Ten years ago, a devastating knee injury stripped Bridget Rhodes-Moore of her two biggest passions.
She could no longer run, and her days playing cricket were suddenly behind her.
Staring down a black line at the bottom of a swimming pool wasn’t doing it for her. But one ride with a local bike shop changed everything. Within six months, she was packing up her bike for a riding trip in Malaysia.
Now 54, Ms Rhodes-Moore is gearing up for her second straight year in the Alcoa Cycle Challenge at Telethon — and she’s raising the bar.
“Last year I set myself the 1000-kilometre for $1000 challenge and it was just great to be involved,” she said.
Returning for its second year, the challenge pushes participants through a grueling eight-hour stationary cycling marathon held live at the Telethon Family Festival.
“This year, I thought I need to push that out a little bit more. It’s such a good cause raising money for children that need it, families that it’s going to make such a difference to in WA,” she said.
Ms Rhodes-Moore has set herself a massive goal to ride 1500km and raise $1500.
Having already clocked up roughly 1250km, her grand finale will see her pedal 80km from South Yunderup straight into the roaring heart of the Telethon precinct on October 18, before jumping straight onto an exercise bike for another two hours.
“It was buzzing last year, the whole city was just alive with people and colour so I’m excited to take it up a notch this year,” she said.
She is far from the only West Aussie pushing past the pain barrier.
Former Perth Wildcats star and mental health advocate Greg Hire is taking on the mammoth event despite battling a pre-challenge back injury.
He’s aiming for a punishing 500km across the weekend alongside a lineup of high-profile athletes and community stars.
“Being a professional athlete for 10 years with the Wildcats, I was always featuring on the panel and putting up my hands to be in the call room,” he said.
“Now it’s sort of that 360-degree moment where I’m trying to be the person who gets people to read out donations as well. It’s a nice little moment.”
For 13-year-old Constantine Gibson, every painful pedal stroke over his 300km weekend target carries deeply personal weight.
His younger brother lives with a rare genetic epileptic condition that causes frequent seizures.
“The eight hours is tough mentally and physically, but I just think about my family, friends, and of course, the kids who are in hospital,” Constantine said.
“I hope I can raise money to help the scientists help him. I just tell myself to keep pushing to the very end, it won’t last forever.”
It’s that exact grit that makes the annual community event one of the most vibrant corners of RAC arena on WA’s favourite weekend.
Alcoa Vice President Operations Elsabe Muller said the company was incredibly proud of how its workforce and the broader public continue to show up for sick kids.
“We’re very proud to be involved with Telethon and particularly of how our employees lean into it,” she said.
For riders like Ms Rhodes-Moore, the sore legs and exhausted muscles are a tiny price to pay for what’s at stake.
“What we go through riding is nothing compared to what some of the children or families go through on a daily basis,” she said.
“Medical research can go towards finding cures, better treatments, or alternative treatments so it’s all worth it. Absolutely worth it.”
Festivalgoers can come see the cyclists as they challenge themselves outside RAC Arena from 8am to 4pm on October 18.
