Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 64, November 2014 | Page 33

My goal

Pedals
for Paws

Creating Awareness

For the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind, their
campaign to get more riders on board is aimed at breaking
down the barriers between differently-abled people and people
with normal eyesight. “There’s still a barrier in society,” says
Pieter van Niekerk, Marketing Manager of the Association,
“and for us, the advantage in training dogs for owners is
that it’s easier to overcome that barrier between my world
and your world. Our motto is ‘Independence, Mobility,
Companionship and Dignity’.”

Comrades Marathon great Alan Robb
may be known for his four Big C
wins between 1976 and 1980 and
more recently for running his 41st
consecutive Comrades, but this
month he’s trading in his running
shoes for cleats and wheels. At this
year’s Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge in
Johannesburg, he’s riding in tandem with
a blind cyclist to raise funds for the South
African Guide-Dogs Association for the
Blind. – LAUREN VAN DER VYVER

It’s quite a process to train a guide dog. Raisers adopt
the puppies and put them through a socialising year
to get prepared for their training year to be a guide or
service dog. Then the dogs go to a guide-dog mobility
instructor who will train them in various commands while
sharpening the dogs’ senses to know when to go forward, stop or
avoid obstacles. When the dogs are trained, they have to match
the new owner with the dog, taking into account the lifestyle of
the owner. Then it’s a matter of the owners being trained to use
their guide dogs, as well as the dog being welcomed into its new
environment.
While training around 60 guide dogs every year, the Association
needs all the help it can get from the riders supporting its ‘Ride
for a Cause’ campaign, and the 947 Challenge is an ideal platform
to raise awareness, especially with a legendary ultra-runner like Alan
Robb hopefully drawing in more sponsors and donations. “We have
around 40 riders, and now with Alan joining us, we hope it can grow.
We’re on the right path!” says Pieter.

A

Images: Jetline Action Photo and courtesy SA Guide Dogs Association

Ma

lthough known for his running exploits, Alan Robb is
more often to be seen on two wheels these days, on the trails
around Gauteng every Saturday or Sunday afternoon. “I’m
mountain biking more than hitting the road nowadays,” says
Alan, “because you don’t have that constant pounding and
jarring on the run, and you can easily get in a 40km ride and be
alright. If you run that, you’re broken.”

For more info or how to get involved, go to
www.guidedog.org.za

Having already been a part of a few cycle races in the eight
years he’s been riding, 2014’s Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge is
going to be a new experience for him. “Recently, I got involved
with the South African Guide-Dogs Association – it was merely
by chance that a friend of mine knew Bonnie, who is one of the
puppy-raisers, and she mentioned to me how I can get involved
riding for them at this year’s race. Having visited the centre and
the dogs, even attending one of the graduation ceremonies, I
wanted to get involved in any way so I could to raise awareness.”

Having already met blind cyclist Neels Troskie, Alan is amazed and
humbled at the opportunity to now ride with him. “Neels has been
blind since birth, so to see him do so well on the bike is great,”
says Alan, who will be attempting his first ever tandem ride.
“I’ll have to get used to it, as there is a weight behind, so you
Modern Athleteto judge corners a little more carefully!” he jokes.
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