North to Alaska... on a bike [Winnipeg Free Press]
Lindsay Gauld has biked close to one million kilometres. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Lindsay Gauld is running out of cycling challenges, but he may have found one worthy of his efforts.
How about the longest and hardest winter bike race in the world?
A former Olympian who tracks his distance every time he gets on the saddle -- he pedals about 30,000 kilometres a year and is closing in on one million kilometres for his lifetime -- is currently plowing his Fatback bicycle through snow and ice in the 2012 Iditarod Trail Invitational.
The 1,609-km race follows the northern route to Nome, Alaska, and will take the better part of a week.
"Doing long events is something that is exciting and challenging and, much like other addicts, we adrenaline junkies find we need to continuously push the envelope," the 63-year-old Gauld said in an email to supporters.
The former owner of Olympia Cycle & Ski, who keeps in shape these days as a bicycle courier, considers the Iditarod as somewhere between a race and a long adventure ride. He estimates it will take him between five and six days to complete, so pacing is important.
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