Training for a cross-country bicycle ride takes much more than just picking up a bike and going for it.
Yet, for Chuck Magnus, that’s how it all started. Now, the REALTOR® from Re/Max Little Oak Realty in Surrey, B.C., is gearing up for the trip of a lifetime – crossing Canada on bike with the goal of raising $100,000 for cancer research.
Magnus said he was first inspired to get into biking after witnessing a Gran Fondo going through Whistler one sunny summer afternoon in 2012.
“I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but I felt compelled and I knew I could use a bike as a tool for helping others,” Magnus wrote in his bio on his fundraising page.
Little did he know he’d soon be helping his daughter.
“I came home with the bike, a jersey, some shorts, and really, I had no idea how powerful this passion would become,” Magnus said. “It was later [that] same year our youngest daughter, Kristen, was diagnosed with cancer.”
Shortly after the diagnosis, a friend told Magnus about the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a 300-kilometre, two-day ride from Vancouver to Seattle to raise money for the BC Cancer Foundation supporting clinicians, scientists, and researchers.
He said he had no idea how impactful the decision to do the ride would be, especially with learning a new endurance sport during a time he had to provide extra care for his daughter.
“I still clearly remember the morning of my first ride, June 18, 2012. I felt nervous, emotional and excited, but still had no clear picture of what was ahead of me,” he said. “All I knew was, for me, this ride’s for Kristen and deep down nothing else mattered. I knew that I could make the finish line.”
Five years later, he says his passion to find a cure for paediatric cancer has only grown, just like his cycling goals. Instead of a 300-kilometre trip, Magnus estimates he’ll be riding that distance each day for several weeks.
“I recognize that this will be uniquely challenging for me, but it’s nothing compared to what our beautiful daughter Kristen is going through.”
As of May 29, he’s reached one-fifth of his $100,000 goal.
“I am extremely honoured and blessed to be part of the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride which donates 100% of all funds raised towards paediatric cancer research.”
To support Magnus, click here to visit his fundraising webpage.
