An Ontario man has cycled 30,000 kilometers around the world to raise money for cancer research in honor of his late wife.
Mark Herbst, 69, who lives east of Bracebridge, Ont., cycled through 25 countries over the past 11 months in memory of Jackie Herbst, 55, who died in December 2021 from squamous cell cancer. In the process, he raised approximately $50,000 for the University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Cancer Center.
On Monday, Herbst arrived in Toronto from Bangkok, where he began his trip on January 7.
Herbst, who describes himself as a “pretty competitive guy,” says he undertook his epic cycling journey because he needed a challenge and a “daily purpose,” but also because he wanted to honor his wife’s spirit.
“She was my everything,” Herbst said. “She was my greatest support.”
Herbst said his wife was “super fit” and had finished the Ironman and loved Crossfit. The two met when he was 40 years old and she was 30.
“We loved sharing life together,” he said. “We just smile all the time.”
During his trip, he said, “I felt his energy.”
Herbst, who documented his bike trip on social media, said the trip lasted 324 days. Some parts of the trip required disassembling his bike and flying from one country to another, before starting out on the bike again.
Once he’s done the paperwork to validate it, Herbst hopes to have set the Guinness World Record for the oldest person to cycle around the world.
The trip was logistically difficult, but the people were “amazing”
Herbst said the trip itself was logistically difficult because every day he had to plan where he would go during the day and where he would spend the night. However, people along the way helped him tremendously, he said.
“About half of my time I was just in a tent and a sleeping bag and I had to find a place to stay. And then I had to make my dinner and then I had to make my log book and my journal. And then I had to think, OK, where am I going tomorrow? Is there somewhere I can stay? Is there somewhere I can get water? It was like mind-numbing.”
Herbst said it was the same thing over and over for days and it was difficult if it rained or if he had to travel through countries where there was no coffee.
But he said he met “incredible, amazing” people. “There are good people everywhere,” he said.
In Australia, for example, some people emailed him support, donations or offers to take him out to dinner or a beer.
One email said: “You’re walking through our city. We’re not going to be home. But the key is under the rug. Make yourself at home.”
He once had a flat tire and there was no bike shop for 2,000 kilometers. One man drove 1,100 kilometers to bring him a tire, Herbst said. In total, he had three punctures and went through 15 chains. Every 2,000 kilometers you would have to inspect your bicycle.
“It’s in bad shape,” Herbst said of his bike in an interview with CBC Radio. metropolitan morning on Tuesday.
Herbst returned home once for three days in July to join the anniversary celebration of C3, a triathlon group he used to train with. He was worried he wouldn’t want to leave again, but he did and finished the trip.
As for what he plans to do next, he said he wants to exercise muscles not used in cycling and write a book.
Barrie Shepley, a friend, supporter and Olympic coach, said he is delighted Herbst has finished his journey. Shepley also lost his wife to cancer.
“Eleven months ago, I felt a big knot of nerves in my stomach when he went to Bangkok, meeting a guy, alone, 25 countries, 30,000 kilometers, all the things that could go wrong, the language, the weather, etc.
“I’m very happy when it came to Vancouver and now when it comes to Toronto,” Shepley said while awaiting arrival at Pearson International Airport.
“His achievement is beyond words,” Shepley added. “I’m very proud of that guy.”
