Guy Martin drops out of world record attempt
‘I’ve got to stop it before it stops me’
GUY Martin has been forced to pull out of his latest world record attempt due to an injury.
The road racer and TV personality was 800 miles into a 4,802-mile cycle world record bid when he cancelled the attempt due to an Achilles tendon injury.
The 35-year-old was trying to break the record for the fastest cycle around the British coast and had completed 800 miles in under five days.
He had hoped to complete the journey in 20 days, beating the current record by two days, but said it had ‘not gone quite to plan’ in a statement on his website.
The statement said: ‘I’ve cycled over 11,000 miles this year, including the Tour Divide in America, to and from work most days and I spent three weeks in China in October, back for a few days at work, straight to New Zealand for ten days racing motorbikes, back for a few days at work and then off.
‘I badly pulled my Achilles tendon on the left side after a day or so but thought I'd just get my head down and work through it. I kept good miles up and got to John O’Groats from Grimsby in 4 days and 8 hours, about 800 miles. But my leg was getting worse and I thought I could keep going and maybe do the whole lot in 30 days but I knew I’d be jiggered for a long time after and maybe even have serious long-term damage, which would mean I couldn’t do the serious cycle trip I’ve got in my head for next year.
‘So I’ve put my push bike back in the shed for the rest of the year, giving my leg a chance to recover. I’m back at work and I realise I need to listen to my body more. By just manning up I was papering over the cracks. Thanks very much for the support, loads of folk wishing me well and that was mega.
‘It is what it is and like I said, “I’ve got to stop it before it stops me” and it did stop me.’
Martin, from north Lincolnshire, has already set several world records including the fastest speed on the Wall of Death, at 78.15mph.
In September he had to abandon a two-wheel land-speed record attempt after damp conditions led to a crash.
