Sister From Tucson Church Grabs the Attention of the Sporting World as She Begins Her Cycling Extravaganza

Ever heard of the ?Flying Nun?? No? Then let?s take this opportunity to get ourselves marveled at a phenom called Mary Ann Spanjers. We often are under the impression that an overly religious person must be someone boring. They usually won?t be tempted to experience the thrills of life. However, there stands Spanjers, tall, amidst all the others. In fact, she chose to become a ‘cycling’ nun, desiring to remain close to God and also to people.?

One of the biggest aims in her life is to serve the society and help the ones in need. To do this, she has never shied away from treading the perilous mountain ranges in Peru or surviving the humid conditions of Texas. And what does the nun do apart from teaching and social services? Cycling!?

Spanjers’ cycling journey: Religiously glorious

As surprising as it sounds, this sister from the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity is an avid cyclist. Spanjers had grown up watching her mother cycling as it was the only means of transportation for the Dutch family. The first lessons of the sport were instilled in her by her mother. After the unfortunate demise of her father, Spanjers? mother continued to cycle as she even won a Senior Olympics gold in Phoenix.?

Reminiscing her mother, who recently passed away, Spanjers reflected on her mother?s notions about cyclists. Spanjers stated, ?She always said, ?Cyclists are the nicest people. You never find a crabby bicycler.? Taking inspiration from her, Spanjers took her bicycle and embarked on her cycling glory. She has quite a lot of achievements and is now all set to ride in El Tour de Tuscon 2023. Coming from an entirely contrasting profession, her accomplishments in cycling are something to marvel at.?

Mary Ann Spanjers? achievements

Spanjers rode a whopping 500 miles to Sarasota from Pensacola. She also achieved the unique feat of riding on her bicycle from Cincinnati to Cleveland. After she was diagnosed with breast cancer and later cured, the Flying Nun decided to honor herself by cycling. She participated in the EL Tour 2018 where she persisted for the entire race.?

Read More: ?There Was No More Teamwork? ? Jumbo-Visma Team Director after Massive Mixup on Angliru Climb at Vuelta a Espa?a

Spanjers could not resume her 100-plus mile training this year due to the unbearable heat. However, she is riding high on confidence and is ready to participate in the 32 or 62-mile race.

Mary Ann Spanjers? story is truly unbelievable and an inspiring one. It goes on to show that humans can do so many things if they want to. They just need to have a good heart and the zeal to work for the betterment not only of themselves but also of the community. Wishing Mary Ann Spanjers all the very best for her race and other endeavors that she will attempt in the future.?

Watch This Story: Unveiling the Top Saddles for Endurance Cycling: Your Guide to Long-Distance Comfort