endurance

Clarens Gravalist Series 500 – The Tarts' official Race Report The Gravalist 500km ultra-bikepacking challenge is an unsupported endurance ride that pushes riders to their limits. Each route is uniquely crafted, offering a mix of rugged terrain, hazards, and breathtaking landscapes. Riders receive a GPX file two weeks before the event. The challenge can be completed in 24 hours for the bold or within three days to make the cut-off. Participants can compete solo to beat the r

Race2Paarl a Freedom Challenge event. 620 km. A lot of ascent. Yoh. What a race. Sarah van Heerden , you are a splendid tart. It was a Roller-coaster of emotions. Day1: 220km, Willowmore to De Hel (via Prince Albert). 20 hours. The race day started at 6 AM In Willowmore. As usual the ride to Prince Albert was muddy and windy and our progress was slower than hoped. It was hard to leave the luxuries of Prince Albert, but we pushed on into the night. We arrived at De Hel at a

Two tarts on a bike. Racing to Rhodes. Freedom Dot-Watchers https://www.facebook.com/FreedomChallengeSA?mibextid=ZbWKwL As any woman would know:"2 inches to the right makes all the difference" It was a fantastic adventure with Sarah van Heerden. We rode hard. We had a goal. It was to finish in 2 .5 days. It was all going well until.....the flood plains of Queens Mercy, near Matatiele. This is a a tricky navigational section, especially at night. And I was navigating! But, I

In a bit of a stress detox. Lots of thoughts; some patting on the back... some dark... some self flagellation. I am remembering my promise to be kind to myself. I am so thankful for all the support and love. I always knew this was Berg was going to be the epic challenge; I think the odds were never in our (mine and Dave's) favour, but we gave it a good try. That's all we could do; just try. It would have been a flippen awesome fairy tale ending, but then again this is real l

Many years ago, David Waddilove set the Freedom Challenge Extreme Triathlon in motion. After running from Cape Town to Durban, he turned West and ran the Comrades Marathon from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. The very next day he began a mountain bike ride and portage over mountains, through farms, along cattle tracks and gravel roads across South Africa back to Paarl, and then he paddled along the Berg River to finish his return journey in Velddrif, on the West Coast. I hope to

I am making the most of my journey, and living in the now. Given that the objective of my 12x12Challenge is to encourage African women and girls to take on new, and daunting, challenges – physical, emotional and psychological - I chose the Dusi as it was guaranteed to push me out of my comfort zone. Why? Well…until last year, I had never paddled – professionally, or recreationally. I had only stirred. And, as I have learnt over the past 5.5 months since I took up my new sport

3 x 4 genetics test kit I received an early Christmas present today. From Anthony, my husband. No. It is not the bicycle. That is already mine. It is a genetic test from 3X4 Genetics. All I need to do is use the swab to gather some cells from the inside of my cheek (mouth). My first thoughts on receiving my present were that Anthony might be worried that we are, in fact, cousins. The East Rand is a small place. I am very excited to do the test. As is Anthony. Not only will I

"Enjoy your body, use it every way you can Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it It's the greatest instrument you'll...

I was asked to give some advice to women about preparing for the Race Across South Africa (RASA), a 2200km, non-stop, self supported, self navigated (no GPS), extreme mountain bike race from Pietermaritzburg to Paarl. As a woman, riding the Freedom Challenge has taught me many lessons. I will share one of them with you: the contents of the 2 litre ice cream tubs. I rode my first RASA in 2010. I was forty years old. Naturally my mother was concerned about my safety, health

I wrote this post after the Freedom Challenge Circuit 700km in April 2021. There is no such thing as bad weather... only inappropriate clothing. Very sensible advice indeed; and certainly worth remembering when you decide to ride the Freedom Circuit knowing that inclement weather is on the way. But the words: sensible, Freedom Circuit and Ingrid are as in-congruent as 'slightly pregnant' or 'Mike Woolnough is an ordinary cyclist'. As you have probably guessed I was inadequat

Written after the Race to Cradock (R2C) October 2020. A race done with Anthony. It was big adventure. This year we rode with the least kit ever. No change of clothes, and only an extra pair of socks, a rain jacket and leggings. No toiletries or hairbrush. We didn't shower during the ride. As you can imagine I didn't look great, and I would have been so embarrassed if, by any chance, I bumped into Bradley Cooper or Ryan Reynolds. But then the odds of that happening in Hofmeyer

My Race to Cradock (R2C) March 2019. This was a race that didn't go according to plan. A race plagued by mechanical mishaps and navigational errors. I wrote this blog on a cold, wet night while trying to sleep next to a fence on the Schurfteberg near Cradock. My heart was broken. Dear Freedom Trail, We really need to talk about some stuff. Call me insecure, or even needy, but I get the sense that your feelings for me have changed and that I am about to get dumped. I really t