Hours before sunrise last Saturday, a group of 110 cyclists started one of the more intense 鈥� yet rewarding 鈥� rides of their lives.

They鈥檝e been preparing for the Ride2Survive event since February, and some struggled to complete a 40-km ride in the beginning.

Now, after months of exhaustive training and mental preparation, the group completed a 388-km ride through some of Canada鈥檚 most difficult terrain, leaving 琉璃神社 at 3:30 a.m. and arriving in Delta at 10:20 p.m. 鈥� 40 minutes ahead of schedule.

For the home-stretch of the gruelling ride 鈥� which has a total elevation climb of more than 3,600 metres (three times the height of Grouse Mountain) 鈥� men and women wearing yellow jerseys moved to the front of the pack.

Those riders, and many like them sitting on the sidelines, in hospitals, or unable to attend, are the reason this ride exists.

They are cancer survivors.

Training captain Rich Gestle, from North Delta, was one of the riders wearing yellow.

Gestle had stage-three thyroid cancer 12陆 years ago. After two surgeries and two rounds of radiation, he was cleared of the disease and joined the Ride2Survive 鈥渏ust to see what it was like.鈥�

鈥淭hen just seeing the community that was involved, it just hooked me,鈥� he told Peace Arch News last week.

Through the years, Gestle said he鈥檚 heard countless stories of people beating cancer.

鈥淭o hear the victories is always encouraging and it鈥檚 getting better all the time,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat was a diagnosis 15-20 years ago and that outcome is not what it is today. Today, the survivor rate and everything is getting much better. There are still harder cancers to fight, like brain cancer and pancreatic cancer. We鈥檝e been trying to target our money to those.鈥�

Money raised through this year鈥檚 Ride2Survive event is dedicated to the . As of PAN press time Thursday morning, the group had surpassed their $600,000 by $30,000.

Event organizers Kerry Kunzli and his wife Vicki said this year鈥檚 event was the best they鈥檝e had since it was founded 13 years ago.

Kunzli said the riding conditions were perfect, although the heat was 鈥渉ard on people, a lot of people got beat up because of the heat.鈥� Kunzli said every rider has his or her own way to endure the physical and mental strain.

鈥淪ome of the riders will write the names of loved ones on their legs so they can see them. Some put pictures on the top tube of the bike so when they look down they will be reminded of why they鈥檙e doing it,鈥� Kunzli said.

鈥淥ver the years, I鈥檝e been riding, I鈥檓 hurting, my legs are tired and going up a big long hill. I come up beside a guy who was on chemo six months earlier and he鈥檚 got a big smile on his face, he鈥檚 having a great day even though it鈥檚 hard鈥� You realize, holy crap, they are so happy to be here 鈥� period 鈥� let alone worrying about a little work on a climb.鈥�

South Surrey鈥檚 Simone Porter participated in the ride for the second time.

She said she was inspired to reenlist this year due to the brotherhood, determination of the group and dedication from the event organizers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of an elevated spirit, being around these people. That鈥檚 the only way I can describe it. They don鈥檛 just say it, they live it,鈥� Porter told PAN.

Approximately 800 people welcomed the riders 鈥� which ranged in age from 17 to 70 鈥� into North Delta on Saturday.

Over the years, the event has raised approximately $6 million.