has raised more than $19 million for the Canadian Cancer Society.聽
