Legends Never Stop Riding: Jubilee Live Free Race 2026 Main Race

By Anne Njoroge, Senior Public Relations Officer, Jubilee Group

When life knocked Caroline Mbutura down, she made a choice.

She could have retreated into herself. She could have given in to the pain of a difficult divorce and let it define her.

Instead, she got on a bicycle.

For the 57-year-old cyclist, riding has become far more than a hobby or a way to keep fit. It has been a way to heal, to rebuild, and to rediscover herself.

Caroline first learned to ride at just six years old on a neighbour’s bicycle. Years later, while living in the United Kingdom, cycling became part of everyday life, her main way of getting around. But it was only after she returned to Kenya and faced one of the hardest seasons of her life that the bicycle took on a much deeper meaning.

“I could have turned to things that would only make the situation worse,” she says. “Instead, I chose the bike.”

What began as an escape slowly became her anchor.

In the middle of heartbreak, cycling gave her something steady to hold onto. Each ride offered a little more than exercise: it brought mental clarity, peace and, above all, a sense of freedom. On two wheels, she was no longer defined by what she had lost. She was moving forward.

“It became my best friend,” she says.

That friendship carried her further than she could have imagined.

Through local cycling groups, Caroline found not only a sport but a community. Weekend rides opened a new world of friendship, challenge, and adventure. Her bicycle has taken her from the beaches of Diani to the hills of Lukenya, across the border to Arusha, and even through the gates of State House.

With every kilometre, she discovered something new, new places, new people, and new possibilities for her own life.

“Every ride teaches you something,” she says. “You discover new places, meet different people and experience new cultures.”

But the most important journey was not the one on the road. It was the one within.

Cycling helped Caroline become more disciplined, resilient, and strong-willed. The lessons she learned in the saddle began to shape how she approached everything else – her health, her finances, and her future. She learned that strength is built over time, through consistency, courage, and small choices repeated day after day.

“The lessons you learn on the bike don’t stay on the bike,” she says.

Now, at 57, Caroline credits cycling with helping her stay physically strong and mentally grounded. It has strengthened her body, supported her through menopause, and given her the confidence to keep challenging herself. For her, that matters deeply especially for women who may feel it is too late to begin again, or too late to choose themselves.

Her journey has also taken her into competition. Last year, Caroline finished second in the 75km Masters Category at the Jubilee Live Free Race, earning KES 29,500. But for her, the race represents more than a podium finish. It is another chapter in a story of resilience, proof of how far she has come since the days when cycling first became her lifeline.

As she prepares for this year’s Jubilee Live Free Race, Caroline is riding for more than herself. She hopes to see more women at the starting line, more women discovering the confidence, strength and freedom that cycling has given her.

Her message is simple: start.

“There are many cycling communities that teach women how to ride and organise safe group rides,” she says. “You don’t have to do it alone.”

For Caroline, the bicycle did more than carry her from one place to another. It carried her through heartbreak, into healing, and toward a stronger version of herself.

This September, when she lines up once again at the Jubilee Live Free Race, she will not just be racing for position. She will be celebrating the journey that helped her rebuild her life one ride, one kilometre and one brave choice at a time.