Copyright © Rebekka Markert
Design by Dzignine

Über mich

Ich kam erst spät zum Radsport. Nicht so wie andere in Jugendjahren, sondern erst, als ich bei Rennen schon in der Seniorenklasse gestartet bin. Radfahren bedeutet für mich Freiheit und eine große Leidenschaft. Ich liebe die Bewegung, die Natur, Puls und Speed, ich liebe technische Trails und lange Schwarzwaldtouren.
 
Heute blicke ich auf 3 semi-professionelle Rennjahre zurück, die ich neben meiner Selbstständigkeit als Grafik-Designerin irgendwie gemanaged habe. Mit voller Leidenschaft und ganzem Einsatz. Es war eine wahnsinns Zeit und ich habe viel erreicht. Mehr als ich je gedacht hätte.

Danach war ich in sämtlichen Disziplinen unterwegs, sei es Cross-, Enduro- oder Rennrad-Rennen, es war alles dabei. Ich hatte keine Lust mehr auf das getaktete Leben und Einhalten eines Trainingsplans. Ich wollte andere Disziplinen ausprobieren. 

Eine schwere Rückenverletzung in 2018 bedeutete das Renn-Aus. Seitdem stand ich an keiner Startlinie und es ist okay. Heute fahr ich nicht mehr so viel Rad aber ich liebe es nach wie vor. Ich kombiniere es mit vielen Wanderungen und seit mein Hund Mio bei mir ist, bleibt eh nicht mehr so viel Zeit im Sattel. 
 
2014 hat fizik ein Interview über mich veröffentlicht.  Hier die Story wie ich zum Radsport gekommen bin: 

What's your story?
 I’m 34 years old and working as a graphic designer in my own business: Rebekka Markert Design, a small advertising agency based in Freiburg, my hometown. Freiburg is located in the south west of Germany on the edge of the Black Forest which is Germany’s mountain bike paradise and residence of several mountain bike champions (Moritz Milatz, Adelheid Morath, Alexandra Engen, Hanna Klein).

When did you start cycling?
I got into cycling quite late back in 2008 through my ex-boyfriend who was working for Bianchi and ex-pro triathlete. He gave me my first road bike. Before that I only had a bike to get to work or to the club on. My first races were in the morning with other cyclists on the way to work through Munich! I used to smoke and worked a lot but sport was always a part of my life but more to allow me to ‘switch off’. During that time sport became more and more important and I started running and training on the road more.

When did you start racing?
I got my first mountain bike in late 2009, just before I moved to Freiburg. By pure chance I found myself in a road training camp in Mallorca early in 2010 and Matthias Ball, the camp guide and two-time European masters champion, said I was talented and should try racing.
One of my clients – Benny Jörges from BQ-Cycles in Freiburg – provided me with a training plan and in May 2010, just a few weeks after turning 30, I competed in my first mountain bike marathon. I managed to get on the podium which was unbelievable and I thouhgt, “This must be my sport!”
Since 2013, I have been training more and working less but my work is still a big and important part of my life and I try to balance both things.

How much of your time do you spend training?
Last month, I spent around 14-15 hours per week. Sometimes it’s more, in race weeks it’s less. A month ago I trained 20 hours per week on the bike, this is pretty much as difficult as it gets. As I have to balance training with work. For me I have the perfect job, because I can go outside when the weather is good and go for a ride—when it’s bad I stay at home and work. (I work at home so I don’t have to waste time on travelling to the work place, coming back and preparing something to eat, change clothes etc.).

In a largely male dominated sport, how important is it for you to feel feminine?
For me, it’s very important to feel feminine in this sport because there are so many woman out there who look like men. I like to have my race- colored painted nails and look pretty on the start line. I like it when everything matches: my nails, my bike, my clothes. I like to show that I’m a woman and that I can be strong in technical sections; that I can race for hours, even in the cold or rain; and that I’m tough like the guys – even with make up on.