Madden smashes a 50 year Road Record from Derry to Belfast

School Principal, John Madden who currently rides for Dig Deep Coaching, smashed the long standing Derry to Belfast record on Sunday 22 June 2014.

Despite the fact that John has held national cycling records in most of the standard distance time trials of 10, 25, 50 and 100 miles in both Senior and Veteran categories, was on the Irish triathlon squad for 10 years (1991-2000) and former national champion in that discipline, he was not satisfied and was always looking for new goals to achieve.

He set his sights on the Derry to Belfast record less than a year ago and began to plan how this could be achieved. The previous record had been held by Morris Foster MBE with a time of 2h 48m for fifty years. John doubted if the record could be broken given the changing road networks, increase in traffic, street furniture and traffic lights however he is a determined man and never gave up hope.

His ambition was further strengthend in 2013 when Derry's Tonya Moran took on the challenge and set a new record for women in a time of 3h 11m 35s.

Yesterday conditions proved to be just right and John achieved his dream smashing the record. This now has to be ratified by Cycling Ireland but with the profressional team of Maurice McAllister as Commissaire, Gordon Parker as Timekeeker and Alicja Cernák taking the photographs there is little doubt that this will be ratified. He clocked a time of 2hrs 37mins and 33secs; an average of 27.4mph for the 72 mile course.

Cycling Ulster would like to congratulate John on his new record and in believing in himself that it is possible to achieve your dreams. We would also like to thank all those who helped to make it happen for John. As well as the officials mentioned above others such as Stephen Gallagher of Dig Deep Coaching, Chris McElhinney, Bernard Doherty,  the Motorbike outriders all helped along the way as well as Tonya Moran and Morris Foster who came along to lend their support. (Apologies if I have left anyone out.)
Report Marian Lamb

Madden said, "I guess it all started when I did my first 100 TT three years ago, beat Bryan McCrystal, and won! I started to think maybe I could be
good at the long stuff ... it has taken me nearly 50 years to work it out but at least I got there in the end!

The last word has to be about the legend of a man who broke the record 50 years ago, Maurice Foster MBE. I spoke to Maurice over a year ago
and became obsessed with the challenge. He had no aero equipment, power meter or heart rate monitor for pacing just plenty of raw talent that
went with being 25 years of age and at his cycling peak. This was balanced against my difficulties in negotiating 40 sets of lights to his 4 and all
the traffic and road furniture that 50 years of development provided. Ultimately it came down to the same primitive limiting factors on human performance
for both of us. No doubt Maurice was hurting, big time, with 15 miles to go as was I but I had science on my side and a pacing and nutrition plan which
eventually saw me forge ahead having been down on Maurice time at the start. If the wind had been stronger in my favour and the traffic a little lighter
I might have gone a little faster ... I guess these may be the final thoughts that may well bring me to the start line again in the future?"

Pics Alicja Cernák