James Golding launches 7-Day World Record Attempt

250 miles a day .. for 7 days? Madness!

Vitus Bikes ambassador James Golding has announced he will challenge the official Seven Day Cycling World Record next month in France.

Just five years ago Golding was given a 5% chance of survival and was forced to relearn how to walk. Since then he has cycled across countries and continents and contributed to a charity fundraising in excess of £2M. Next month’s record attempt will see him aim to break the current Guinness Seven Day World Record of 1740miles by riding in excess of 250miles a day. On April 12th 2014 James will embark from the North East Coast of France heading for Nice where he will turn around and ride back covering a similar route.

The 12th April is a significant date for Golding as it marks the fifth anniversary of the day he walked out of hospital after being given only a 5% chance of survival following his first cancer diagnosis.
Over the last five years he has ridden Across America, Mexico and France as well competing in The Alpine Challenge, Haute Route Alps & Pyrenees and countless other cycling events. Disaster struck again in 2010 when James first cycled across America and again in 2011 when he was diagnosed with cancer for a second time – yet again he went on to overcome the disease. Despite his journey to date James says that this World Record attempt has been one of the toughest challenges he has ever taken on.

“At times I feel like I’ve been pushed, pulled, punched, and kicked around, but this ride and the date are important to me so the time has come to stop preparing and to just make it happen, I’m tired of talking and planning about what I want to do so by hook or by crook we’re setting off on April 12th! The last few months have been manic as I’ve had to juggle trying to train, getting the route sorted, building a crew and arranging vehicle support whilst running a business and spending time with my family. In truth I’m not sure I've thought to much about it how significant this next month could be. I don’t think it’s much of a bad thing either as I've a habit of over thinking things at the best of times. In places my training probably been a little sporadic but I think it’s easy to think you haven’t done enough – but then how many us feel we have ever done enough when we stand on the start line! The main challenge with this record is to get your head in the right place within a couple hours of leaving the start line, having the vision of what you can achieve and knowing that you have the ability to meet the daily mileage target. As long as you trust the people around you to make the right decision it will all come good.

We’ll have further updates from James in the run-up to next month’s start – and a daily diary and blog from him during the big event.

James is supported by Vitus Bikes and will ride his 2013 An Post Edition Vitesse which has been kitted out with assistance from Mavic, Garmin and Hope Technology.

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JamesGolding Twitter Page
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