Desert roses

For those of us who associate sports with the raw physical strength of men, here's an eye-opener. Sports, or for that matter, any physical activity, is as much about training the mind as training the body.

Which also means adrenaline-pumping adventure is not a man's exclusive forte. With eyes set firmly on their goal, the girls-next- door can be good at it too.

To prove this point, consider the endurance training that Dubai-based South African duo Evelyn Broodryk and Minky Botha have been undergoing.

Broodryk, 28, has a passion for mountain biking and marathon running while Botha, 31, finds quad biking through the desert dunes the best way to stay fit and have fun.

The duo have chosen to embark on fiercely competitive adventure challenges not many people would choose to brave.

From motorsports and rallying to mountain biking and marathons, these women engage in the demanding physical activities , which one invariably 'associates with men, and especially so in this part of the world', says Botha.

What started out as fitness hobbies grew to be an important part of each of their lifestyles.

Botha has just completed the UAE Desert Challenge –
one of the toughest off-road rallies – and Broodryk is two months away from her big mountain biking and marathon challenge – Kili[Man]jaro 2009.

The Kili[Man]jaro Challenge has only been going for five years, but is fast becoming one of the more intriguing adventure races happening around the world.

Based around Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, the challenge involves
a climb to the summit, a 250-km mountain biking race around the base and running a standard distance 42.2-km marathon.

As far as mountain biking goes, the term itself is a misnomer. "When people hear biking they think of road cycling," says Broodryk. "In simple terms, mountain biking is actually 'off-road' cycling or 4X4 biking!"

Friendship matters

Friends for many years, the two girls are bound by their determination to achieve their individual goals. Pep talks are common between the pair anytime of the day or night!

"Since we both have common goals, we know we can share things which others can't understand. Our chats about our fears, achievements, milestones and day-to-day experiences mean a lot to both of us," says Broodryk.

Working as an administrative coordinator for a technology consultant firm in Media City, Botha has to juggle her training with a busy work schedule.

The same goes for Broodryk who works as an HR personnel with a Dubai-based multinational. But despite their busy jobs, both Broodryk and Botha have disciplined themselves to follow an intense training routine.

While Botha trains every weekend in the desert and heads off to the gym five nights a week, Broodryk has set herself an even tougher daily training regime.

Not only does she spend two hours every evening biking, swimming or gym training, she also runs at least eight km every morning before work. Friday is her only rest day.

A Date with the dunes:
The Desert Challenge
Looking back, the recently held Desert Challenge was nothing short of a dream come true for Botha.

For her it was a time when her belief in herself helped her achieve her goal
of completing a tough adventure challenge.

Backed by Honda
and Gecko Motorcycles, Botha was part of one of the toughest international class off-road rallies – the five-day UAE Desert Challenge held in October.

"It was my first international rally and the fact that Honda and Gecko had put their trust in me was what inspired me to push myself beyond my capabilities that week. The big thing was that I was a part of the chosen few doing the fiercely competitive rally. The outcome didn't seem to matter. Not before, not now! If you let negative thoughts come to you then you cannot train for any sport. It was a challenge about finishing the race; I did not think about winning, I focused on being a good rally rider."

Although she may not have featured in the top five of the
quad category at the UAE Desert Challenge, Botha managed to finish eighth – a commendable achievement, considering it was her first inter-national rally. She also won the '
Spirit of the Rally Award' for day two.

In both the last two race seasons, Botha has competed in the UAE Quad Class Baja races with commendable results. At the end of the racing season, the DMX Club recognised Botha's talent with a special women's award – 'Leading the Way in Motorsport Award'. As far as future events go, aside from next year's UAE Desert Challenge, Botha is keen on being a part of the Tunisia Safari, the Australian Safari 2009 and the Pharaohs Safari to be held in Egypt in October.

Looking ahead

For Broodryk, who is still two
months away from her Kili[Man]jaro adventure in February 2009, she is currently focused on training for
the marathon and mountain biking.

Her training regime is not easy. Every morning at 4.30am she heads off to either Nad Al Sheba or Mirdiff (at times even to International City) for a run. "I train alone – running or cycling. My mind is free from all negativity and stress. At times, the activity is almost like therapy, a great time to be with one's own self and being able to reflect on life."

