Bike Run Tri Stoke8 Sep 2021

E4. The Mental Battle with Donovan Geldenhuys

Donovan Geldenhuys, aka 'Donovan Dutch', 'Frank the tank' or the 'Wattbazooka!', is probably the most intimidating amateur athlete in South Africa.

He's the reigning Ironman World Champion, he's a Chartered Accountant, he runs 3 businesses, and he has a wife and 2 kids. The 40 year old's publicly available training regimen is enough to scare off opponents before the start gun. He trains harder, longer and more consistently than some pro athletes half his age.

10 years ago Donovan was a 125kg, plain cigarette smoking, nightclub bouncer. Today he's a global endurance sports world champion. Fair to say the tattoo'd giant of a personality is an overachiever. He never races to win his Age Group, he aims to wind-chime overall, always.

Now into mid-life crisis stage, Don is facing his childhood demons. Introspection and reflection have led him to decide to speak up on a deep and frightening truth. He had extreme body dysmorphia, a mental illness which we are learning is far more prevalent among sports people, especially in modern times.

He's chosen to share that very dark period of his life, 24 years later. He decided to open up on this deeply suppressed life experience with us. We're grateful for the enormous bravery this very personal and traumatic revelation required.

We have no doubt that people of all ages, genders and cultures will benefit from hearing his story. Coming from this guy it's an even greater shock and thus no doubt a reflection on society which suppresses mental illness among other historically frowned upon conditions.

Try to find an hour or more to switch off the world and tune into this moving story. It may help you, or someone close to you, deal with their demons.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(12)

E12. Proud Saffas Pioneering Into Thin Air

Some call climbing over 8000m the ultimate adventure, others say it's a gamble with death. Our various endurance magazine readers are incredibly passionate about active life outside, so we spent time ...

7 Sep 202247min

E 11. What's The Deal With Doping?

Most conversations about competitive cycling that go on long enough will sooner or later get to the controversial subject of performance enhancing drugs. In the midst of the Tour de France you have li...

21 Jul 20221h 15min

E10. Kirsty Weir's Journey from the Top, to the Brink, and Back.

Kirsty Weir is no longer a household name, but we think she will be again by Paris 2024. The Knysna local was one of SA's most promising up and comers in the running world who fell victim to anorexia ...

5 Apr 202234min

E9. What and who is driving the greatest mountain biker ever, Nino Schurter?

It's not often that us Saffa mega fans gets the opportunity to ride and shoot the breeze with the greatest mountain biker of all time. We ditched the studio and headed to the UCI World Cup track in St...

24 Feb 202224min

E8. Olympic Gold Medallist, multiple world champ Flora Duffy is arguably the Greatest Of All Time

With a rollercoaster build up plagued by injuries and some bad luck, Flora Duffy is right up there with the Wellington, Newby Frasers and Ryfs of ladies tri. WTS titles, Xterra World Champ, 70.3 wins,...

31 Jan 202256min

E7. Talking Trail With SA's Best

The growth of trail running has been explosive, so fresh after the insane UTCT trail bomb we chatted to the cream of SA's trail runners. Trail nomad Meg Mackenzie dominated the local scene, including ...

24 Des 20211h 1min

E6. The Changing of the Guard with Anriette Schoeman & Hayley Preen

Anriette Schoeman has won more bike races than any woman in South African history. Her career wins exceed an unfathomable 400, that's more than most people will ever participate in. She has been winn...

29 Okt 202146min

E5. Overcoming the Odds with Piet Du Preez & Louzanne Coetzee

Incredible Paralympians Pieter Du Preez and Louzaane Coetzee earned South Africa a Gold, a Silver and a Bronze medal in Tokyo at the games a few weeks ago. In this episode of Bike Run Tri Stoke Pod...

12 Okt 20211h 9min