The Record Nobody Expected a 69-Year-Old to Break

Cycling around the world qualifies for a Guinness World Record, and until recently the oldest person to hold it was 56. Mark Herbst looked at that number at age 69, decided it was beatable, and spent the next chapter of his life proving it across 35,000 kilometers and 25 countries, raising funds for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in memory of his wife Jackie. Mark walks through what a legitimate circumnavigation requires, the route planning around antipodal points, and how four completed Race Across America campaigns shaped what he believed he could endure. He also talks honestly about the days he didn't want to get out of bed, why he needed the ride to be about more than himself, and what Jackie would have said if he'd asked her permission. What he found in northern New Mexico, riding alone at 7,000 feet, is the part of this story that stays with you. Topics: oldest cyclist around the world, Guinness World Record cycling, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Race Across America, endurance and grief GUEST: Mark Herbst | @‌marksepicride