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When Julia Blennerhassett suggested to her friends in Warkworth, Angela Thomas and Nicola Paterson, that they go on an adventure, little did they know that what she had in mind was a 3000km cycle ride.
But on February 15, the three women, aged in their 40s and 50s, will set off from Cape Reinga with the goal of pedalling into Bluff 30 days later.
Their ride, under the team name Little Goats (Greatest of All Time), will take them along isolated beaches, through mountain passes, down city streets, over gravel roads and on mountain bike tracks.
For the most part, they will sleep under the stars, prepare their own food, manage their laundry and cycle for around eight to 10 hours a day. They will ride every day and need to average 100kms a day to hit their target.
“It sounded like a great idea when Julia suggested it a year ago, but it’s way bigger than I imagined and the reality that the start is now just days away is starting to sink in,” admits Angela, who is the administration manager at Mahurangi Matters. Nicola says she is also feeling a little nervous about what’s ahead.
The women are taking part in a Tour Aotearoa brevet, which follows a set course via 30 compulsory photo checkpoints that must be completed in 10 to 45 days.
Every team is required to raise money for a charity, so the Little Goats have chosen the Matakana Coast Trails Trust. A lot of their training has been on the local trail, so they say it was a good fit.
In preparing their bikes and equipment, they have taken advice from people who have already cycled the Tour Aotearoa including former Point Wells cyclist Bevan Woodward, who now lives in Nelson and has done the trail several times.
“Bevan gave us lots of good tips on what to take and what not to take, and even recommended an anti-chafing cream that you can use on both your face and your bum!” Angela says.
Julia, Angela and Nicola met when their children attended Warkworth Primary School. They maintained their friendship through a shared interest in fitness and participated in a number of Spirited Women adventure races, prior to disruptions caused by covid.
While Julia and Angela have been able to mostly train together, Nicola, who now lives in Invercargill, has had to share her training schedule via an app.
Angela says she started with small 12km rides on the Mahurangi East Peninsula twice a week. This has gradually increased to around 60kms two or three times a week, and she has done a couple of more intense rides in Northland and Taupo with fully loaded bikes to test her readiness for the main event.
Julia and Angela’s training schedule has also involved spin classes and core fitness, and Angela has used the tour to introduce a healthier eating regime, losing more than 20kgs in the process.
But the training hasn’t been all plain sailing.
All the women have sustained multiple bruises from falls and crashes, and Angela broke a bone in her hand after one fall, requiring ongoing physiotherapy. There have also been bike repair issues.
“That’s my biggest fear – that something will break on the bike,” Angela says.
“I’m fitter than I’ve ever been so I feel my body is ready and it is just a mental game from now on.”
She is feeling a little anxious about how she will cope with being separated from her family for such a long period of time, as well as the disruption to her normal routine.
“I think the thing to look forward to is that every day we will be seeing something new and at the end of every day, we will be 100kms closer to our destination. I think it will be amazing.”
To support the Little Goats’ fundraising efforts go to: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/angela-julia-and-nicola-team-little-goats-ride
Every dollar raised will be spent on developing cycle trails in the Mahurangi region. You can also track the team’s progress down the country at: touraotearoa2023.maprogress.com
