‘The longest ride of my season so far:’ Mock Tour tests readying riders

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Drivers are advised to watch for the group as they ride down Hwy. 19A in Nanaimo, and Hwy. 1 to Duncan beginning around 9:30 a.m.

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Tour de Rock raises money every year for the Canadian Cancer Society, with over $58 million raised toward Camp Goodtimes and cancer research overall.

Waltman, one of the mental health liaison officers with the Nanaimo detachment, told NanaimoNewsNOW the mock tour is one more step in his training regimen ahead of the mid-September start.

A major challenge for him so far was summiting Mt. Washington on his bike, something he’s now done twice.

“That was a huge accomplishment. At the top, there’s a silver box that you hit when you get up there, and it’s the bell that you ring to say that you made it, so that was pretty humbling to hit the same box that so many riders before me have hit.”

His typical training routine involves hill training on Tuesdays, typically along Biggs Rd. in Nanaimo or Aho Rd. in Cedar, followed by endurance and speed training on Thursdays.

Every Sunday, riders gather for longer, group journeys, upwards of 100 kilometres at a time.

It’s all in a bid to train for a gruelling 14-day, 1,200-kilometre journey from Port Alice to Victoria.

With countless kilometres on his wheels so far, Waltman said he’s ready for the event.

“You get through climbing Mt. Washington, you do a couple hundred kilometre rides, no doubt there’s going to be some challenges, but I’m feeling confident that I’m set to make September 19 happen.”

Waltman joked Tour organizers gave him “a hard no” to a tongue-in-cheek request to use an e-bike for the tour.

More information on Tour de Rock, or to donate, is available on the ride’s website.

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