While most people relax for their 65th birthday, Arvid Loewen is attempting to break another cycling world record.

"This year I will attempting to break the 10,000 km Guinness World Record for somebody to ride this in the fastest and shortest time possible," says Loewen. 

The previous record-holder was set by Guus Moonen from the Netherlands in 2010, when he cycled 10,000 km in 22 days, 15 hours and 34 minutes. This will actually be Loewen's second attempt at this particular GWR as the first time he tried breaking this it was in 2014. Loewen made it halfway before calling it quits. 

"With COVID restrictions I will be doing this [event] locally again on Henderson Hwy."

This same stretch of highway just outside of Winnipeg, Man. was where Loewen broke a Guinness World Record last July 2020. Loewen rode the farthest distance in 30 days, by cycling 11,617.99 km. During that time, he was on the bike roughly 16 hours a day.

To attempt this new record, he'll have to be on the bike for roughly 18 hours a day. Loewen says he'll wake at 4:00 am, be on the bike 45 minutes later and then only get off the bike at 11:00 pm. He'll be starting the event on June 28, 2021.

"It's still a possibility that I can do it. So much is dependant on how the weather goes but also on my mental attitude. I'm very happy to have a good cause. If I didn't have a cause that I wholeheartedly believed in, I wouldn't attempt this."

All these big ultra-marathon cycling goals Loewen does is for raising funds and awareness for orphans in Kenya through Mully Children's Family organization.

Charles Mully, who runs Mully Children's Family in Kenya. Charles Mully, who runs Mully Children's Family in Kenya. (Arvid Loewen/Facebook)

"It's a big one but I'm not afraid to attempt big things because I believe I have a 51 per cent chance of accomplishing my cycling goal, but I know I have a 100 per cent chance of making a difference."

To date, his cycling ventures have raised over $8 million. 

"It is a humanitarian effort, we are providing food, shelter, and all of that for the kids, but Mully Children's Family is very faith-based. Approximately 90 per cent of the children that they rescue eventually choose Jesus as their Lord and Saviour."

Getting People Involved This Year

"A lot of these events are very individual but I am always looking for ways in which people can participate."

Loewen offers two ways that people can get involved. 

"I'm inviting anybody that has a bike to ride and keep track of how many kilometre's you ride from now until the end of my event," he says. 

Participants are encouraged to ride alone or with a friend or family member. They can also ask others in their life to donate some money toward the ride. Loewen has found a very generous friend who says they will donate $1 for every km people collectively ride up to $100,000.

"It costs $0.50 for Mully Children's Family to provide one meal to an adult or to a child. If a child here in Canada rides 1 km, they're actually providing two meals to a child that desperately needs their help. It's a great opportunity to get children involved."

There is another way people can get involved, even if they may not own a bike or cannot physically ride a bike. On June 13-14, Loewen will be riding for 24 hours straight around Winnipeg. 

"I'm inviting Winnipeg MCF supporters to write a cheque for Mully Children's Family, put it in their mailbox, text or email their address and then I will be a bike courier for 24 hours in the city of Winnipeg."

For anyone interested in these ways to participate, they can check out Loewen's website