Durban – Some of South Africa’s well-known female cyclists have confirmed their participation in The Cow’s 100 Miles of Nowhere cycling event that takes place at Cadence Cycling Performance Centres across the country from 14h00 on Friday, 24 June and are urging fellow cyclists to follow their lead and get involved as well.
Recently retired road racing snake Cashandra Slingerland is set to go the 160km distance solo at the Bryanston centre in Gauteng as part of her return to elite racing, while former South African Cross Country MTB Champion, Amy-Jane Mundy and her team-of-four team mates, Rose Bulman-Owen, Cynthia Ramsey and Robyn Adendorff, will join The Cows’ Hillcrest stampede in KZN.
Slingerland’s decision to commit to the 160 kilometres on a training bike ticked two boxes as it fits perfectly into her base training schedule while the opportunity to support CHOC at the same time excites her.
“I rode 150 kilometres on Monday and then saw this chance to do 160 kilometers on a training bike,” said the 42 year-old, who has found her return to elite racing after a two-year lay-off exhilarating.
“I am feeling better now than at any stage in my pro career. I am excited to ride again, and I am proving that age has nothing to do with it,” said Slingerland, now riding in Cycle Nation colours.
“The fact that we will be riding for CHOC is added motivation,” she added. “Going the distance matters even more now. If I feel sore or tired, there’s added motivation to keep going,” she said.
The Cows are a group of social athletes who, through their various endurance challenges – such as Friday’s stationary bike, indoor cycling challenge – raise funds for CHOC’s (Children’s Haematology Oncology Clinics) childhood cancer treatment and support programmes.
“It’s great to support charities where I can and through my training partner, Rose (Bulman-Owen), I’ve seen first-hand what an awesome bunch The Cows are and they raise money for a really worthy cause so it’s great to be involved in this year’s 100 Miles of Nowhere,” says Mundy, who missed out on the 2015 edition due to being pregnant with her second child.
34 year-old Mundy is thrilled to see Slingerland, amongst others, continuing to embrace their love for cycling even after the curtain has come down on their racing careers, just as it did on her own a little over half a decade ago.
“We might disappear off the racing scene but you never quite get off the bike!” says Mundy. “It’s good to hear others haven’t stopped riding altogether either and its really nice to see them getting involved in an event like the 100 Miles of Nowhere!”
“No doubt it’s going to be a long haul in the saddle – even just the 40km each that I and my team mates will each be doing.
“I’ve done a one hour Cadence session and that’s challenging enough, let alone another 30 to 45 minutes on that as Friday will be!
“Rose and I are doing Berg & Bush together though so we’ll add this one to the training books because 40km on a stationary bike is not to be laughed at,” adds the MTB Skills Academy coach.
The Cows’ 100 Miles of Nowhere takes place on Friday, 24 June in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape. Entries can be submitted and more information found at www.100milesofnowhere.co.za.
