Dear Supporters,
I am writing to update you on Arvid Loewen, who, as you know, undertook an ambitious and exciting cycling goal in support of MCF. I will let you read the update in his own words, as he shared on Facebook (see below) last week.
I congratulate and thank Arvid & Ruth Loewen for using Arvid's platform as an athlete to inspire us to take remarkable action individually and collectively to support the children in need in Kenya.
I also want to thank all those who continue to donate toward Arvid and Ruth's campaign. Changing the lives of children in need is the most worthy goal.
Esther Atemo
Executive Director
Mully Children's F Canada
_________________________________________
The 10,000 km GWR is no longer in jeopardy.
But the 4000 children at MCF still are.
I am disappointed, but 100% certain that I (we) made the right call. I am no longer on the road in pursuit of the 10,000 GWR record. Yesterday, I got off the bike at 11 pm. I had suffered a lot, especially in the afternoon heat, to reach the 441.7 km existing GWR pace.
5 hours later, I had a breakfast of scrambled eggs and porridge, only to deposit all of it on Henderson Highway. My stomach rejected the nourishment I needed. The 7-day forecast didn't promise any relief either. The four day forecast calls for temperatures and humidex of mid 30-40 degrees. To make a much longer deliberating process short, I came to the conclusion that I, in my 65th year, am no longer able to ride at 400+ km daily distances. I will need to modify my cycling fundraising strategy again.
After a successful Race Across America in 2008 and then again in 2013, I had to DNF in 2017. I was 61. I also made the decision at that time that multi-week 24/7 cycling events would no longer be part of my extreme cycling fundraising platform. It was simply too hard at my age.
So instead, I did a 9000 km Deadhorse to Key West ride, a 15,000 km 'Celebration Ride' in honour of the 15,000 children that had graduated as adults from MCF. In 2020 I set the record for the Farthest Distance cycled in One Month. These events, while still very extreme, included an end and a beginning to each day. They included anywhere from 6-9 hours of recovery time, something I was able to still do. These were the most successful fundraising years to date.
Now I am faced with another change. I can no longer do 'multi-week' events, where my recovery time is less than 12 hours. Not sure what future cycling fundraising events will look like, but they will include some significant recovery time.
If you were considering making a donation to MCF at some point during my 22-day attempt, please consider making it even if I am not riding anymore.
If you are part of the 100,000 km = $100,000 match challenge, keep riding till the end of July. Together we can 'cash in' on the full $100,000 matching pledge.
As I said before; The record is no longer in jeopardy, but the children that need our help sure are.
Ruth & I thank you in advance for helping us provide 600,000 meals to children in desperate need.
