After a personal loss to cancer, Airdrie resident Tammy Block was inspired to join this year's Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer.

In 2011, Block's father lost his battle to pancreatic cancer at the age of 58, 5 years ago to the day on July 28.

"It's indescribable and only somebody who's been in the same situation can relate," said Block. "It's something that we can do to give back and hope that somebody else doesn't have to go through the same thing."

Block will be joined by a team of other riders from Airdrie who will all participate in the 200km bike ride from Canada Olympic Park to Okotoks and back.

The ride will be broken up, starting on Saturday, August 6 at COP, and then riders will travel to Bragg Creek, Priddis, Black Diamond, and finally Okotoks, where they will rest for the night before they make the 100km ride back to COP on Sunday, August 7.

In preparation for the long ride, Block has been practicing with some of her teammates.

"We've been training pretty hard, long rides, sore bums. In the end it's more about the experience and what it's about; it's not a race, there are people of all ages and fitness levels and survivors and everyone riding together."

Block and her teammates have been fundraising for the ride, each setting and meeting their individual goals of $2500. Overall the Airdrie team has raised $15,000.

"Some of the fundraising events that we've had have been really fun, we did a wine survivor night, so we actually had a ride in the studio at Push Cycling studio and we had some wine afterwards, and everybody brought a bottle of wine or more and that was your entry."

Block said that at the end of the night the wine survivor who survived the ride won 35 bottles of wine.

As part of the fundraising, one of Block's teammates Carley Toye, has been able to raise over $3000 and will be shaving her head in solidarity on Saturday, July 30, at 10:30 a.m. at Push Cycle.

To learn more about the the Ride to Conquer Cancer and get an event schedule, visit the Ride to Conquer Cancer website.