57.5hrs on a stationary bike

Well, he did it. Ray Chaplin spent 57.5hrs on a stationary bike (Trek MTB, with rear slick, on an indoor trainer) at the Cyclelab gym from 05h15 on Friday morning to 14h45 on Sunday afternoon. He cycled something like 1,030km in this time, taking only a few quick breaks to shower and stretch. Sleep? Not a wink.

As mentioned in a previous posting (About a guy, his bike and our beautiful country), Ray is a chap with a dream. Most admirable is that he doesn't just wait for things to happen; he makes them happen and pursues his own initiatives. And this is why he decided to spend over two days on a bike.

Ray called this initiative "57.5hr Cyclethon for Housing", a fundraising ride to raise money to build an old lady a house (she looks after numerous grandchildren and others in her community); in association with Habitat for Humanity.

The long and the short is that he did it. More admirable is that he did this ride in Joburg and not his hometown, Cape Town (Ray rode from CT to Joburg a month ago and will be flying back to Cape Town at noon on Monday). It's always easier to do something like this from your normal base, where most of your friends and family are located; it helps to make those nights shorter. Fortunately Cyclelab is a great location and Ray had support from spinning classes and riders during the day, with other visitors stopping in at night. But, he certainly had long, dark hours to get through on his own and I commend him for his tenacity and commitment.

Ray, well done. This is an achievement to be proud of. And I say so with conviction 'cos you wouldn't catch me with my butt on a saddle for that long. I'm in awe.

UPDATE: A video has been posted on The Times website - I make a cameo appearance ;) - www.thetimes.co.za.