Traditionally efforts have been made to improve the recovery process by intervening in the post-operative period. However, the post-operative period may not be the most opportune time to introduce interventions to accelerate recovery. Many of these surgical patients are concerned about perturbing the healing process as well as being depressed and anxious if they await further treatment. The pre-operative period may be a more emotionally salient time to intervene in the factors that contribute to recovery. The process of enhancing functional capacity of the individual to enable him or her to withstand an incoming stressor has been termed prehabilitation The purpose of this study is to address the following research question: Among persons scheduled for colorectal surgery, does a pre-operative program of aerobic and muscle strength training (prehabilitation) compared to a standard peri-operative educational protocol affect functional exercise capacity and health-related quality of life? The trial will be a single blind, stratified (on cancer diagnosis or not), randomized, two-group (prehabilitation or standard care), parallel design. Both groups will receive the same peri-operative education program. In conformity with current practice, all subjects will also be advised on nutritional support during the preoperative period. Persons with albumin < 38 gm./l will receive an adequate supply of protein and calorie nutritional supplement bars. In addition to this standard care, the prehabilitation group will be prescribed a program of exercise training consisting of daily stationary cycling from the start of the intervention to the day prior to surgery (minimum 3 weeks) combined with an individualized program of muscle strength training.