Sarah van Heerden cycled 2000 km to raise funds for the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
Image: Supplied.
DURBAN cyclist Sarah Van Heerden has become the first woman to complete the gruelling Ride Across South Africa (RASA), while raising about R110 000 for the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
Van Heerden, who is also the Operations Manager at the SPCA, set out to raise money for the “brown dogs”; the ones people overlook, pass by, or dismiss as “just another dog”.
The 2000km self-supported race started in Richmond in the KZN Midlands on April 13, and participants had 15 days to reach the endpoint in Wellington in the Western Cape. She did it in 11 days.
“I've always wanted to do that route because it goes completely off-road. So it's your back roads, your farm roads, it takes you through some game reserves and private farms. And it goes through the small towns of South Africa, the areas which a lot of people don't get to see,” said Van Heerden.
She told the Independent on Saturday that she loved the silence and the scenery and often lost track of time while in the saddle.
“So you can ride for goodness knows how many hours and not see another person. And I think that is really appealing because it's quiet, and then when you do get to the small towns, the people are incredibly hospitable. It makes you realise that we all spend our time looking overseas, but there is so much here if you are willing to do a bit of travelling.”
Sarah van Heerden at one of the stops during the 2000 km Ride for South Africa.
Image: Supplied.
The RASA website describes it as a self-supported bikepacking race along the legendary Freedom Trail that requires resilience, stamina and self-reliance. Riders navigate by GPS through challenging terrain where support is scarce.
Van Heerden said cyclists could ride together or on their own, and this constantly changed throughout the various stages. However, riders had to be completely self-sufficient, carrying all their clothes and food on their bikes. She also carried a tent which she could set up along the route to sleep, or alternatively make her way to the nearest checkpoint town. There were three compulsory checkpoints where cyclists could stop for food and accommodation.
“There were a couple of farmhouses that take in cyclists. They put you up, give you a meal, and you leave a set amount — I think about R500 for a bed and R200 for a meal,” she said. “Or you stay at B&Bs and pay the normal rate.”
Sarah van Heerden braved storms and blazing heat to raise funds for the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
Image: Supplied
The route took her through places like Matatiele, Cradock, Rhodes and Willowmore. Riders witnessed a lot of birds and other wildlife, especially at night. But the trip also gave her time for introspection.
Often, she said, they chose to ride through the night.
“We had a couple of days with a strong headwind — I think up to 32km an hour. We would check the wind and see it might drop in the evening, so we’d wait and then ride at night.”
“It’s beautiful at night, especially in the Karoo. The skies are unbelievable. On a clear night it feels like someone has thrown every star into the sky. And you see the most amazing animals at night.”
What she missed most, however, was sleep, which was limited on the road.
“I manage endurance events and I don't get physically tired, but I do like my sleep, and the less sleep I have, I sort of hit quite dozy patches on the bike, which is not so great. And there are lots of cyclists who fall asleep on their bikes, they start seeing different visions and images. I don't like to go to that extent.”
“It also gives you time to be introspective — to think about life, your choices, what you’re doing. You think about whether you’re making a difference. But I can’t say I’m someone who overthinks. I just enjoy the moment.”
She said there were a few incidents along the route, but she kept them in perspective.
“Sometimes you have to understand the context,” she said. “If I was in a rural area and saw a cyclist passing through, I might also react. I’m not justifying anything, but I understand it.”
In one incident, a group of teenagers allegedly harassed her with sticks and attempted to take her phone, but she said it was an isolated incident and did not define the trip.
“Ninety-nine percent of people are not like that,” she said. “It is what it is.”
Despite the long hours, exhaustion and lack of sleep, she never thought of quitting, and said it wasn't something an athlete would easily consider.
“If someone quits a race, there are usually reasons — health, injury, or mechanical failure. Then quitting is an option. But if those aren’t the reasons, I don’t think quitting comes into the equation.”
While Van Heerden was the first woman to complete the race, she downplayed the achievement, saying she was simply happy to have raised funds and awareness for the SPCA.
Barbara Patrick, Manager of the Kloof and Highway SPCA, said they were thrilled with Van Heerden’s courage and kindness.
“Sarah's passion is outreach and sterilising and helping as many animals as we can out there. So the money will go towards sterilisations in one of the areas in our community which obviously need it. And we'll have a wonderful outreach clinic, thanks to her hard riding, hard work and raising all these funds for us.”
Next on her list is competing in the Comrades Marathon with her daughter next month.
Despite the exhaustion, Van Heerden said she is already planning to take on the Ride Across South Africa again next year.
“You’ve got to have goals,” she said. “Don’t just keep ticking over.”