Everything from Coldplay to Led Zeppelin will blare from the speakers in the spin session that will seem to go on forever. In fact it will be a 10-hour marathon ‘class’ at Panorama will raise funds for a worthy cause. Joanne Lomax, who works at the North Saanich centre, created the fundraiser for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after hearing about a similar spin marathon in New York last year.
A friends husband died of ALS and it seemed a perfect cause.
“ALS [Society of B.C.] is an organization that’s funded strictly with volunteers,” she said. “This seems to be a grassroots organization.”
ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, damages motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
“There’s no cure, it’s a death sentence,” Lomax said. “It seems to strike people in their 50s when they’re looking forward to downsizing and slowing down.”
In honour of those who suffer from the physically debilitating disease, and to raise funds for the cause, marathon participants will collect pledges to cycle on stationary bikes for as long as possible.
“It’ll be a regular spin class, with great music,” Lomax said with a grin. “It’s a way to give back, using good healthy energy toward a good cause.”
The spin marathon runs in the Panorama spin facility from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 21.
Visit alsbc.ca and click on ‘events’ and ‘marathon spin’ to register for the marathon, or donate to the cause.