BLOOMINGTON — It wasn’t just the bitter wind chill that had Thursday Gervais thinking about Siberia as she biked down Constitution Trail on a cold December day.

Next summer, Gervais, a Bloomington artist and ultradistance cyclist, will be riding across Russia in the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme race.

Even though the 24-day, more than 5,700-mile race is taking place in July and August, Gervais knows not to expect balmy weather.

“Their motto is, ‘Expect the unexpected,’” she said.

It can be as hot as 104 degrees during the day and as low as 41 degrees at night, Alexander Shestiperov, one of the race organizers, said via email.

The race crosses five climate zones, seven time zones, the Ural mountains and four of the longest rivers in the world.

Last year, only three of the six solo riders completed the race. All were men. In fact, “no woman has ever raced as a solo rider,” said Shestiperov. Gervais will be the first.

But she is used to overcoming challenges.

Four years ago, Gervais went through a battle with ovarian cancer.

“If I can beat that, I can beat just about anything,” she said, “so why not bike across Russia?”

Gervais has used cycling to recover her health.

She has competed in both triathlons and cycling events, but her current focus is on ultradistances. The 47-year-old won her age group in the 2015 24-hour World Time Trial Championships in Borrego Springs, California. She is a member of the Timex/Trek Multisport Team.

Long-distance riding gives her “peace of mind,” she said. “I like the challenge on myself. I like the goal.”

Riding across Russia in 2017 wasn’t her first choice. The Race Across America “was going to be my baby step” on the road to Russia, she said. But when Gervais contacted organizers of the Trans-Siberian Extreme about the 2018 race, they offered her the opportunity to race in 2017.

“I might not get that chance again,” she said, noting, “I’m not getting any younger.”

Shestiperov said the organizers have been following Gervais for a long time, mainly via social media.

“She seems to be strong as well from (a) sports point of view as well as mentally,” he said.

Gervais also will be working to raise awareness and money for the National Kidney Foundation.

Her race manager, Denile Hill, has had two kidney transplants. She met Hill through a Trek-certified mechanics course.

Gervais is hoping to raise $100,000 for the foundation.

Her training includes long rides on her bicycle both outside and inside on a “trainer” — a device that attaches to the back wheel of the bike.

Gervais goes to bed at 9 or 10 at night and is up at 3 or 4 in the morning to ride. On a typical day, she rides for four to six hours, she said.

“You have to train for sleep deprivation,” said Gervais. “It’s not about speed.”

Being a self-employed artist gives Gervais the flexibility she needs for training.

When riding indoors, she often uses a Zwift training program, which she described as a computer cycling game where you are racing against other people in real time. She also listens to music, watches videos, reads on her Kindle or listens to books on tape to pass the time.

“I train outside every chance I can,” she said. “Cold training is what’s going to be key for me.”