On September 10, 2022, I cycled in the RBC Gran Fondo, a 75 mile race from Vancouver to Whistler, BC along the Sea-to-Sky Highway. I entered this event as my second annual #ride4Riaan to raise funds for the Riaan Research Initiative. RRI is raising funds to find cures and treatments for Cockayne Syndrome, a rare genetic disease that currently has no cure. Children with severe forms of the disease only live a few years.

It was a grueling climbing race in warm weather and some gusty headwinds. I crossed the finish line with a moving time of 6 hours and 7 minutes and having climbed 6.7K feet of elevation (according to my bike computer).

Most exciting is that we raised almost $6,500 for the Riaan Research Initiative! I received a few donations during and after the ride that helped us to surpass our goal of $5,000 — just amazing.

Thank you all who supported this ride and the Riaan Research Initiative.

You can find out more about Riaan Research Initiative and their hunt for a cure for Cockayne Syndrome at https://www.riaanresearch.org.

More #RIDE4RIAAN content

Interview with Jus Punjabi TV alongside Jo Kaur of Riaan Research Initiative before #ride4Riaan about my cycling for this cause:

Interview for the Riaan Research Initiative Newsletter on why I’m riding for this cause:

Post-ride thoughts as I take the gondola down from Blackcomb Mountain at Whistler: