World record holder releases book about extreme biking
Posted March 15, 2014 12:27 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WINNIPEG (NEWS1130) – What do you do when your body says stop, but you’re determined to finish a race?
Extreme biker Arvid Loewen knows, and he’s written a book about his exploits.
The 57-year-old from Winnipeg holds the world’s record for the fastest trek across Canada by bike. It took him 13 days and 6 hours back in 2011.
But as he outlines in his book, When Quitting is Not an Option, he’s actually a veteran of punishing ultra bike marathons.
He says it’s time to share his story of triumph and of setbacks, both of which are familiar to Loewen.
“The book is focussed on what you do when you have disappointments,” he says. He managed to continue riding after failing to complete his very first bike ride back in 1994, and there have been several what he calls DNFs (did not finish) sprinkled in with his accomplishments.
And why does the grandfather of six continue to push his body to the limit?
He loves the competition.
“You’re experiencing something that most ordinary people don’t get to experience. Imagine at two o’clock at night, the tunnel is pretty dark in front of you. You just don’t quit.”
One of the aspects of extreme biking, as he explains in his book, aside from the pain, and the loneliness, is riding with little sleep.
“You’re on the clock. If you sleep for two hours, that’s two hours that you’re not making any progress. I usually get by with 90 to 120 minutes of sleep in a 24 hour period.”
Loewen’s efforts are usually accompanied by a fundraiser for an orphanage in Africa. He has raised $3 million for Mully Children’s Family, a place that houses 2,000 kids in Kenya.
This summer, Loewen will try to break the current record for biking 10,000 kilometres. He hopes to do it faster than 22 days.
