Hours before sunrise last Saturday, a group of 110 cyclists started one of the more intense 含羞草研究社� yet rewarding 含羞草研究社� rides of their lives.

They含羞草研究社檝e been preparing for the Ride2Survive event since February, and some struggled to complete a 40-km ride in the beginning.

Now, after months of exhaustive training and mental preparation, the group completed a 388-km ride through some of Canada含羞草研究社檚 most difficult terrain, leaving Kelowna at 3:30 a.m. and arriving in Delta at 10:20 p.m. 含羞草研究社� 40 minutes ahead of schedule.

For the home-stretch of the gruelling ride 含羞草研究社� which has a total elevation climb of more than 3,600 metres (three times the height of Grouse Mountain) 含羞草研究社� men and women wearing yellow jerseys moved to the front of the pack.

Those riders, and many like them sitting on the sidelines, in hospitals, or unable to attend, are the reason this ride exists.

They are cancer survivors.

Training captain Rich Gestle, from North Delta, was one of the riders wearing yellow.

Gestle had stage-three thyroid cancer 12陆 years ago. After two surgeries and two rounds of radiation, he was cleared of the disease and joined the Ride2Survive 含羞草研究社渏ust to see what it was like.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭hen just seeing the community that was involved, it just hooked me,含羞草研究社� he told Peace Arch News last week.

Through the years, Gestle said he含羞草研究社檚 heard countless stories of people beating cancer.

含羞草研究社淭o hear the victories is always encouraging and it含羞草研究社檚 getting better all the time,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲hat was a diagnosis 15-20 years ago and that outcome is not what it is today. Today, the survivor rate and everything is getting much better. There are still harder cancers to fight, like brain cancer and pancreatic cancer. We含羞草研究社檝e been trying to target our money to those.含羞草研究社�

Money raised through this year含羞草研究社檚 Ride2Survive event is dedicated to the . As of PAN press time Thursday morning, the group had surpassed their $600,000 by $30,000.

Event organizers Kerry Kunzli and his wife Vicki said this year含羞草研究社檚 event was the best they含羞草研究社檝e had since it was founded 13 years ago.

Kunzli said the riding conditions were perfect, although the heat was 含羞草研究社渉ard on people, a lot of people got beat up because of the heat.含羞草研究社� Kunzli said every rider has his or her own way to endure the physical and mental strain.

含羞草研究社淪ome of the riders will write the names of loved ones on their legs so they can see them. Some put pictures on the top tube of the bike so when they look down they will be reminded of why they含羞草研究社檙e doing it,含羞草研究社� Kunzli said.

含羞草研究社淥ver the years, I含羞草研究社檝e been riding, I含羞草研究社檓 hurting, my legs are tired and going up a big long hill. I come up beside a guy who was on chemo six months earlier and he含羞草研究社檚 got a big smile on his face, he含羞草研究社檚 having a great day even though it含羞草研究社檚 hard含羞草研究社� You realize, holy crap, they are so happy to be here 含羞草研究社� period 含羞草研究社� let alone worrying about a little work on a climb.含羞草研究社�

South Surrey含羞草研究社檚 Simone Porter participated in the ride for the second time.

She said she was inspired to reenlist this year due to the brotherhood, determination of the group and dedication from the event organizers.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 kind of an elevated spirit, being around these people. That含羞草研究社檚 the only way I can describe it. They don含羞草研究社檛 just say it, they live it,含羞草研究社� Porter told PAN.

Approximately 800 people welcomed the riders 含羞草研究社� which ranged in age from 17 to 70 含羞草研究社� into North Delta on Saturday.

Over the years, the event has raised approximately $6 million.