In my world, my very normal, beautifully chaotic, “little life” this has been a big build-up. Not the kind that makes headlines or earns podiums, but the kind that quietly reshapes you.
I’ve gone from riding purely for the joy of it, the coffee rides, the laughter, the therapy sessions on two wheels, to something a little more serious. Training. Structure. Purpose. Preparing for a three-day stage race where each day stretches beyond 85km. That’s a long way to pedal when you still think of yourself as just Average Jo.
And maybe that’s exactly the point.
By Joanne Badenhorst
This journey has been about stepping out of my comfort zone and into something unfamiliar: voluntary suffering. Early mornings. Tired legs. On average I’ve been training five to six times a week. Saying no to things I’d usually say yes to. Becoming, dare I say it, a little selfish. Not in a bad way, but in a necessary way. Because chasing a goal, even a modest one, demands space.
My goal? Not a podium. Not a time. Just to survive each stage of KAP sani2c with a genuine smile on my face.
That means doing the hard things now, so the suffering later feels… manageable. Or at least meaningful.
I’m under no illusion, this race will hurt. Every single day will come with its own challenges. But there’s a quiet confidence building. A sense of peace in knowing I’ve shown up, done the work (mostly), and given myself a fighting chance to stay sane out there.
And I haven’t done it alone. Behind every “Average Jo trying to be above average” story, there are people quietly holding the whole thing together.
My coach, Sarah Mare, has had the near-impossible task of turning my unpredictable life into some form of structured training plan. I don’t exactly make it easy. I don’t even really see myself as an “athlete”, just someone who loves her bike and leans on it heavily for sanity.
But Sarah has met me where I am. She’s adapted, adjusted, and gently guided me through the chaos. The training plans that The Threshold (www.thethreshold.coach) and its coaches create, make focusing on your goals that much simpler. Our bi-weekly check-ins have become more than just training updates, they’ve been grounding, motivating, and sometimes even surprising. Progress has a funny way of sneaking up on you when someone believes in you just enough.
Jo wears a lot of hats in her life… Journalist, editor, mom, ride leader, wife, group co-ordinator, caregiver, friend, emergency contact, and so much more.
Working with someone who puts everything before herself can be tricky, as the first step was to get Jo to realise that she is not just making a commitment to “do a bike race”, she is actually making a commitment to herself.
It may sound selfish to some, but investing in yourself from a health and wellness perspective actually leads to stronger relationships, a stronger immune system, better stress management, and a better ability to problem solve life’s curveballs! It’s never just about the bike race, it’s about prioritising yourself in certain aspects of your life – which in reality, is actually called a balanced lifestyle.
Different chapters of our life demand different aspects of ourselves. Sometimes we invest all of ourself in one thing/person/business/role and create distance between who we truly are, versus who we need to be to support the people around us. In order to find that balance, we need to look inward at our core values and appreciate what we lean in to.
Jo embraced the dynamic training program approach, and as a result we saw her true personality begin to shine in her riding. We polarised the workouts (the easy is EASY, and the hard is well… You guessed it!). To balance responsibilities means we need to be efficient with our time. This was a combination of indoor and outdoor riding.
When we first started out, she painted this picture of “who she was in her past”, as if this person just simply didn’t exist anymore. She was a high performing, bouncy, athletic individual that never said no, and couldn’t be told what to do. (If you know Jo… This is actually exactly who she is).
Once we found the balance, not only did we see “Past Jo” remerge (insert self belief), we actually saw a new and improved version.
One that in my mind, is just getting started.
Then there’s my riding partner, Bonita Needham. Courageous doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Bonita has been part of this journey long before Sani2c was even on the radar. She was one of the first women to join the community I started back in 2018, CLAW Cycle Lab Active Women. From a nervous beginner to the strong, determined rider she is today, her growth has been nothing short of inspiring.
She’s faced it all, injuries, illness, life’s relentless curveballs, and still shows up. Still commits. Still pushes. And right now? She’s stronger than me. And I love that. Because she lifts me. Challenges me. Reminds me that showing up, again and again, is where the magic happens.
Jo and I met in 2018 on what was the inaugural ride for the CLAW riders group. Since then under Jo’s tutelage and with lots of own effort I have progressed from an unskilled cyclist to a decent mountain biker.
So it was a great honour for me when Jo invited me to be her partner on the 2025 Sani2c multi-stage event. As often happens in life, our ride did not happen in 2025 and was rescheduled to 2026. This year we have dedicated a lot of time and effort to our training and I look forward, with a lot of butterflies in my stomach, to our team’s participation in about a month’s time.
And then there’s my person. My constant. Sean Badenhorst.
What he’s endured over this past year alone deserves more than recognition, it deserves a full trophy cabinet and a luxury holiday of his choosing. After facing his own health battles, including a heart attack and surgeries, he’s still found the energy to support me through this journey.
And let’s be honest, supporting a tired, hungry, slightly obsessed, and newly “selfish” wife isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
But he’s given me the time. The space. The encouragement. The unwavering belief that I can do this.
And that makes me one very lucky Average Jo.
Joanne is the least selfish person I know. Always putting others needs or wants before hers, including her family’s. So, I have been impressed with her commitment to preparing for 2026 Sani2c, where she’s not only shown commitment and discipline, but has actually changed her character somewhat to put herself first, which she deserves.
With just a month to go before KAP sani2c, I’m choosing to believe that I’m on track. Not perfectly prepared. Not without nerves. But ready enough.
Ready to take on the challenge. Ready to embrace the discomfort. Ready to prove to myself that average doesn’t mean limited.
If I can cross that finish line each day with a real smile, mud, sweat, and all, then I’ll know I’ve done something extraordinary. Because sometimes, being “above average” isn’t about being the best. It’s about being brave enough to try.
There are still some spots left if you’re keen to enter the 2026 KAP sani2c. For more information and an online entry link, click here.
