This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
His ride through Mayerthorpe was his second last day on a 13,000 km bike ride that took him to Halifax to Victoria, then north to Yukon and Northwest Territories, before heading south to Edmonton.
Devine proved he was an endurance athlete last June when, at the age of 55, he ran from Jasper to Canmore, the distance of seven marathons, or 300 km, in seven days. They raised close to $60,000 for the Rainbow Society of Alberta.
On trips, his wife Nicole Devine, who retired from RBC Royal Bank after a 33-year career, not only drives a support vehicle, but she also keeps him properly fuelled and is his safety net.
“The run through the mountains really was the first step in my return to good mental health and finding a life of purpose,” said Matt Devine, a retired management consultant and CEO of a mid-sized Calgary company.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
“I adopted an unhealthy partying lifestyle while studying at the U of A and went on to socialize a great deal while on the road for my company and entertaining clients and potential clients.
“At the age of 40, I was a smoker who drank too much and was diagnosed as clinically obese. My doctor advised me that if I did not make serious changes, I was headed within five years towards a medical incident, such as a heart attack or stroke. I weighed 298 pounds and am six-feet-one. But I have now lost 120 pounds, through fitness and nutrition.
Devine said he suffered “a mid-life crisis” at age 50 and had to acknowledge his flaws and check his ego.
He also decided he should give back to the community by inspiring others to make changes in their lives and support deserving charities.
Devine raised more than $95,000 for YCR2 after completing this current challenge.
-With files from Nick Lees