Challenging the Nedbank Desert Dash

SPORTS REPORTER



WINDHOEK

Flip de Bruyn and his family will on Friday attempt to complete the 373-kilometre Nedbank Desert Dash from Windhoek across the Khomas Hochland Mountains and the Namib Desert to Swakopmund in a mixed four-person team.

De Bruyn (58), who will race for the Nedbank-supported team Pointbreak, will be joined by his wife Angelique and two nephews, Cor and Jurie van Tonder.

He said one of his all-time goals in cycling was to compete in the Dash.

He previously competed in the gruelling 24-hour event in 2013.

“So, it’s always good to have goals and the Desert Dash is a tough one that a normal cycle race won’t provide. I am the oldest of the four team members, so if one can still cycle at my age, it keeps you going, fit and healthy,” he said.

Challenging and special

He said exercise is one of the most essential things in life because it keeps one healthy, and as a family, and they selected the Dash to challenge their fitness levels, as well as to do something together.

“Competing as a family will be special. We came together as a team after the initial members bailed out on me. So, I called on the guys I know will be there.”

He said he wanted to do the Dash as he sees no reason for keeping fit if he doesn’t challenge himself.

All the team members have done the Dash before, but doing it as a family will be a different experience, De Bruyn said.

“This year, my two nephews will be doing the Dash for the fourth or fifth time, but for my wife and I, this will be our second time,” he said.

Tough training

The ardent cyclist, who works for Agra, said he completed his maiden Dash as a member of one of two Agra teams in 23 hours, but this year he has set a different goal for himself.

The Pointbreak team is preparing for the race by cycling four times a week, with three of those being a 30km ride.

“We are trying to do 150km a week on both tarred and gravel roads because we want to be as close to reality as possible.

“Recently, we did 70km on a gravel road. We started at the top of Kupferberg and cycled to the Kuiseb River because there is no point in cycling on the tarred road all the time when the real thing will happen on the gravel road,” De Bruyn said.

“The younger members are going to the gym and jogging during the week to keep fit, so it is a bit difficult to do off-road, but we always try to cycle at Heja Lodge individually. When we do the longer runs during the weekend, we try to do it as a team,” he said.

Nedbank sponsored Pointbreak’s registration fees for the competition, for which De Bruyn said his team is thankful.