JACK THOMPSON: STEADYRACK BRAND AMBASSADOR AND ULTRA-CYCLIST
Venturing into a journey that defies limits and tests the very essence of endurance, Jack Thompson stands out as a beacon of inspiration in the ultra-cycling world. In this blog post, we take a look at his life and accomplishments, exploring the passion, determination, and resilience that have propelled him to the top.
Perth born and bred, like Steadyrack, I’m excited to be representing the brand globally. Steadyrack have been big supporters of mine for a number of years now so it’s fantastic to make it official and join the team!
Cycling history: what made you start cycling, how old were you, what was your first bike.
I got my first bike at age 13. My younger brother wanted a ‘road bike’ for Christmas and being the jealous type, I decided I needed one too! Santa brought me a second-hand Giant OCR in bright yellow and that was really the beginning of my cycling journey. I still remember that first ride with clip in pedals…Trying to clip in while riding up hill, I must have fallen on the grass 3 or 4 times before I got the momentum going to get up the hill!
Goals and ambitions: what haven’t you completed that you absolutely want to in your lifetime.
This s a tough one. Athletically, I feel as though I’ve achieved most of the things I want to achieve. I don’t have any major bucket list events but rather social impact projects where I can combine my extreme cycling with helping others. Ultra cycling can at times feel like a very lonely sport and while there’s a time and a place for that, I want to use my abilities to give back. I want to inspire children to dream and reinforce to adults that exercise is one of life’s most powerful drugs. If I can continue ticking off these goals, I’ll remain motivated and stoked on life.
Your top cycling memories/achievements.
My biggest achievement was back in 2022. I set myself the task of climbing 1,000,000m of elevation in a year and part of that was to ‘Everest’ 52 times on 52 different climbs. The entire year was a rollercoaster of fatigue, emotions, highs, and lows. I proved to myself what I was capable of and raised €500,000 for mental health non-profits in the process. I’m yet to feel a sense of elation higher than this as part of an athletic goal (for now) but that’s something I’m working on, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
What does your life look like outside of cycling?
I’m a professional athlete that loves to switch off from being a professional athlete. I suffer from ADHD and so I tend to hyperfocus on things. In the past, I’ve become so fixated on my goals and aspirations, that my ‘non-bike life’ falls to the wayside. This is something I have been and continue to work on. My wife and I recently relocated to a small village in the mountains of Spain with only a small number of cyclists and I’ve found this has had a massive impact on my mental health. I train hard, I work towards my goals and then I switch off. I’m more motivated and better positioned to recover than ever before.
Your favourite bike.
Hands down the Specialized Roubaix. I’ve helped to develop this with the team in California and it is genuinely the fastest most compliant endurance bike on the market. I’ve broken 5 or 6 world records on this bike and can ride it for days on end without any discomfort.
Favourite cycling track/location.
I was lucky enough to ride across Bhutan with my father about 5 years ago. Talk about peaceful, the place is insane and the lack of traffic on the roads makes for incredible cycling. I’d love to go back and undertake a project there. Fun fact, the king of Bhutan is an avid cyclist so it’s about time I linked up with him for some time on the pedals!
We are thrilled to have Jack on board as one of our 2024 Brand Ambassadors! Check out his team rider profile here and learn which Steadyracks he uses to organise his bike collection!
Do you also want to see how Jack installed his racks? Have a look at his installation video here.
