leisurewheels.co.za SEPTEMBER 2019 15
the 4 700m descent in four hours, a distance
that took us four days to go up.Martin, what keeps you motivated to
train and look for the next challenge?
It has become a lifestyle. We are planning a
trip to Mauritius with our kids but we want
to circumnavigate the island on kayaks and
sleep on the beaches. It will be fun for the
kids but a challenge for us.Jeannie, how have you had to adapt
your lifestyle since having kids?
We’re lucky we have their grandparents who
help us out. We love it and the next step is to
get our kids to enjoy a similar lifestyle. We
want to do stuff with our kids. We have been
on hikes on the Wild Coast where we sleep
on the beach. And it is amazing to see how
capable kids are; you just need to keep up
their energy levels and their minds
stimulated. If we are hiking on the coast, we
keep them busy by looking in all the small
rock pools and swimming or wading across
rivers. We keep topping up their energy with
peanuts, raisins and fruit juice and they can
go forever; they tend to outlast us. We hiked
19km the one day and when we got to the
hotel we were quite buggered, we just wanted
to put our feet up and have a beer but the
kids were out on the tennis court playing
tennis. Their energy is unlimited, if you just
manage them.Martin, you turned 50 last year and got
a special gift...
Yes a ticket to the Freedom Challenge. It is
quite an ask as you are away from home for
a long time and Jeannie would like to be
there. I didn’t get caught up in the training
like I would have in past years. We do the
events that appeal to us, not because we are
looking for results but because we enjoy it,
whether that is the Dusi, Comrades,
Freedom Challenge or Cape Epic. We have
had to find a balance, now that we have a
growing family. I have a skillset which allows
me to endure a certain amount of discomfort
and brave the elements and can call on that
no matter the discipline.Jeannie, you did so well in the Munga,
which is a 1 000km non-stop
mountain-bike race, beating most of
the men. How has that changed
perceptions about women?
I am not really too phased by that. But it has
become a point of reference for other events.
The heat and the discomfort were brutal.
Once you have done something as hard as
the Munga, it breaks down those mental
barriers and makes other events seem easier.
It is always good to redefine your limits and
you will often surprise yourself. DecidingOpposite page: The couple in the start chute at this year's Cape Epic. Below: Martin raced to victory in the
G4 challenge against competitors from 18 nations.Favourite drink: Jeannie: Gin, lime and soda. Martin: Ice-cold beer. Favourite food: Jeannie:
Sushi. Martin: Peanut butter and banana sandwich. Singer or Band: Jeannie: East Coast Radio. Martin:
Johnny Clegg. Favourite place on Earth: Our home. Movie or TV show: A River Runs Through It.IN A (FAVOuRITE) NUTSHELL:
beforehand that quitting is not an option is
a great philosophy as it simplifies things.
You then just go to plan B, if we have a bad
day; we will always finish the day, we might
just be a bit slower. In adventure racing you
must have a good night’s sleep and then
decide what to do in the morning. Never
make a decision when you are hurting.Martin, you started the Change a Life
academy a couple of years ago, what
does that entail?
It is a cycling, paddling and running
academy in the Valley of 1 000 Hills. It is
a non-profit organisation which identifies
talent in rural areas and gives that talent a
support structure. The kids get paid in food
parcels, which in turn help them look after
their families. There are 40 kids on the
programme and it is about helping the
weakest one the most because in that
way, they learn life skills like hard work,
goal setting, discipline and focus. These
skills enable them to be better at other
parts of their life, too. When they go job-
hunting for example, they will be a better
candidate as they have been taught to have
a positive attitude and can draw parallels
from trying to do well at sports. Sport is the
enabler to learning some valuable life skills.Jeannie, how do you find racing
together as a couple at events like
the Cape Epic?
We have always put it off, as we were
worried it would put strain on the
relationship. Your partner doesn’t always
treat you as nicely as a random guy would.
You are more open towards your partner
so the niggles can come out. Coming into
the event knowing we are not at peak
cycling fitness has taken the pressure off
and having a sponsor like Land Rover,
who doesn’t mind the result, is great.
With any team, going into an extreme
sport event like the Epic, you have to
be on the same page with regard to
what you want to get out of the event,
in order for the partnership to be
a success.Jeannie, if you could take a 4×4 and
do any trip what would it be?
The cliché would be to go through Africa
but we would go to South America. Martin
went to Bolivia during the G4 challenge
and had a small taste of the area. You need
a proper vehicle in terms of capability to
do that, which is why we would like to go
back and explore with the family in a
pukka 4×4.