Steve taking on tough 4,400 kilometre cycling challenge
A MAYO native is racing the rooftop of North America in the 4,400-kilometre Tour Divide bike challenge.
Steve Halligan, from Swinford, is currently in fifth position in the ultra-cycling challenge where participants pedal solo and self-supported the length of the Great Divide mountain bike route.
The 4,400km race started in Baniff in Canada on June 9 and will finish at the Mexican border at Antelope Wells.
Steve has being living in New Zealand for the last nine years where he and his wife, Mary Jo, run Vibrant Living Retreat, a wellness retreat and B&B lodge.
Writing in their blog, Mary Joe explains: “Steve pronounced 18 months ago that he would ride the Tour Divide in 2017, in truth, without really knowing how that would happen, just that this was his aim and intention to do so. With running a busy wellness retreat and B&B lodge in Hanmer Springs, he knew he had these important commitments to juggle into his dreamy venture to create being away for an extended period of time.
“In 2016 Steve rode the first ever Tour Aotearoa 3,000km cycling event from top to toe, north to south of New Zealand. Due to a knee injury he had to pull out, much to his annoyance and disappointment, a few days into the cycling event. He returned to Hanmer Springs accepting his fate and licked his wounds, so to speak, for a few weeks until he was all healed and amped to complete what he had started.
“In his great dedication to complete what he had started, he then returned to where he left off the Tour Aotearoa a few weeks previously, which was just north of Wellington city. At this stage the event was officially over, but not for Steve; he wanted to complete his commitment to cycling the 3000km. He did so with great satisfaction and with a even greater commitment to his own cycling rhythms and inner guidance while also embracing the lessons learnt and the resilience earned.
“In February 2017 Steve rode his third Kiwi Brevet cycling event in New Zealand, which is 1,100km from east to west from Blenheim to Nelson on a circuit route. On this event he came in first place. Now he just had to quadruple that on the Tour Divide.
“So here we are Tour Divide 2017 time and Steve is on his bike riding the divide in his element. We at Vibrant Living know he is content with his biking tribe of fellow endurance riders and enthusiast aiming to stretch there limits while embracing the every day challenges and triumphs ahead of them.
“Woohoo for all those adventurous spirits saying the big YES to follow their dreams and live their passions full out.”
Divide racing format requires no designated rest periods or set distances a racer must travel daily. The clock runs non-stop. The person who can ride the fastest while making fewer, shorter stops usually holds the course records.
With an average time-to-completion of three weeks in the saddle, Tour Divide is the longest - arguably most challenging - mountain bike time trial on the planet.
Steve will be flying home next week after his adventure. In the meantime you can track how he's doing at http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide17