Tommy Godwin (cyclist born 1912)
Encyclopedia
Tommy Godwin, was an English
cyclist who holds the world cycling records for miles covered in a year (75065 miles (120,805.1 km)) and the fastest completion of 100000 mi (160,934 km).
In 1939, Godwin entered the Golden Book of Cycling
as the greatest long-distance rider in the world. He rode 75065 mi (120,805.1 km) in a year, averaging over 200 miles per day.
(or newsagent) and with the job came a heavy bike with metal basket. The basket was hacked off and the 14-year-old Godwin won his first 25 miles (40.2 km) time trial in 65 minutes.
In 1933 he won the 'Best All-rounder Road Riding Competition
, open to all amateur cyclists in the United Kingdom. His average speed was 21.255 mph. His individual performances were :
began a competition for the greatest distance cycled in a single year. The first holder was Marcel Planes of France
, with 34666 miles (55,789.4 km). The record has been established nine times. A tenth claim, by the English rider Ken Webb
, was later disallowed.Ken Webb's claim was for 80647 miles (129,788.4 km) in 1972. Webb insisted he had completed the distance but others said he hadn't and he was removed from the Guinness Book of Records.
In 1937 the Australian Ossie Nicholson had regained his record from Briton Walter Greaves by covering 62657.6 mi (100,837.4 km). At 5am on 1 January 1939 Godwin set out to bring the record home. He wasn't alone; two other British riders started that day, Edward Swann and Bernard Bennett. Swann crashed after 939.6 mi (1,512.1 km), but Bennett fought it out with Godwin for the rest of the year. In sportsmanship their support teams, which included pace-makers, stopped at 50000 mi (80,467 km) to let the riders complete the attempt on personal merit. Godwin was sponsored by the Raleigh Bicycle Company
and Sturmey-Archer
.
Godwin's bike weighed more than 30 pounds (13.6 kg). As war came he rode through blackouts, his lights taped to a glow. Silk knickers were substituted for chamois inserts and Godwin maintained his vegetarian diet. For the first two months Godwin's mileage lagged 922 mi (1,483.8 km) behind Nicholson's schedule. Godwin increased his daily average beyond 200 mi (321.9 km) a day, and on 21 June 1939 completed 361 mi (581 km) in 18 hours, his longest ride of the record.
On 26 October 1939 Godwin rode into Trafalgar Square
having completed 62658 mi (100,838 km), gaining the record with two months to spare. He rode through the winter to complete 75065 mi (120,805.1 km) in the year.
In May 1940 after 500 days' riding he secured the 100000 miles (160,934 km) record as well. Godwin dismounted and spent weeks learning how to walk before going to war in the RAF.
. Godwin died aged 63, returning from a ride to Tutbury Castle
with friends.
The record is still open for challenge but not for entry in the Guinness Book of Records, whose editors say further attempts would be too dangerous.
on 31 December 1939. This recognised his record breaking exploits for averaging over 200 miles a day for a year.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cyclist who holds the world cycling records for miles covered in a year (75065 miles (120,805.1 km)) and the fastest completion of 100000 mi (160,934 km).
In 1939, Godwin entered the Golden Book of Cycling
Golden Book of Cycling
The Golden Book of Cycling was created in 1932 by Cycling, a British cycling magazine,to celebrate "the Sport and Pastime of Cycling by recording the outstanding rides, deeds and accomplishments of cyclists, officials and administrators." There exists only a single copy of this compendium of...
as the greatest long-distance rider in the world. He rode 75065 mi (120,805.1 km) in a year, averaging over 200 miles per day.
Early life
Godwin was born in 1912 in Stoke on Trent. To help support his family he worked as a delivery boy for a greengrocerGreengrocer
A greengrocer or fruiterer is a retail trader in fruit and vegetables; that is, in green groceries. Greengrocer is primarily a British and Australian term, and greengrocers' shops were once common in suburbs, towns and villages...
(or newsagent) and with the job came a heavy bike with metal basket. The basket was hacked off and the 14-year-old Godwin won his first 25 miles (40.2 km) time trial in 65 minutes.
Amateur career
After his initial time trial success he subsequently clocked inside 1 hour 2 minutes for 25 miles on four occasions, and covered 236 miles in 12 hours.In 1933 he won the 'Best All-rounder Road Riding Competition
British Best All-Rounder
The British Best All-Rounder competition, organised by Cycling Time Trials, is an annual British cycle-racing competition. It ranks riders by their average speeds in individual time trials, over 50 and and 12 hours for men, and over 25, 50 and for women. There are similar competitions for...
