For my 24hr record attempt, I spent considerable time searching for a suitable venue. The Basin Reserve Cricket Ground which I used for my 2005 record has a fantastic 465m circular track, but is much busier these days, both with weekend events and general traffic. I was given one option in early November with no backup for inclement weather, so it was risky proposition.

The ideal venue would be flat, at least 400m in diameter, with no hard corners/turns. I contacted the Newtown athletic stadium, but they do not allow cycling on their running track. There is a concrete path around the athletic field, but with a couple of right angle turns it isn’t really suitable. Then I visited the Hataitai velodrome after seeing photos of their refurbished track. The steep banking was out of the question (I knew this from 2005), but there is a flat concrete track on the infield. Well, it looked good in the pictures. Turns out there are a whole lot of wooden planks across the track- not ideal to change riding surface every few meters. The 333m velodrome is also a bit small to be circling for 24hrs. I looked further afield to Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and even Masterton. The further I went, the harder it would be to organise support crew and logistics.

I had pretty much settled on the Basin Reserve until I went for a run and came across a concrete track at my old school, Newlands Intermediate. I walked past this field every school day as an 11/12yr old, but it was a looooonng time ago. They have built a 400m concrete track around the bottom field since, and it was a gem of find! The track is smooth, has little traffic, and seemed pretty fast. I was so excited I contacted the principal the next day, who was very happy to help. They’ve been very supportive, and will allow me access to the track and school hall for the attempt. A group of Newlands Intermediate students also came and interviewed me for their newsletter.

One cannot attempt a Guinness and IUF world record without making sure the track is measured accurately. I contacted Cuttriss, a surveying/engineering/planning company, who were involved in measuring the Basin Reserve which I used for my 2005 record. They sent a couple of surveyors, Brett and Ollie, to help me measure the track. I can’t thank you guys enough!

The track came out slightly shorter than expected, at 390.76m on the inner circumference. Not the worst outcome, but does mean a few extra laps to hit my goal.

photo credit: Brett Horne

It must be the worst kept secret, but many of you will know that I am having another go at the 24 Hour Unicycle Distance World Record. I set the world record on Feb 5th/6th 2005, riding 378.7km in a 24hr period. It was one of the toughest things I’d ever done, and probably something I never thought I’d do again. Well, fast forward almost 20yrs and I’m itching to have another crack.

My record stood for 2 1/2yrs, before Sam Wakeling (UK) smashed it with an incredible 453.8km ride in 2007. It was an amazing feat considering the technology of the time. Enough to put many off the pain and process of attempting the world record.

So what’s changed? The body is 20yrs older, but I’m going faster than ever. At Unicon, our world championships, I came 2nd in the 54km road race and 2nd in the 10km road race. That was for the overall, not my age group. Although I did not ride standard class in 2006, my times are equivalent or better than the year I was the road racing world champion.

The other major change is the technology. While geared hubs have been on the scene for a while now, I never felt they were suited for a long distance challenge. They are good for going fast for a short distance, but I don’t have the power to keep that pace for 24 hours. I will be using a standard ungeared 36″ unicycle, but the wheel is now 2kg (that’s right!) lighter than the wheel I used for my 2005 world record. Where the Coker Airfoil rim and TA tyre was the standard in 2005, now we’re on carbon rims with tyres that are 800g lighter, inflated with TPU tubes that weigh a fraction of butyl inners.

Add in 20yrs of experience pushing my body to the limit, some better handlebars and a comfortable seat, and I think I’m ready for the challenge!

I will be attempting the world record on the 16th/17th November 2024, 0800hrs-0800hrs, at Newlands Intermediate School, Wellington, New Zealand. Keep an eye on the 24hr Record Page for updates.