Nurses at Eagle Ridge Hospital are gearing up to take on their administrators at the Fraser Health Authority over a fundraising dispute that's destined to spill onto the streets of the Tri-Cities in May.
May 15, to be exact.
That's the date that a dozen or so Eagle Ridge nurses will meet an equal Fraser Health force at Coquitlam's Town Centre Park and do battle with chains, cranks, sprockets and spokes to see which team can raise the most money in the annual Wheel to Heal bike ride for Eagle Ridge Hospital.
The nurses-versus-administrators challenge is a new twist on the event this year, and organizers hope that a little friendly competition will prove healthy for both the riders and the communities Eagle Ridge serves.
There are three separate rides this year - a 10-kilometre flat paved course, a 40-kilometre mixed trail course and an 80-kilometre mountain road course - and all are open to the public.
Riders are asked to take sponsorship pledges from friends, family and coworkers to support their ride to raise money for much-needed equipment at Eagle Ridge Hospital.
Next week, the Fraser Health and Eagle Ridge teams begin eight weeks of training with their respective coaching staff from local businesses.
Fraser Health has paired up with Port Moody's Innovative Fitness and the Eagle Ridge riders will have Cap's Westwood Cycle in their corner throughout their training.
Kris Schjelderup of Innovative Fitness took the The Tri-City News through his planned workout regiment for the Fraser racers.
"The training's going to consist of working on their leg strength, working on their core, their flexibility, their posture," Schjelderup said. "We'll be working on their balance and stability for being on their bike and also their anaerobic and aerobic cardio to train them to withstand climbing a hill when their heart rate gets up there, as well as their aerobic capacity to withstand a longer ride."
Also important, he said, is educating the riders on what to take with them - a tire pump, extra inner tube, drinking water and a compact energy source - as well as how to prepare mentally for the more grueling courses.
And if all that makes the 40- and 80-kilometre races sound overwhelming to the non-cyclist or even the casual weekend road warrior, Schjelderup said most people should be able to pump up the tires on a decent road bike and, if they start soon, get trained up and ready for even the most difficult Wheel to Heal ride.
"I'd say anybody could pretty much jump in and do the 40K," he said, "The 80K is definitely more challenging and you definitely want to be doing it on a road bike. The person who hasn't ridden at all and jumps on a mountain bike or a hybrid is probably going to have trouble with the 80K. But training is definitely important."
Schlelderup said two to three rides a week is adequate training for Wheel to Heal's longer races, with one or two shorter, faster rides during the work week and one longer, slower endurance ride over the weekend or whenever time permits.
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