ARM STRONG

Guinness Record, New York Marathons – just another line crossed off on cyclist Rob Martin's to do list. Reporter Adrienne Rewi talks to a man mad about cycling.

Photographs Adrienne Rewi


Rob Martin with his New York
Marathon medal.

Offer Rob Martin a challenge and he'll take it. And if that comes with a competition factor, even better.

Rob (Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Māhaki), lost his lower right leg after a motorcycle accident in 1985 and from there has carved out a highly successful sports career. Fresh from his third New York Marathon, raced on a hand cycle in November, Rob, 43, takes time out from cycle repairs at his Halswell home to talk about his successes and his ambitions.

"I'm very competitive and getting fifth this year was just the best feeling ever. I was second in the 2008 marathon but I finished in a better time this year so I was happy.

"Being part of the New York marathon is amazing. There are over two million spectators and they all go mad. It's a real party atmosphere for the whole 42 kilometres," says Rob.

Rob and success are good friends. In 2007 he raced in two demonstration stages of the famous Tour de France; he is the only hand cyclist to have completed Le Race between Christchurch and Akaroa; and he is both the 2009 Canterbury and National Hand Cycling Road Race and Time Trial Champion.

Dianne Locke, Rob's fiancée, says the keen cyclist is always up for a challenge and he agrees.

"There's nothing I like more than being out on my bike. I had just started cycling before my accident and I can still remember the frustration of waiting for my leg to be built after I came out of hospital.

I needed to know what I could do as an amputee. I wanted to know my limitations."

Rob came to hand cycling through trial and error. He returned to the gym after his accident and starting lifting weights.

He then ventured into track and field events, conventional cycling, kayaking, swimming and wheelchair racing but none of them felt comfortable.

"While I was swimming someone asked me if I'd be interested in playing wheelchair basketball. I went along for a look and I ended up becoming very involved in that and I never looked back. I played in the first New Zealand wheelchair basketball team in Australia in the late 80s; but when someone lent me a hand cycle I was hooked," he says.

From there, Rob immediately decided to ride the hand cycle from Hokitika to Christchurch with his mother, Win Martin, as support crew.

"That took me 15.5 hours over two and a half days and I was the first person to cross the new Otira Viaduct. Afterwards Mum checked with the Guinness Book of Records and they awarded me the Guinness Record for the longest journey (247km) by a handcranked cycle. That record no longer stands but it was pretty special getting it back in 1999," Rob says.

Among his many achievements since are his participation in the Gold Coast Half-Marathon on elbow crutches in 2000; his crossing of Cook Strait in a kayak with former Olympian Ian Ferguson in 2002; his first New York marathon on a hand cycle in 2001; and his sixth placing in the European Hand Cycle Circuit in 2007.

Now he has his eye on the big prize – participation in the 2012 Paralympics in London and he's prepared to continue his punishing weekly training schedule of boxing workouts and training rides with able-bodied road cyclists to make sure he's fit and ready.

"Riding is everything to me, I love it and I'd go mad if I didn't train. I'm totally dedicated and I never back away from a challenge. I particularly love the freedom that hand cycling gives me and although I still ride a motorbike, it's always the hand cycle that I'm keen to get out on. I don't want to let any of it go until I've pushed it and myself as far as I can."