RESOLUTION: What's Yours? A Microadventure in Micro Adventures

via vimeo.com

Thinking alot about resolutions and goals this time of year. Just heard a RAAM finisher speak. Accomplished ultra-endurance athlete, made my heart leap when he said he was getting into the s24o thing and wanted to ride all night and sleep in ditches because that's sort of my thing, like riding in crazy bad weather, cold, snow and rain. I wonder if he's discovered Allastair Humphreys and the microadventure thing. It's definitely a favorite meme of mine very much related to the s24o meme.

Tommy Godwin: 75,065 miles in a year

Godwin passed Nicholson's record on the October 26, 1939, with two months and five days to spare. Bennett achieved this distance nearly a month later, then climbed off his bike and answered the call to war. Godwin was allowed to continue, and on December 31, 1939 he'd racked up a massive 75,065 miles.

But Tommy wasn't content to settle with that - he continued riding until May 14, 1940, setting the record for the time taken to 100,000 miles - within 500 days.

Godwin's achievement was legendary beyond cycling fans. He met royalty, appeared on television, was interviewed by Richard Dimbleby for radio, and lent his image to advertising posters. The ride had taken its toll, though; Godwin required a period of rehabilitation to learn to walk normally and uncurl his hands. Yet within weeks he was serving his country in the RAF.

via cyclingweekly.co.uk

Quite simply put the ultimate feet in endurance cycling. While the current big records like round the world attempts stand at 160 or so days for about 18k miles Godwin did 75k in 365 days. A nearly incomprehensible 200+ miles a day. With mileage often in access of 300 miles a day. Rain, sleet or snow, in brittain, with only one day off for the entiire year.

Yakutat to Gustavus Coast‬‏

via youtube.com

Screw trying to summarize this up, just watch the video, preferably in full screen full 720p. One 20 second clip that will just blow your mind with its magnificence.

You can view more pics and read part one of the trip report here:
http://epiceric.blogspot.com/2011/07/yakutat-to-gustavus-coast-trip-part-1.html

Eric has been blowing my mind with his adventures since I discovered the videos from his "lost coast" trip: http://lostcoastbike.blogspot.com/

stand-up paddling 300 miles

A Hawaiian man completed what is believed to be the first ever crossing from the Big Island to Kauai on a stand-up paddleboard. It took five days alone at sea on his surfboard to cross the 300 miles of open ocean. He survived on dried foods and freshwater strapped to his board and slept on an inflatable mat that he’d tie to the top of it, occasionally getting awoken when a wave flipped his board and mat. He was treated for infected blisters on his feet, but was otherwise in remarkable condition. He wasn’t even sore - the hardest part, he said, was the mental anguish of spending five nights floating in the middle of the ocean on a surfboard.

via thegoat.backcountry.com

Another reminder that there are endless opportunities to push the boundries of human endurance in wild and wonderful ways.

'Marathon Man' completes 365 marathons in 365 days

This past weekend, 49-year-old Stefaan Engels of Belgium completed his 365th marathon, in 365 consecutive days. That's right, he ran a marathon a day for an entire year. Engels speaks to host Melissa Block.

via npr.org