An Airdrie RCMP constable is gearing up to cycle over 500 kilometres for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation in July.

He will begin his trek on Highway 93 at the Alberta-British Columbia border, going west to east through Calgary, Brooks, and Medicine Hat and ending east of Walsh at the Saskatchewan border.

"It's going to be one continuous ride; by that, I mean, I will take very short breaks for hydration and fueling, but it will mostly just [be] a one-day kind of event," he said.

Having worked in the Airdrie detachment for eight years, he has often interacted with the Alberta Children's Hospital.

"Through work, we have to attend the hospital quite regularly, and [I] always found it very heartbreaking to go to the hospital and see the children suffer, battling illnesses," he said. "For a little while, I've been wanting to put something together to do my part to help the children in need. I came up with a quick plan that I could do something to push my limits and to raise money for the foundation."

Thus far, the fundraiser, which can also be donated to online, has raised over $4,000 in less than a week. A QR code for the fundraiser is also available.

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When asked how he plans on biking hundreds of kilometres with little to no rest, he said it isn't so much about preparation and conditioning as it is about pushing through physical and mental limits.

"It's not something you can prepare for over a short period. I've always [been] battling injuries at work. I've always spent much time recovering and maintaining my fitness as best as possible through that. It's just a matter of spending the time on the bike to accomplish something like that."

He also revealed that his bike ride for the foundation comes at a fortuitous time, as the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CPKC, formerly CP Rail) has pledged to double the donations to the foundation through its 2024 golf tournament.

The CPKC is the official sponsor of the CPKC Women's 2024 Open, which will be held in Calgary from July 23 to 28 at the Earl Grey Golf Club. The CPKC Women’s Open website states, ‘this year’s goal is to raise more than $2.75 million for Alberta Children’s Hospital.’

"Those funds will be dedicated to support researchers at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute who believe there is potential to develop a routine blood test to provide earlier detection of congenital heart defects or other anomalies at birth so parents and caregivers can be prepared before the baby is born."

He plans to go on his cycling trek in mid-July, though it will be dependent on the weather. When asked how his fellow RCMP colleagues reacted to his fundraising, he said there has been and continues to be an outpouring of support, and not only from fellow RCMP members.

"I've stopped in a lot of businesses that are planning on chipping in. I also wanted to create new relationships with people, individuals, and businesses in the community and strengthen the existing ones," he added. "So far, that's been a great success. I've met many great people willing to help for a great cause like this one."

The Constable's donation goal is to garner over $20,000.

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(Editor's note: The Constable's name is being withheld for confidentiality reasons)