Toughest test ahead
IT is billed as the toughest bike race on the planet and one Townsville hopeful is preparing to conquer it at last.
The Race Across America, an annual road cycling race that demands absolute physical commitment, is the goal for cyclist Allan Jefferson.
The gruelling endurance event will see Jefferson ride over 5000km, crossing the boundaries of 12 states and climbing over 170,000 vertical feet with a 12-day time limit.
“It’s mind over matter. The whole thing is 99 per cent down to your mind,” Jefferson said.
“You have to break the race down into little bits. Stopping is not an option. That’s something I’ve taken out of the equation. The only option you have is to keep moving. Whether it’s slow, fast or something in between.” Jefferson, 54, works as a rescue crew officer with QGAIR, as part of the Queensland Police Service, and has attempted the race once before.
“It was a bit disappointing to have to stop because of illness,” Jefferson said of the 2019 event in which he completed a full third of the arduous trek before being medically withdrawn.
“But it did help with the preparation this time. I’ve done training that I would say is quality over quantity. I feel it’s better with an event like this to go in 10 – 15 per cent underdone than 1 per cent over.
“The demand on the body is so strong that you can’t be going in overdone.”
Crew chief Greg Huppatz will co-ordinate almost every aspect of Jefferson’s ride, as the trek will demand too much of the rider to do anything but pedal.
“Allan’s going to be riding in excess of 20 hours a day on the bike. At that rate, it won’t take long for fatigue to be at a point where his ability to think for himself is impaired,” Huppatz said.
“We point him in the right direction and that’s about all we expect of him over the race.
“There’s a responsibility of everything other than riding his bike for us; his safety, his food prep, his sleep, his hygiene, everything.”
While the ride will no doubt be painful and challenging for Jefferson, the eight-time Ironman World Championship competitor has been set on completing the event since 2015.
“I was a crew member of a four person team then and we went past the solo riders. I thought it had to be one hell of a challenge, for some bizarre reason I was attracted to it and I wanted to see what the body was capable of,” Jefferson said.
The effort will also go towards a good cause, with funds raised through the venture being donated to Selectability in Townsville. The disability support service has been running a bike shed program aimed at promoting group bike rides for mental wellbeing, something Jefferson and crew wanted to highlight.
“Sport and exercise are a great tonic for mental health and having the ability to go out and show someone what’s possible and maybe motivate them to deal with their mental unhappiness, that’s a good goal,” Jefferson said.
Those interested in contributing to the cause can do so online at teamjefferson.com.au.