, open to all amateur cyclists in the United Kingdom. His average speed was 21.255 mph. His individual performances were :
- 50 miles, 2 hours 10 mins 12 secs, (23.077 mph)
- 100 miles, 4hrs, 40 mins, 6 secs, (21.428 mph)
- 12 hours - 231 5/8 miles. (19.25 mph)
Professional career
Godwin left his amateur status at Potteries CC to join Rickmansworth Cycling Club as a professional. After more than 200 road and time trial wins, the mileage record beckoned.World endurance records
In 1911 the weekly magazine CyclingCycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly is a British cycling magazine. It is published by IPC Media and is devoted to the sport and past-time of cycling. It is affectionately referred to by British club cyclists as "The Comic".-History:...
began a competition for the greatest distance cycled in a single year. The first holder was Marcel Planes of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, with 34666 miles (55,789.4 km). The record has been established nine times. A tenth claim, by the English rider Ken Webb
Ken Webb
Ken Webb is an English cyclist who at 42 claimed the world record for distance cycled in a year. He calculated he passed the 75,065 miles set by another Briton, Tommy Godwin on 7 August 1972 and that he finished the year with 80,647. He rode on to claim the record for 100,000 miles in 448 days...
, was later disallowed.Ken Webb's claim was for 80647 miles (129,788.4 km) in 1972. Webb insisted he had completed the distance but others said he hadn't and he was removed from the Guinness Book of Records.
| Year | Record holder | Country | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Marcel Planes | 34666 miles (55,789.4 km) | |
| 1932 | Arthur Humbles Arthur Humbles Albert Arthur Humbles was an English cyclist who set the world endurance cycling record by covering 36,007 miles during the calender year of 1932... |
36007 miles (57,947.5 km) | |
| 1933 | Ossie Nicholson | 43966 miles (70,756.2 km) | |
| 1936 | Walter Greaves | 45383 miles (73,036.7 km) | |
| 1937 | Bernard Bennett | 45801 miles (73,709.4 km) | |
| 1937 | René Menzies René Menzies René Menzies was a French long-distance cyclist who at 48 held a record for the greatest distance ridden on a bicycle in a year. He rode 61,561 miles in 1937. He was decorated with the Croix de Guerre in the first world war and was chauffeur to the French leader, Charles de Gaulle in the second... |
61561 miles (99,072.6 km) | |
| 1937 | Ossie Nicholson | 62657 miles (100,836.4 km) | |
| 1939 | Bernard Bennett | 65127 miles (104,811.5 km) | |
| 1939 | Tommy Godwin | 75065 miles (120,805.1 km) |
In 1937 the Australian Ossie Nicholson had regained his record from Briton Walter Greaves by covering 62657.6 mi (100,837.4 km). At 5am on 1 January 1939 Godwin set out to bring the record home. He wasn't alone; two other British riders started that day, Edward Swann and Bernard Bennett. Swann crashed after 939.6 mi (1,512.1 km), but Bennett fought it out with Godwin for the rest of the year. In sportsmanship their support teams, which included pace-makers, stopped at 50000 mi (80,467 km) to let the riders complete the attempt on personal merit. Godwin was sponsored by the Raleigh Bicycle Company
Raleigh Bicycle Company
The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history...
and Sturmey-Archer
Sturmey-Archer
Sturmey-Archer is a manufacturing company originally from Nottingham, England. It primarily produces bicycle hub gears but has also produced motorcycle hubs....
.
Godwin's bike weighed more than 30 pounds (13.6 kg). As war came he rode through blackouts, his lights taped to a glow. Silk knickers were substituted for chamois inserts and Godwin maintained his vegetarian diet. For the first two months Godwin's mileage lagged 922 mi (1,483.8 km) behind Nicholson's schedule. Godwin increased his daily average beyond 200 mi (321.9 km) a day, and on 21 June 1939 completed 361 mi (581 km) in 18 hours, his longest ride of the record.
On 26 October 1939 Godwin rode into Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
having completed 62658 mi (100,838 km), gaining the record with two months to spare. He rode through the winter to complete 75065 mi (120,805.1 km) in the year.
In May 1940 after 500 days' riding he secured the 100000 miles (160,934 km) record as well. Godwin dismounted and spent weeks learning how to walk before going to war in the RAF.
Later career
Godwin returned in 1945, keen to race as an amateur. However, despite a petition by fellow cyclists, the governing bodies ruled that having ridden as a professional he was barred from amateur status. Godwin became trainer and mentor to the Stone WheelersStone, Staffordshire
Stone is an old market town in Staffordshire, England, situated about seven miles north of Stafford, and around seven miles south of the city of Stoke-on-Trent. It is the second town, after Stafford itself, in the Borough of Stafford, and has long been of importance from the point of view of...
. Godwin died aged 63, returning from a ride to Tutbury Castle
Tutbury Castle
Tutbury Castle is a largely ruinous medieval castle at Tutbury, Staffordshire, England, in the ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster. It is a Grade I listed building...
with friends.
Commemoration
Godwin is commemorated by a plaque at Fenton Manor Sports Centre in Stoke on Trent that was unveiled on March 2005 by Edie Hemmings, the culmination of a 30-year campaign by her late husband, George.The record is still open for challenge but not for entry in the Guinness Book of Records, whose editors say further attempts would be too dangerous.
Citation in the Golden Book
Godwin entered the Golden Book of CyclingGolden Book of Cycling
The Golden Book of Cycling was created in 1932 by Cycling, a British cycling magazine,to celebrate "the Sport and Pastime of Cycling by recording the outstanding rides, deeds and accomplishments of cyclists, officials and administrators." There exists only a single copy of this compendium of...
on 31 December 1939. This recognised his record breaking exploits for averaging over 200 miles a day for a year.