Utah endurance cyclist Matthew Lefthand spent 10 nights in an altitude tent — an enclosed canopy over his bed which lowers oxygen levels to simulate high-altitude environments — before attempting to become the fastest rider ever to cover 200 miles on a standard upright bicycle.
But that was only one aspect of his meticulous preparation that included months of aerodynamic testing, equipment optimization, nutritions strategies and training to sustain roughly 200 grams of carbohydrates per hour during the effort.
Lefthand rides at about 4,400 feet elevation near his South Ogden home, but traveled to Colorado late last month for the record attempt at 7,700 feet, where there is less air resistance.
On July 29, he became the first rider in history to average more than 30 mph over 200 miles on a certified road course using a standard upright bike, according to the World Ultra Cycling Association. He averaged 30.11 mph riding an aerodynamic time trial bike back and forth over a 61-mile, pancake-flat stretch of Highway 17 in the San Luis Valley in 6:38:31.
Lefthand, 33, also set records for 100 km, 200 km, 100 miles and distance covered in six hours, which were also certified by Guinness World Records in partnership with the cycling association.
Larry Oslund, World Ultra Cycling Association records chair, ratified the achievement.
“Matthew smashed the previous 200-mile record by 30 minutes. During this ride, Matthew also broke all lesser distance existing records by a similar margin including eclipsing the 6-hour record of 168.30 miles with a jaw-dropping 181.13 miles — nearly 13 miles more, averaging over 30 mph,” he said.
Lefthand attributed the record-setting ride to years of consistent training, countless hours of planning and an “incredible” support team that includes his wife Bailey.
“This one was special. I’ve been working on records like this for a while, and so this is really ramping things up,” said Lefthand, who already holds 39 Guinness World Records in endurance cycling.
The hosts of the Global Cycling Network, a YouTube channel with 3.6 million subscribers, called his sustaining that speed over 200 miles “absolutely bonkers.”
An unlikely endurance cyclist
After crossing the finish line, Lefthand could hardly lift his cramping leg to get off the bike. He just wanted lie on the ground, but he was happy.
“I’m not like a super highly emotional person. I think that’s part of what makes me handle these events so well. I can kind of like handle the stress of all of it. But it also means that I don’t necessarily like have this flood” of emotion, he said.
“I’m not one of those that crosses the finish line and is just overcome with tears or like cheering or something. It like takes some time to hit me. So I’ve tried to live in the moment and like smell the roses, as they say, a little bit more.”
Lefthand might be the most unlikely of record-smashing endurance cyclists.
Just five years ago, he weighed 270 pounds and had never really ridden a bike. He started exercising, eating right and training for marathons. He shed 100 pounds but the running injuries started to pile up. He jumped on a mountain bike stored in his garage one day, and hasn’t been out of the saddle since.
Ultracycling is any bicycle ride that is more than 125 miles in length or six hours in duration, completed as a single effort. Most races are much longer, according to the World Ultra Cycling Association.
Before taking on the 200-mile challenge, Lefthand earlier this year rode coast-to-coast — Oceanside, California, to Atlantic City, New Jersey — with three others in 6-1/2 days. He also set a record for riding 2,401 miles in seven days on his recumbent bike.
Chafing doesn’t slow the pace
The original plan was to start the Colorado ride at midnight but he pushed it back to around 3 a.m. because of rain and wind. The first half was low wind but also had the lowest temperatures, which slowed down the air and road, he said. The second half was warmer as the sun came up, but the crosswinds became stronger. There was hardly any traffic overnight but it picked up a little in the early morning.
The hardest part of the ride came from the chafing caused by a base layer he wore under his cycling kit to stay warm. The discomfort started just 30 minutes in. He thought about asking for scissors to cut it off but that have would upset his precise position on the bike to maintain maximum speed.
“I couldn’t get truly comfortable on my seat, so I ended up just letting it happen and also putting more weight on my shoulders,” he said. “This was a truly crappy part of the ride, but there was nothing I could do about it so I made the best of what I had to work with.”
In the end, Lefhthand reached one of what he calls his “A” goals.
“Crossing the 30 mph barrier over 200 miles wasn’t just a goal — it was proof of what is possible when preparation meets execution,” Lefthand said. “This is the biggest performance of my cycling career so far, and I believe it’s a doorway to even bigger goals ahead.”
His slogan is ‘No Limits Left.
Lefthand has his sights set on breaking the outdoor 24-hour record held by Austrian cyclist Christoph Strasser, who rode 637.66 miles on a closed-road loop at Zeltweg Air Base, Austria, in 2021. Lefthand rode 612 miles in 24 hours last year. He’s also contemplating going for the two-person record across the United States.
Also next year, Lefthand plans to ride to raise money for World Bicycle Relief, a nonprofit the provides bicycles for people in foreign countries who need transportation.