Few people decide to cycle across a continent. Sports journalist and endurance athlete Rupert Guinness has made that decision twice. His first attempt, as part of the IndiPac Wheel Race in 2017, was tragically cut short after the death of fellow cyclist and competitor Mike Hall. His second attempt, along with 50 other intrepid cyclists, saw him complete the 5470km route from Freemantle to Sydney in 28 days.
Endurance cycling isn’t just a physical sport, it’s a psychological one as well. Rupert embarked on his ‘Big Ride’ to test his physical and emotional courage. He’s now written a book about his experiences, ‘Overlander’.
Rupert joined us to share some of the many reasons he undertook the journey, the mental challenges he faced along the way, and what he learnt about himself, his mental health and what makes us human – ‘imperfections’ and all.
P.S. ‘Overlander – One man’s epic race to cross Australia’ is available in all good book shops now!