With the Munga still fresh in her memory, Jeannie is typically already looking ahead to her next big challenge, riding the Absa Cape Epic.“ It really is an epic race, one that I find so hard, because it requires an entirely different way of training for me. I’ ll be partnering with Samantha Sanders, a phenomenally strong road and mountain biker. I said to her I was actually aiming for the stars by asking her to ride with me, but what better way to be motivated to up my game?”
EARLY LEADERS
Much to her surprise, Jeannie found herself at the front of the race right from the beginning, riding alongside or near to male leader Heinrich Visser most of the way. She says they didn’ t talk much, but it was still pleasant to have some company. They left the halfway point at Pampoenhoek together and continue to stay close until right near the finish, when Jeannie had to stop 18km from Ceres to attend to a tyre that was going flat. That saw Heinrich push on alone, even though Jeannie says she tried to catch him again in the final 70km.
When asked what highs and lows she experienced during the long ride, Jeannie says the highs included“ Those beautiful times of day when the sun sets or rises and creates that soft light, and having that time all to myself, with no responsibilities, and just getting to ride my bike for another whole day and night. Another high was coming across a clumsy lolloping aardvark in the path at night. But something not so nice was not enjoying eating, as the inside of my mouth and lips felt burnt, and I also hated that feeling of being energetic one second, then fading badly as sleepiness takes control, wherever you may be. That in turn was balanced by the blissful feeling of getting back on my Canondale Scalpel”
“ One of my other lows was riding into Sutherland at midday and the baking hot tar seemed relentless... but that was far from a bad low. I honestly loved the entire ride. My biggest memory is the unexpected beauty of the route, but also the heat – and the dry mouth and throat – and an 800m section of a proper tailwind. The rest of the way it was non-stop headwind, and I literally had to pedal all the time!”
COMING HOME
Having pushed hard in the final section to try close the gap on Heinrich, Jeannie came home a mere 13 minutes after him, clocking a finishing time of 2 days 23 hours and 14 minutes. Of that, just 12 hours and 36 minutes had been resting, and the rest of the 2 days 10 hours and 37 minutes she had been in the saddle, averaging around 15km an hour. If not for the slow puncture near Ceres she may even have won it, although she concedes that Heinrich is better at downhills than her and probably would have pulled clear anyway. Understandably elated at her overall second place, Jeannie says she experienced an awesome endorphin high from crossing that finish line, more so than a normal race due to there being so many uncontrollable factors and natural elements to deal with in the Munga.
“ I’ ll always be searching for the ultimate adventure, because I want to explore places while getting to challenge myself, and at the same time enjoy the silence with pristine views, like those I experienced during the Freedom Trail and the Colorado Trail. There are some radical endurance adventurers doing really extreme things that I would love to try if I didn’ t have my kiddies to be responsible for, but I really am just a very ordinary person taking on very doable endurance events, and I thrive on pushing my comfort levels in long events, just so that I can once again be awed by how amazingly resilient our bodies are.”
Jeannie being seconded by Martin and the kids
If you’ re interested in taking on the Munga or want to know more about the event, go to www. themunga. com. Entries for the 2018 Munga are already open, so if this sounds like a challenge you are willing to take on, then get your entry in.
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