Hennessy has long-distance pedal power
The Benoni businessman is no stranger to endurance sport. He competed in Iron Man events for a number of years and took part in three world championships.
Benoni now has its very own record-breaking long-distance peddler in form of Bryce Hennessy who set out along with 27 other long-haul mountain bikers (MTBs) from an early morning start (5am) in Vanderbijlpark on June 15 on the Massive Adventures and Tours 1 000 Miler MTB endurance cycle race.
Following his long trek through tough, predominantly off-road terrain, he reached the finish first at Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, mid-morning on June 19 in a new record time for the event of four days, six hours and 43 minutes.
He knocked more than a day off the previous record of five days, seven hours and 18 minutes set in 2018 by Wimpie Sander.
Riders had nine days to complete the approximately 1 200km distance and had to be self-sufficient and responsible for their own food and accommodation requirements while tracked on route via their mobile phones.
The difficulty was heightened significantly by the fact that competitors had to complete the race without any outside support, making it logistically challenging.
Essentially, riders are required to ‘design’ a route which takes them through six strategic checkpoints, taking into account water, food and sleep requirements.
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Hennessy explains how the ride has to be planned meticulously like a military operation prior to him taking to the saddle, taking into consideration every last detail.
His first day on the road took in a 390km haul to Bloemfontein with a five-hour sleep break, then a 350km push on to the town of Hanover in the Northern Cape.
Day three took him to Ceres in the Western Cape (370km), followed by the final thrust to the finish in the Mother City.
“I am not too concerned about the physical challenges”, said Hennessy.
“It is a test of mental strength and durability.
“What makes it more difficult is that I am doing this entirely on my own.”
Goal-setting is an important part of Hennessy’s personality and barring the unforeseen, he said it had always been his intention to break the record.
And that he did – he bettered his own personal target by half an hour, but was always set on finishing in four days.
“I am always challenging myself. I have done Iron Man and cycled from Bloemfontein to Cape Town. I found this race, which is 600-700km longer and decided I would push myself to do it.”
It takes a special kind of sportsman to accomplish what many normal outsiders would consider bordering on the impossible and Hennessy admits that even many of his fellow endurance junkies think he is mad at times.
The birth of his first child, he admits, changed things and he had to juggle his training commitments with being a dad.
From an Iron Man perspective, he had to limit his swimming and running training and found an event which could accommodate his balancing act between family and sport.
Not that training for this unique event isn’t time consuming anyway, Hennessy had to set aside a minimum of one to two hours a day of intensive indoor training at his studio in Benoni with at least six to eight hours of outdoor riding every weekend.
“Luckily I am part of a family plumbing and construction business in Benoni as well. My dad and brother have been very understanding and allowed me the flexibility to put in the training hours,” commented Hennessy.
Much like any endurance sport, there are after-effects and it does take its toll on the body.
But the sore and aching body post-race is something Hennessy has learned to contend with.
He does, however, point out that sleep deprivation is one of the race’s downsides and a few days are needed to restore normal sleep patterns, while the course of action replacing lost calories in the body is also important.
Then the inevitable question: Would you do it again? The answer was an emphatic “Yes!”
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