Can a CTC member break Tommy Godwin's record of 75,065 miles in a year?

40 year old Steve Abraham from Milton Keynes has been a CTC member for over 2 decades and has always loved riding his bike. Even when he was 8 years old he wasn't interested in how fast he could cycle, only how far he had travelled. 

I was about 15 when I heard about Tommy Godwin record and always wondered if I could do it."

Steve Abraham
CTC Member 

Steve told CTC: "I was about 15 when I heard about Tommy Godwin record and always wondered if I could do it. Then two years ago I decided to start planning. I thought I could spend another year working in a warehouse all day or I could be out on my bike. I have given up my job and saved up some money."

Many cyclists believe Tommy Godwin's record is unbeatable, now that the roads are busy with cars and junctions. Steve has to average over 205 miles a day, every day, for a whole year to beat the record. He'll said he will be riding the most efficient routes and isn't working towards an average speed, just to his heart rate to make sure he is going as far as he can in under 16 hours of cycling a day. If people ride alongside him, he won't wait for them or speed up to catch them - he has to stick to his meticulous planning or he will burn out or not get enough miles in.  

Steve has a schedule and has been planning his strategy, he says: "I intend to ride at an easy pace that I know from my test rides that I can keep up for days and nights at a time. However, I will intentionally up the pace for periods of time. Starting with few short periods of higher paced riding and building up until I find out what I can maintain on a daily basis. Then I will try and increase the higher paced riding without allowing myself to become over tired."

Steve would like as many CTC members to be involved as possible and is inviting people to join him on route or meet him at a cafe stop to encourage him on his journey. He is also asking if cyclists would help with the record breaking attempt by offering him a bed for the night. He is looking for places all over the UK, but won't be riding anywhere really hilly or in city centres where there are too many traffic lights. 

Steve rode 100 miles aged 13, he then went on to cycle long distances in the school holidays, travelling much further away from home than his parents allowed. Steve soon joined the CTC Herts, as he lived near St Albans. He was one of the regulars who turned up for Sunday club runs and went on to lead rides for the group, including one on the quieter roads around the whole of the M25. He was soon introduced to Audax riding and currently has the highest lifetime Audax points total.

You can follow Steve's record breaking attempt on the One year Time Trial website and Twitter.