It’s about saving childrens’ lives
Arvid Loewen has a very unique talent. He can ride a bicycle further, faster and for longer than anyone else can even begin to imagine. In mid-July the 54-year-old grandfather set a new mark for the Guinness Book of World Records when he rode his bicycle across Canada - from Vancouver to Halifax - in an astounding 13 days, six hours and 13 minutes.
Loewen's record is no easy feat. It works out to be about 450 kilometres a day for nearly two weeks. That's more than 20 hours a day in the saddle of a bicycle hoping for tailwinds and fighting headwinds, pumping up the Rockies and pedaling steadfastly around the clock with scarcely any sleep. Extreme swelling in his legs took him off the bike for 12 hours just east of North Bay, Ontario, but he got back on and kept going.
Who would do this, and why bother? Loewen says he wants to lead by example. No, he isn't suggesting everyone should become endurance cyclists. Rather, he wants to help people who are disadvantaged and to demonstrate that anyone is capable of doing something to address the problems of the world. He knows he can use his abilities to inspire, motivate and challenge people to get active and involved. “It's within us to make a difference," he says.
The plight of orphans compels Loewen to do more, and he carries a picture of a rescued child in his jersey to carry him through the long, dark and demanding sections. “Children who have been abandoned by everyone but God need us," he says. “That's what keeps me going at 2:00 a.m." His record ride has inspired many and raised about $350,000 for his charity of choice, the Mully Children's Foundation in Kenya.
There were no Terry Fox throngs when Loewen rolled into Halifax, just a handful of family, friends and supporters while a group back in Winnipeg clustered at his home church to watch the finish via live feed. What they saw was a man of incredible strength of both body and character make a few humble remarks with every effort to redirect the focus from his accomplishment to the reason he ran the race - to save children's lives.
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