So how far do you reckon you can get in one hour. On a bike. A push bike, not a motorbike. The one hour record has just been broken, at 32mph (or 52kmh). If you fancy your chances do it now as Bradley Wiggins is due to give it a go later this year, so it could change soon!
Meanwhile how far do you reckon you go in one year. Yes really. The mileage record so far is 75,000 miles. Which when you think about it, and yes it is mind boggling if you do start thinking about it is, is over 200 miles day.
Well this year that record is being challenged. Underway right now, Steven Abraham, who started the challenge in the calendar year, just like Godwin, is near 10K miles by this last week of February, with a possible target of 80K miles.
To make it a possible movie deal this attempt itself is being challenged, by an American. To make it more of a pantomime our guy is heroic and doing it on marmite sandwiches (or similar) and probably stopping for a beer or two. The upstart will be all high technology and isotonic drinks. Also quite rightly the yank is derided by plucky brits as he’s riding a recumbent (well sometimes), and cos he’s riding in fair weather on flat roads, but mostly just ‘cos he not a plucky brit. He might have the psychological advantage of following the record-attempt but maybe that will turn into his disadvantage.
In terms of accomplishing this feat it takes logistical planning skills, supreme athleticism but also sheer bloody-headed determination. So we know we’re going to win cos we’re good at that. Besides which, whatever they both do, only one man has ridden it with a veggie diet during a war, Tommy Godwin!
