Pedaling for Legacy of Love
This coming Friday, 27 riders will set off at 07:15 without any support vehicles to complete a total distance of 530 km in 50 hours in a matter of three days.The starting time of what is officially the longest race without support vehicles in Namibia, Le Dur, is also the time that Lumé de Beer suddenly died on July 2 at the age of 11 from acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Five years later, cyclists pedal not only for Legacy of Love, a charity organisation established by her parents, Ronel and Sybrand, and inspired by their daughter but for everyone who has to deal with the devastating loss of a loved one.
Earlier Sybrand and Ronel told Republikein that “we can see how God sends the projects to us and drives them Himself. He opens doors for us, puts us in touch with the right people, etc. We can also see how God has taken us on a path our whole life, which has prepared us for the path we now have to walk. We believe He is the architect of Legacy of Love and we are just instruments in His hands trying to obey His call.”
Last year, Pierre Lambert set out on his own to raise money for Legacy of Love's trauma “retreats” for children who have lost a parent to death.
They had hoped for 15 entries for the first official version of Le Dur, says Ronel, but received 27 which also included South African and overseas riders.
Ronel is part of a “social” team of eight women who will replace each other on the route and who will mainly pedal for the running costs of Legacy of Love.
“Everything always goes to projects and we struggle with the admin and keeping the operational and business part going,” she explains.
The race ends 50 hours later on Sunday (13 November) at 11:00 at Towerbos on the Daan Viljoen road.
From solo riders to two- or three-man teams take part, with the route winding past Gocheganas and Auas Safari Lodge, Kapps Farm, Midgard, Okahandja, Wilhemstal and Otjimbingwe to past the school at Baumgartsbrunn. One of the riders is Drikus Coetzee who this year is the country's national road champion as well as the winner of the Munga Grit Tankwa. - [email protected]