Ken Harris Sets New World Masters Hour Record (Track Cycling)

On Sept 24th, 2008, Ken Harris broke the UCI Masters 40-44 hour record at the Trexlertown (indoor) track in Pennsylvania.

He rode over 45.5 kilometers per hour or 28.25 mph for 60 minutes.

(The record is pending official certification)

Amazing. Masters is over-40.

Here's a great interview with Ken. You get some idea of how difficult this accomplishment is.

Masters Track Cycling Winner Interview

MG: Why? What got you interested in going for the record.

KH: Last year I managed to to qualify for the elite track nationals, and began doing some rather specific training for them — steady state maximal efforts on rollers. I managed a 385 watt hour right before nationals.

The effort is relentless. The position I’ve worked out doesn’t allow much adjustment fore-aft, arm angles, or anything but where I put my thumbs. There’s only one best line, the cadence is dead on the same.
It just eats at you.

You’re in one position at one pace on one line and you just have to get used to it, but not too used to it, or you slow down. I had to cycle through every mind game I have to keep me going and focused. Between 30-40 minutes is the worst. You really don’t wish that part on anyone. Between 30-40 minutes in is just close enough to deeply, deeply fail.

See the link above for the rest of the article.

Congrats to Ken Harris

For reference here's a list of Best Hour Performances" for Masters

Age....Distance (Km)............Name.............................Date............Location
30-34....47.7644..............Curtis Gunn USA................20/11/04....Carson, USA
35-39....44.838................Jean-Philippe Meret FRA....15/09/06.....Manchester, GBR
40-44....45.5...................Ken Harris USA..................24/09/08....Trexlertown, USA
45-49....49.3610..............Kent Bostick USA...............25/09/99....Manchester, GBR
50-54....44.89.................Maas Van Beek NED...........19/10/06....Amsterdam, NED
55-59....44.5488..............Stephen Lehman USA.........22/09/02....Manchester, GBR
60-64....41.7192..............Franco Gagliardoni ITA.........26/08/04....Bogata Columbia
65+.......42.0450..............Derek Hodgins GBR............23/03/99.... Manchester, GBR

Quite amazing and belies the idea that people have a rapid decline in physical ability after their 30s. A sixty-five year old man going 42km (26.125 miles) in an hour is just stupendous.

My best time (though in traffic and wind is only 18.3mph)