Later this year , Guy Imbert will tackle his 10th Virgin Active 947 Ride Joburg , as well as even more gruelling challenges , like the 500km Munga Grit North West race . These events require perseverance and resilience , but Guy clearly has that in abundance , especially when you consider that just two years ago , he had his left leg amputated below the knee . – BY KENDRA STEWART |
In his younger years , Guy Imbert had been something of a “ speed freak ,” as he puts it , which led to a severe motorcycle accident in his early 20s , where he almost lost his leg due to the severity of the injuries he sustained . These injuries also made it difficult to exercise and stay fit , but some years later Guy found himself on a bicycle , and he describes his introduction to cycling as serendipitous : “ I was carrying about 20 kilograms more than I do now , and looking for a way to get more active ,” he recalls “ I never imagined myself becoming a ‘ proper cyclist ’ at all ,” he explains . “ I went from being somewhat of a couch potato to doing five-kilometre loops around the suburb where I live . It felt like a big deal at the time , and I suppose it was a big deal , as it got me moving again !”
It wasn ’ t long before Guy set his sights on more ambitious goals . “ The 947 , an earlier incarnation of Ride Joburg , used to start right outside my suburb . I ’ d even volunteered at the event a few times , because with something like that right on my doorstep , how could I not be part of it ?” That saw him enter the 35km distance in 201 as his first official race . “ It was quite hair-raising , and I was left feeling broken ,
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but also incredibly pleased with myself ,” he says . It was this sense of pride , along with a good dose of post-race endorphins , that kept Guy committed to his newfound sport and lifestyle .
Life-changing News
Fast-forward 10 years , and with many cycling races under his belt , Guy was gearing up for a 500km single-stage endurance race . However , the journey wasn ’ t as smooth as he ’ d hoped , due to those injuries he ’ d sustained in the motorcycle accident may years earlier . Guy recalls that although the surgeons were able to save his leg after the accident , the “ geometry was horrific , and my one leg has always been lopsided and shorter than the other leg ,” he explains .
Due to this lopsidedness , Guy decided to visit an orthopaedic surgeon three weeks before the 500km event , expecting a routine checkup and to be cleared to ride . “ I didn ’ t for a moment expect what was coming . The surgeon took one look at my leg and said , I see a knee replacement in your near future , and what ’ s below that is going to be really difficult to fix . Also , your leg is septic ,” recounts Guy . The surgeon then presented two options . The traditional route involved months , if not
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years , of inactivity to heal his leg . The other was more radical : Amputating just below the knee . “ It was a big decision , but one that was fairly easy for me to make – and one I haven ’ t regretted since ,” says Guy .
So , in early December 2022 , Guy underwent a belowknee amputation . “ You often look at these situations from the outside and think , Oh my God , it ’ s going to be the end of the world ; everything is going to change . But that ’ s actually not the case . It ’ s simply a matter of adapting ,” shares Guy .
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Returning to Cycling Roots
In no time at all , Guy was back on his bike , revisiting his first-ever race : The Virgin Active 947 Ride Joburg . Today , while he faces challenges , such as standing in the pedals to cycle uphill , the same determination and willpower he showed in 2012 have driven him to clock the kilometres once more . Now , two years post-op , he is set to tackle the significant milestone of his tenth Virgin Active 947 Ride Joburg . Guy is a remarkable example of the determination and grit required to overcome not only the challenges faced in races such as these , but in life as well . He is testament to the way sport showcases the best of humanity .
Ride Joburg !
With a number of distances to choose from , the Virgin Active 947 Ride Joburg has something for everybody .
9 November Kids Races : 1km , 1.5km , 3km & 5.5km
9 and 10 November Mountain Bike Races : 10km , 25km & 50km
17 November Road Races : 97km and 35km
For more information , visit https :// ride . joburg
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Images : Courtesy Virgin Active 947 Ride Joburg |