Unicycles Welcome For Cycle The Seacoast

The Cycle The Seacoast virtual event is going strong and some riders are even breaking records!

Bob LeBlanc of Wakefield, MA is the first person to complete the 100 mile event on a unicycle, and he's not done yet!  Wakefield lost his father to lung cancer back in 2009.  He decided to support the American Lung Association by taking part in this virtual event.

LeBlanc has raised over $1,000 toward Covid-19 research and he's not stopping yet.  He's continuing to ride his unicycle to raise awareness for this great cause.

LeBlanc tells us that he's been riding a unicycle for over 20 years. He rode as a kid and got away from it for a little while, but got back into it in his 20's.  He used to mountain bike but saw people riding unicycles in the woods. and decided to give it a try.

Unicycling is night and day because there are no handlebars, LeBlanc says. He uses a little handle on the front of his seat, but the height makes it difficult.  And the balance is "something you need to gain a lot of skills to stay on the thing!"

LeBlanc says that when he rides over 20 miles he's pedaling thousands of times, because there is no coasting like on a bike.  There are no gears, so you just keep cranking along!  He's doing about 15-20 miles once or twice a week on the road.  He says he likes to go as far as he can every time he goes out, but there is no resting on the unicycle.

Cycle The Seacoast is an annual event where riders can take part in 25, 50 or 100 mile routes.  The American Lung Association had to make some adjustments this year due to Covid-19. They were able to make the event interactive as well with the Cycle The Seacoast Strava Club.   Strava is a free app that lets you track your miles on your phone as you go along, according to the American Lung Assocation.

According to their press release, the Cycle The Seacoast virtual event has more than 200 participants and they've raised over $65,000 toward their $100,000 goal.