Sweat dripping off his face. His feet pumping relentlessly. His 47-year-old
back ready to scream in pain. Six bee stings burning and smarting.
For 24 straight hours, bicyclist Chris Paradysz fought through all
distractions and kept his eyes on his narrow path around the steeply
banked 0.2-mile oval track at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center.
And he kept his mind on the fight against lupus, a chronic autoimmune
disease that afflicts nearly 1.5 million Americans -- including his
19-year-old daughter, Allie.
By noon Sunday, Paradysz's cycling -- broadcast via webcam on
lifewithoutlupus.org -- had raised more than $40,000 to fund research
on systemic lupus erythematosus.
He also obliterated the cycling center's 28-year-old record for number
of miles traveled in 24 hours. Paradysz, who grew up in Coopersburg,
powered his way around the track 2010 times between noon Saturday and
noon Sunday, a distance of roughly 415 miles. If he had traveled that
distance on the road instead of going in circles, he would have ended
his ride in Cleveland.
''I always wondered who would break this record'' said a beaming Curt
Bond, 62, of Allentown who set the track's previous 24-hour record of
391.29 miles in 1980. The record had withstood three earlier attempts
to break it.
''If I had to choose someone, I'd pick him. Very humble, very kind, and what an athlete,'' said Bond.
Paradysz, who owns a direct media company and splits his time between Long Island,
N.Y., and West Palm Beach, Fla., dreamed up the record-breaking attempt
about nine months ago, according to his brother, Andy Paradysz of South
Whitehall Township. ''He said, 'Andy, I want to do something for lupus
... I'm tired of sitting around waiting for something to happen,''' the
brother recalled.
Chris Paradysz is no stranger to the velodrome. He had raced at the
same track when he was younger but had ridden only casually for years
-- until he started six months of work with a professional trainer to
beat the record.
''What he's doing is absolutely extraordinary,'' said Allie as her
father circled the track around her. ''I can't even find words to
describe how proud I am.''
Lupus isn't well understood, but is believed to involve the body's own
immune system turning against the skin, joints, kidneys, lungs and
other organs.
The more than $40,000 raised is enough to pay for at least a one-year
research fellowship, said Peggy Dowd, the executive director of the
S.L.E. Lupus Foundation. Chris Paradysz is one of the foundation's
board members.
Beside his wife, Angela, and his three children -- Allie, 15-year-old
Dani and 7-year-old Nico -- he paused when asked after the ride what he
wants to do next.
''Get my life back,'' he finally responded. ''I haven't seen my family too much.''
Also, he said, he's ready to ditch his 24-hour diet of energy drinks
and canned nutrition shakes and ''just get a nice bowl of pasta and
chill out.''
LINK: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_5cycle.6873201apr27,0,5669381.story