Besides the training regime that she has set for herself in the run-up
to the Kili[Man]jaro challenge, Broodryk also makes a point of not missing any marathon and biking events on the calendar. She's got a couple of triathlon events and the Dubai Marathon lined up between now and the end of January.

The Dubai Marathon on January 16 will be her first marathon with the Kili[Man]jaro marathon following just six weeks later.
October saw her doing her first half-marathon (a run of 21.1 km) – the Fujairah Half-marathon. This was not an organised event but a part of her own training programme. She got a few friends to come and support her. Immediately after the Kili[Man]jaro event, she is set to compete in the Cape Argus Cycle Tour in South Africa in March.

Demanding sacrifices

These young women's unusual lifestyles have often sparked concerns from parents and friends. Not only are their pursuits demanding, but injuries and sprains are also part and parcel of such sports. "At times, strangers might see the blue bruises on my arms and legs and think, 'maybe she's in an abusive relationship', says Botha.

"My mom would have liked me to be pushing prams at this stage rather than getting all dirty and sweaty out there in the desert sand," she adds. Botha has been married for over half a decade to Andre. "It's a lot easier since I'm single," adds Broodryk.

But in Botha's case, it's actually her husband who's been instrumental in introducing her to this journey of self discovery. "Not only did he introduce me to the sport by buying me my first quad bike six years ago, but he continues to be supportive and enthusiastic of my efforts," she says.

"The biggest sacrifice for such a demanding lifestyle is that you have to say goodbye to your social life," says Broodryk. "I may as well not have a cellphone since my friends don't call me anymore! They know I'm going to say no to every party invite! I'm quite a bore now – someone who goes to bed by 9pm every night!"
But that may not always be the case. Botha feels that she hasn't had to give up her social life completely.

"I socialise with friends on Thursdays but I've got my cutoff limit. It's funny because when we're at a party and it clocks ten, I try to catch my husband's eye and signal to him about leaving."

On Friday mornings at 3am, Botha's ready for yet another date with the desert. "Anyone who sees me the next morning won't recognise me," says Botha. "There I am, all dolled up nicely for a party in the evening and the very next morning, all sweaty and dirty, riding through the dunes in manly biking gear!"

Although both of these women completely believe in their abilities and are training to go beyond their limits, neither are nursing any far-fetched illusions either. Broodryk says it's just the beginning of a life-long journey for them. "Running fast and biking speed will come with time, but I say to myself, every athlete starts at a beginning and maybe this is where I begin. If I want to do this for the next 20 years, then it's only disciplined endurance training that will get me there." Botha seconds this thinking: "I know if I keep my eyes on the goal, the details will follow."

Follow your dreams

The passion for adventure sports was something Broodryk and Botha both feel they might have been born with. "I grew up on a farm in South Africa and was always a complete tomboy – my brothers and I even used to sleep outdoors," says Botha.
"It was in 2003 that I began to focus seriously on fitness and an active lifestyle," says Broodryk, who is also
a certified fitness trainer.

Then in 2005, she went for the Sri Lanka Tsunami Challenge which involved eight days of hiking and biking. "I wanted a holiday which had a community work element." It was from then on that running and mountain biking became her first love.
Broodryk feels pursuing any kind of passion is important as it gives you a drive for living. "Life's good if we can have pursuits and hobbies that help us enjoy every single day.
An activity you love will help you switch off from the world and in the end, you will be wholly content.

It can be anything… every little bit helps." Outdoor lover Broodryk also enjoys writing poems, while Botha is keen to get back to a pursuit that's more feminine than rallying – jewellery design.
Do not be led into believing
that their adventure pursuits have made the two women any less feminine. The girls still believe

in womanly indulgence, such as splurging on beauty salon visits as perks to keep their motivation strong. "Often, after a good training day,
I reward myself with a complete beauty and spa treatment," says Broodryk, showing off her perfectly manicured fingernails.
– Indu Bedi is Senior Sub Editor, Property Weekly