Grossman takes on 16th Dash

Limba Mupetami WINDHOEKLocal cyclist Monica Grossman has taken part in every edition of the Nedbank Desert Dash, and this weekend, she plans to face the gruelling race for the 16th time.She narrated to Namibian Sun how, 16 years ago, she received an email from Aidan de Lange inviting mountain bikers to cycle through the desert.At that time, solo entries weren’t allowed yet.The cyclist said she has experienced every possible weather condition during the race. The Dash over the years“Over the years, there were many different challenges. First of all, the Dash would not be the Dash without the unpleasant west wind blowing. The roads can be in a very challenging condition with loose rocks and thick sand in the desert. “In earlier days, we had very bad lights, but technology is moving fast and nowadays our lights are very bright, with strong batteries,” she said.“We have learnt to take enough spares and rather too much water than too little. One of the biggest mistakes I have made is not eating enough. You should always have some energy bars in your pocket,” the cyclist added.“I guess I had them all - the longest, hottest, coldest, wettest, misty weather, with the worst roads, the strongest headwinds and thickest dust. The challenges never end. What will 2020 bring us? We shall see.”More intense every yearShe told Namibian Sun she doesn’t know what made her take on the first event. “I’m still wondering what made me do the first Dash, but preparation over the years has changed, and so has the equipment. Every year the training gets more and more intense. This year’s solo preparation included long rides over the weekends, some running and my daughter might have forced me to do one or two CrossFit courses.”Grossman said she cycles to work to get in extra training but overall, her training schedule is very random without a fixed plan.“I think my biggest fear is not being able to ride the Dash after all the preparation, because of illness or injury.”For Grossman, cycling is a family affair. She said her two children are passionate about the sport too, but “they both went into a slightly different direction. Downhill and Enduro is their way to go and racing with parents is frowned upon, although both of them successfully completed the Dash before”. Easy does itShe said she always asks herself why she is taking part in the race, whether she is fully prepared and whether her bike will take the torture to the end.“Depending on the race, my starts differ. I like to start nice and easy, because there is a long way to go.”A common mistake riders, especially newbies, make is to start too fast, she said.While equipment may be the most important part of the race, she said hers isn’t top of the range.“But I do ride the coolest bike. I have an old Rocky Mountain 29 with 3 x 10 gearing. This is outdated, as I was told, but I’m quite happy with it. With this bike, I can out-pedal my husband on some days.“I’m doing my third Dash on this bike and never had any mechanical issues. Only once in all the years of taking part in the Dash did I experience trouble that led to not being able to shift my gears.“That’s when the ‘I'm never doing this again’ starts, but the race is a weird phenomenon. Even before the pain is gone, we start talking about the next one,” she said with a cheeky smile.No wordsGood food and lots of sleep are the order of the day when she crosses the finish line, and she said she doesn’t touch her bike for a few days after the Dash.Grossman said crossing the finish line is one of the best feelings ever.“There are no words to describe the euphoric feeling you get after crossing the finish line. Doesn’t matter if you do this in a team or solo. It's definitely worth every drop of sweat, every tear and all the hours of preparation.”

Grossman takes on 16th Dash

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-06

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Grossman takes on 16th Dash

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-06

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