Good turn yields exercycle record

Press, 30 November 1987, Page 3

Good turn yields exercycle record

Martin Keen, of Christchurch, yesterday savoured a double victory ... a new world exercycle record and a S36H donation to assist a young New Zealander’s fight for life. At 6.36 p.m. on Saturday, Mr Keen pedalled past his previous world record time of 56hr 55min and 32s to raise about $3666 for Regan Chibnall. The Hamilton toddler is in Queensland awaiting a liver transplant Mr Keen was among the thousands of New Zealanders who responded to his plight by providing financial assistance. But for Martin Keen, a donation meant three

days of fierce concentration, pain and exhaustion. After cycling for about 981 km and breaking his record by four hours, the. new world record holder for the exercycle was out of bed by 11.36 a.m. yesterday. “I feel over the moon despite some very sore muscles and a crook knee which was playing up during the last 25 hours. But I had company throughout the ride and someone had even organised a video to keep us going during the nights. “But on something like this, you become totally psyched-up. You don’t think of anything else

apart from pedalling.’’ During the last minutes of his marathon while supporters prepared to toast the exercyclist, Martin Keen found new reserves .of strength to reach a speed of 25km/h r ~ and dismount unaided from the exercycle. He will now write to the “Guinness Boek of Records” to officially register his time. The donations received during the ride will meanwhile be sent to the Regan Chibnall Appeal. Today Martin Keen, an unemployed truck driver, will return to another important project — a search for work.