Athlete to bike Hamilton escarpment 90 times for friend battling cancer

Burlington athlete Patricia Pedersen is getting ready to take on an Everest Bike Challenge in Dundas, in honour of a friend battling life-threatening cancer.

“Everesting” is a challenge where you pick any hill, anywhere in the world, and complete repeats of it in a single activity until you climb 8,848 metres, the equivalent height of Mount Everest.

Pedersen plans to cycle to the top of the Hamilton escarpment and back 90 times in one day.

Pedersen’s Everest-sized endeavor is all in the name of supporting a teammate and friend, Lara Pawlowicz, who has been battling pancreatic cancer.

While the challenge seems daunting, Pedersen said she feels prepared to take it on.

“I also think about patients who get diagnosed with cancer do not get any training and do not get any practice. So I’m just going to battle the day like a patient,” Pedersen said.

Pedersen’s journey begins Saturday at 4 a.m. and she expects it to take at least 18 hours.

The following week, she will ride 7 Days in May, a week-long 1,200 km ride across Ontario. Every dollar will go to research. To donate, click here.