The Cyclist
My name is Keith (Monty) Monteiro. I am a fifty-year old, highly successful supply teacher, currently working in a Dudley primary school and living in Birmingham, England. I am going to claim the new World Record for the “…circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle…” I seek partners to join a team effort to accomplish this phenomenal feat. Will you join?
My achievements on a cycle began whilst at school when I cycled 150 miles in a day with St Christopher’s Cycling Club. Then, to celebrate the end of our time at school, some friends and I cycled from London to Land’s End (my friends made it back whilst I took the train following a hair-line fracture of a vertebra received in a crash.) Nevertheless, this feat fired the imagination and ignited the passion to cycle further; Europe and even the World beckoned…
Sadly, “life” intervened and years (actually decades) passed. The dream, though faint, did not perish and was eventually re-ignited when a work colleague agreed to cycle from Land’s End to John o’Groats. The euphoria experienced after this event lasted for weeks and months. Initially I sought to keep the sensation alive via a weekly run, then two and then one, two and finally three circuit training sessions a week. At last I recognised that long distance cycling was “essential” and my friend and I arranged to cycle from Porto back to Birmingham.
Last summer I bought a “new” bike and cycled from Bangor to Birmingham in a day. I’d planned a leisurely cycle through Portugal and Spain before returning to Birmingham. On a flight to Biarritz, sharing cycling exploits with the pilot (before take-off…), I was dubbed a “hard core cyclist”. This got me thinking and, whilst away, I reasoned that if I could cycle 120 miles a day for six days, I could have a day off a week and challenge Mark Beaumont’s record. My planned leisurely cycle became a trial. I decided to cycle 120 miles a day for three days from Porto to the Algarve, have some time off and then return to Birmingham.
The first three days went reasonably well, even though I was ill planned, ill prepared and ill equipped. I attempted to rectify some issues whilst off, however my efforts were insufficient. Cycling through Portugal and France was not a serious problem but I had significant issues with route-finding through Spain. Although I took ten and a half days instead of nine days, over the three rides I averaged just less than 120 miles a day. I know I can do better with better equipment, planning and preparation as well as back-up. I seek partnerships to assist with travel, communications, IT equipment, insurance, route planning, administrative back-up/support, including web-site design and maintenance, publicity, sponsorship and funding for living expenses and equipment. I can do the cycling! What could you do?
As a fifty-year old, I am astonished at the opportunity to compete with the best the world has been able to offer to date; this would give me immeasurable personal satisfaction. I’d also relish the prospect of being in a position to inspire individuals to seek out and achieve their potential, particularly those who value academic success above other forms of achievement. I’d also welcome the opportunity to collect funds which would be largely invested initially to generate sufficient reserves to create an everlasting endowment. The proceeds of the fund would be channelled into securing the environment as well as combating world poverty.
I sincerely hope that you find the inspiration to join this collective effort. I believe passionately that we all have very specific skill areas which grant us the potential to achieve excellence. (I am thrilled to have finally tapped into mine!) Individually we are limited to outstanding achievement in these areas; collectively we are Team Invincible! What could we achieve, now and in the future?