Getting Fit for the Ride

March 21, 2026 - Crossing over Lion's Gate Bridge into Stanley Park (Photo Courtesy of Brian McGeown (cheerleader)

I've never considered myself to be an athlete, but I've always enjoyed hiking and biking.

The last 10 years, physical injuries, perimenosausal craziness, and my own choice to prioritize other things in life resulted in me living a sedentary lifestyle and packing on 'a few' extra pounds. Looking in the mirror, I was seeing someone living a life that was not congruent with my values.

Browsing the biking forums, I could see that some people didn't do any training before biking across Canada - "the first 10 days of the ride will train you" (Like WHAT?!?! NaaAa!). They obviously were much younger and fitter than me.

Physical injuries have been my demise in past efforts to get 'back in shape'. Biking involves a lot of repetitive motions, muscle fatigue and sometimes quick, unexpected responses (potholes and roadside shrapnel) that could result in inflammation, muscle tightness and muscle strain. An injury before or on the ride could prevent the ride or require me to take a break while I'm on route. Injury prevention is front of mind for me.

When I made the decision to do the ride, I had already started on a wellness journey - going to a few pilates classes, riding my dusty mountain bike, and losing a few pounds. Progress was slow, but steady - I had a good foundation to build on.

My bike fitter, Noa Deutsch, gave me a fabulous piece of advice: Get a personal trainer - and make sure they are much smarter than you in the area of physical fitness.

The advice was gifted to me back in September - and I immediately set out to find 'that person'. A bit of a google search and I found someone who ticked all the boxes:

1. Has a helmet in their profile picture (LOL, my first filter)

2. Lives in Squamish (accountability for me to show up to workouts)

3. Has a degree in sports and exercise science (oh yeah, much smarter than me)

4. Is an experienced bike packer (describes himself as a "Bike-Packing Nerd!")

I reached out to Alex Ackerley https://unionhealthandperformance.com/practitioners/Alex-Ackerley and have been so grateful for the connection ever since.

Alex has walked alongside me since day one, gently pushing me just enough past my self-limiting beliefs to see what I really am capable of doing. With Alex's support, I've seen my amazing body grow stronger each week. I now have powerhouse glutes and abs (these will get me through them Rockies!).

The great thing about having this big goal is that my workouts are not about 'checking boxes' to get workouts done (I often forget to sign off that I completed a workout). Going to the gym and doing the rides is about investing in me and 'the machine' that is going to get me from Victoria, BC to St. John's, NF.

Yesterday I rode from my place in Squamish to the Museum of Anthropology (at UBC). From Spanish Banks, you can see back across the water to West Vancouver and down Howe Sound where Squamish is 76.5 km away by road. It really is amazing what we as humans can achieve when we set stretch goals.