Originally Posted by
John_V
If you're wondering how 7,000+ miles a year is humanly possible, try wrapping your mind around 86,573 miles (237 miles/day, average) in 365 days. It was done by Amanda Coker on May 15, 2017 and is currently the Guinness World Record for most cycling miles ridden in a single year. She went on to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest person to reach 100,000 miles, which she did in 423 days; 77 days sooner than the 500 day record (Tommy Godwin, 1939) which stood for 77 years.That's her standing next to me in my avatar. She's the tall one.It was taken the day she broke the 29,603 mile, woman's world record (Billie Fleming, 1939) which she did in 130 days.
Originally Posted by
DrIsotope
Well, she was doing around 7,000 miles
a month-- averaging 237 miles per day-
- during her HAMR Year effort.
I still contend she did a mileage challenge in the absolute smartest way possible: ride a lot of miles without actually going anywhere. No traffic, no stoplights, no support vehicles, no mountains.
Just ride laps around Flatwoods Park 14,000 times.
I have been trying to wrap my mind around this since it was posted.
I concur - the math shows that to be around 237 miles per day average.
Regardless of where that mileage occurs, even if it was on an indoor track with a couple hundred thousand laps (pretty boring, but indoor = controlled climate = no weather delays) that is a questionable number. Even if that was on an indoor trainer with very minimal resistance - the motion of moving ones' legs burns calories
Is there any formal documentation that supports the validity of the mileage claims?
What I questioned when I opened this thread was how people could get up to the 7-10k mile range in a year - and the time commitment to achieve that. The answer to it largely comes down to a lifestyle that relies heavily on riding routinely. For those of us that have lifestyles that do not include a heavy reliance on cycling the riding we can get in is what we can do. So at the end of the day, and again - I was curious, I wasn't trying to say "my mileage is low how can I multiply it many times to get to x amount" - it comes down to "lifestyle".
However, I go back to Amanda Coker's apparent mileage - and that is 8 times more than that "10,000 mile/year" number that I would consider "very high". So if one's lifestyle relies heavily on riding and nets 10,000 miles, or a bit north of that, a year - how is it possibly to multiply that by 8? People have to eat, go to the restroom, sleep/rest, etc - just to function.
Someone at one point in the thread mentioned the term "if there is a will, there is a way". I also agree with that phrase. It just baffles me someone can ride so much.
Every once in a while I hear of people that conquer a "double century" = 200 miles in 1 day. I would say for most of us getting to the century point would be a "big ride". For me I haven't done that in about 4-5 years. To think of doubling that is unimaginable in my realm. To those that go "light and fast" maybe a double century to them is akin to a century for me - a big ride but possible.
Going back to Amanda's claim - averaging 237 miles - 37 more miles than a "double century" - in one day, each and every day for 365 consecutive days, on average (some days higher some days lower). So again - how is that possible? Going back to just the motion of moving ones' legs - it takes energy to do that alone, not to mention either spinning an indoor trainer or propelling ones' self and bike against all resistances. That's just mind boggling.
Originally Posted by
John_V
29,603 was the official world record set in 1939 by Billie Fleming. This was what Amanda initially intended to break and had a year to do it. However, she broke that record in just over four months. That left her with almost eight months to finish her year and decided to see just how far she could ride. When she broke Kurt Searvogal’s 77,000+ mile record with over a month left, she decided to continue until her 365 days were up. With just under 14,000 miles to reach the 100,000 mile record, she decided to shoot for that one as well.
Cool records and I can see the theory - if on a roll why stop? However, again, how is it possible? Is there formal documentation that explains the technicalities of making that happen?