A. Šeputis, who has been working at „Vilvi Group“ for four years, will start his journey on July 30, Thursday, and plans to finish the next day – Friday.
An ambitious route through two countries
Starting in Tauragė, the engineer will pedal to Vilkyškiai, then visit „Marijampolės pieno konservus“, then the factory in Kalvarija, and then cross the border to reach the „Baltic Dairy Board“ factory in Bauska, Latvia. After a short rest in the neighboring country, the second day’s route will stretch to „Kelmės pieno“. The 630-kilometer challenge will culminate with the finish in Plateliai, where a „Vilvi Group“ event will be taking place at that time.
According to A. Šeputis, the idea for such an unconventional challenge came naturally.
“When I pedal, my thoughts often drift to everyday matters, so during one such ride the idea was born to combine my biggest hobby with work. It seemed to me not only interesting but also symbolic to connect all the „Vilvi Group“ companies into one route in one go, by my own strength,” says A. Šeputis.
He states that „Vilvi Group“ constantly supports communities, sports events, and various initiatives, so he wanted to do something special himself, especially since no one had yet completed such a challenge.
A passion that unites the family
Although the company has many active people, A. Šeputis will go on this trip alone. He admits that it would be difficult to ride in company because everyone is different – some faster, others slower.
“Riding a bike in a group is a completely different dynamic, you have to adjust to others, which is exhausting over long distances. Riding alone, I will be fully responsible for my own strength, able to set a pace comfortable for me personally and enjoy the process itself,” says the specialist.
Long distances alone do not scare him at all; on the contrary – riding alone is calmer because he feels responsible only for himself. While pedaling, Aivaras usually listens to radio stations, and when riding without music, he reflects on his life, work, and future plans.
Cycling entered A. Šeputis’s life a few years ago when a former track and field coach suggested trying cycling together. This attempt led to A. Šeputis not only liking the sport but also belonging to the regional cycling team of his hometown Šilalė.
The passion was caught not only by him – bicycles take up a large part of his whole family’s life. His children, wife, brothers, and parents actively ride. Although special attention is given to cycling, the family promotes an active lifestyle and enjoys other sports as well.
Motivated by the goal itself
Speaking about preparation for this challenge, A. Šeputis says he did not train specifically but prepared the bike responsibly to avoid surprises during the trip.
According to him, much more attention will be paid to nutrition, which will be one of the most important parts of the journey. The cyclist will have to consume a lot of carbohydrates and water because a lot of energy will be needed. And the biggest motivation on the road will be the challenge itself.
“In such distances, physical preparation is only one side of the coin; the rest depends on mindset. I think the scale of the set goal drives me the most – the more difficult the challenge seems, the greater the motivation to overcome it,” summarizes A. Šeputis.
The „Vilvi“ group consists of the companies „Vilkyškių pieninė“, „Modest“, „Kelmės pieninė“, „Kelmės pienas“, „Pieno logistika“, „Marijampolės pieno konservai“ and the company „Baltic Dairy Board“. The group processes about 1500 tons of milk daily and produces about 430 tons of dairy products, which are exported to more than 80 countries worldwide. Currently, the „Vilvi Group“ team consists of more than 1,400 employees working in more than 200 different professions.
Read more Copies of the book in the world: LNM presents a unique collection of cross-crafting photographs
