CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio) — A Chicago cyclist pedaled his way into the record books, again.
Phil Fox has broken the Guinness World Record for circumnavigating Lake Huron by bicycle, completing the more than 1,000-mile journey in 69 hours and 33 minutes. The feat, verified by the World Ultra Cycling Association, required nonstop riding across parts of the U.S. and Canada with only a single sleep break.
“The first 600 miles was nonstop... no sleep breaks,” Fox said. “The most we stopped was maybe 10 minutes to change my riding kit.”
After a planned rest at a Motel 6 in Sudbury, Ontario, where Fox slept for just three hours, he was back on the bike and finished the final 400 miles straight through.
The endurance ride isn’t just about setting records. Fox is using his long-distance cycling to raise money for multiple sclerosis research, a cause that became personal in 2011 when two of his best friends were diagnosed with the disease.
“All of these long-distance records that I go after or races I participate in, I funnel support through Bike MS and the National MS Society,” he said.
His Lake Huron ride raised more than $10,000 for the organization, contributing to nearly $250,000 he’s raised over the years through various Bike MS events.
Fox has now completed rides around Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and Lake Huron–each one a certified record. Only Lake Superior remains.
“There’s one left,” Fox said. “I think it would be hard to stop now.”
Fox’s final goal is to complete all five Great Lakes before someone else breaks his records.
“I mean, records are made to be broken,” he said. “But I want to see if I can get all five before that happens.”
The public can still contribute to his fundraising efforts at TeamPhilFox.com.
The next local Bike MS Tour de Farms event, which launched Fox’s journey, takes place June 21 in Maple Park.