Chapter 6: Epic Endurance: Anna Bicskei's Journey of Three 300+ km Rides in May
At Ventus, we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our riders. This May, Ventus Rider Anna Bicskei embarked on an incredible journey, pushing her limits with three rides exceeding 300 kilometers each over three consecutive weekends.
Anna has documented her experiences in her diary, and we are thrilled to share her inspiring story with you. Here’s a glimpse into Anna's world of endurance, resilience, and passion for cycling.
"During the month of May I did three rides exceeding 300 kilometres each, on 3 consecutive weekends. They totaled 935 kilometres, with over 9400 meters of elevation gain between them.
The three rides could not have been more different. The first one was a solo venture from point to point, to my „basecamp“ on the Southern coast to the picturesque Chrysochous Bay located over 160 KM away, basically on the other side of this not-so-small island. The second one was arguably the hardest group ride on Cyprus, the INEX 300 Charity Ride organised by INEX Club in Limassol under the guidance of former pro road cyclists.
From the sprawling urban jungle of Limassol to the Troodos mountains to the fabulous beaches of Ayia Napa and back to Limassol we rode, with perfectly timed breaks for food and snacks, and a support vehicle within reach at all times, plus some of the strongest riders on the island setting the pace in front.
The third one was once again a solitary fight against the wind – the most reliable training partner there is. I gathered the kilometres on a circular route, having to dig deeper and deeper as the hours went by and the wind kept turning to face me.
Such a feat always hurts, no matter how trained you are. How you handle that hurt, and how you bounce back from it during the following days, depends on the size of your endurance foundation and your mental stamina. The body is weak and wants to quit early. It is always the mind that keeps you going when it gets tough.
During an ultra distance effort, the way you perceive time changes. Speaking from my experiences, I no longer register the passage of time like I usually do. Otherwise I could get anxious and would start counting down the minutes, which would only lead to frustration as I realised how much I still have left. It is also helpful to divide a challenge into segments, and focusing on each of those instead of the whole thing. As long as your mind is calmly leading the way, the body will follow.
One of the main reasons WHY I like to test my limits is that I CAN. If there is one thing I am truly grateful for, it is the resilience that enables me to do epic shit. I am alive on a beautiful planet, and that is something to appreciate and make use of as much as possible. In order to accomplish something great, you need less than you might think. I literally have nothing but a pair of wheels and the willpower to – occasionally - go for big things.
With enough intrinsic motivation and a hefty dose of discipline, there are literally no limits to what each of us can accomplish. Some plans may work out, some may fail. The trick is to keep going. Life is too short to be „normal“ anyway.
Ride to live, live to ride.
Anna Bicskei
