Hi, I’m Marius — I retired in 2023 and a year later started bikepacking as a means to see the world on a shoestring budget, get into nature and “To keep the old man out!". I am a cyclist, storyteller, and ordinary guy who believes that suffering can be turned into joy when it’s done for the right reason.
I’ve always been drawn to the open road, long distances, and the quiet clarity that comes from moving slowly through the world on a bicycle. Over the years, cycling has taught me humility, resilience, and gratitude — lessons that became the foundation for Suffer for Joy.
Suffer for Joy is a personal initiative born from a simple but powerful idea:
to turn miles into smiles.
Through long-distance cycling adventures and bike touring adventures, I raise funds for abused, abandoned, and vulnerable children — with a current focus on the children of Herberg Children’s Home in the rural town of Robertson, South Africa.
Many of these children have never experienced the joy of celebrating a birthday. That reality deeply moved me and led to the creation of the Herberg Birthday Fund, to bring dignity, joy, and birthday celebrations to abused, abandoned, and vulnerable children creating a memory and telling a child: "You are seen”, “You are loved”, and “You matter." Something that most of them have never truly experienced.
I’m not a professional athlete or an influencer. I’m just a retired guy who believes that consistent, small monthly contributions — when multiplied by caring people — can change lives. Every kilometre I ride carries the names, stories, and hopes of children who deserve a brighter future.
Suffer for Joy isn’t about me
- It’s about community
- It’s about dignity.
- It’s about choosing to do something hard so someone else can experience joy, and
- Hopefully, encourage other likeminded people to join me on this mission.
If you’re here, thank you for being part of the journey. Together, we really can turn suffering into joy — one mile at a time.
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