Greg Kolodziejzyk greg@pedaltheocean.com
- July 2010 – World record attempt: first human powered ocean crossing from Canada to Hawaii
- Sept 2008 – World record for the most distance traveled by human power on water 154 miles
- July 2006 – World record for the most distance traveled by human power on land 647 miles
- Oct 2006 – Ironman World Championships
- Greg has completed 12 Ironman triathlons, two dozen marathons, qualified for Boston marathon, completed two 100 km ultramarathons and is now training to complete a 100 mile ultramarathon.
Greg believes that human power is the most awe-inspiring yet underutilized source of power on the planet. His goal is to inspire you to explore your own human powered potential. Greg’s mission is to conquer the world by human power:
- Set 3 WORLD RECORDS using human power: on Land, on water and in the sky
- Cross the Pacific ocean by human power
- Cross the Sahara desert by human power
- Cross the Greenland Icecap by human power
- Complete the toughest Ironman triathlon on the planet
- Complete the toughest 100 mile ultramarathon on the planet
- Complete the toughest bike race on the planet
Greg’s wants to show us what is possible when we step away from our comfort zones, and boldly strike-out to realize the greatness that we are capable of when we tap into our bold HUMAN POWER. And he’s not just talking about our physical power – as in running a marathon or bench pressing 300 lbs. As Greg has shown, the human being is far more powerful than we can possibly imagine.
Greg believes that success comes with having faith in your potential – understanding the incredible potential of your human power, and then setting bold, ambitious goals and GOING FOR IT! In the words of Goethe “What you can do or dream you can do, BEGIN IT. For Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”.
Greg Kolodziejzyk is a successful entrepreneur who informally retired from the business world when he was in his mid-30s – to focus on improving his health and meeting new challenges. He started by signing up to compete in a triathlon. After losing 50 pounds racing and training, he went on to complete 12 Ironman distance triathlons, with a 4th place finish in his division at Ironman Arizona in 2006 earning him a coveted slot to compete at the Ironman World Championships in Kona Hawaii.
Exploring the Limits of Human Power
It had been a childhood dream of Greg’s to make the pages of the Guinness Book of World Records – to be the best in the world at something. His new found fitness became the foundation for his next challenge. Greg set out on a quest to earn his first world record – to travel farther than any human has ever traveled under his own power in one day and claim the 24-hour human-powered vehicle distance record. At the start of the project, Greg didn’t
own a single tool. By the end of it, he had designed and fabricated one of the fastest bicycles in the world – the Critical Power human powered vehicle (HPV) – a carbon fiber bullet bike weighing in at 50 pounds, with a cruising speed of 50 kph (31 mph) and a top speed of 100 kph (62 mph).
After a failed attempt at the world record in Alabama in 2005, Greg went on to pedal his Critical Power 1041 km (647 miles) in 24 hours around a race track in Eureka, Ca in the summer of 2006. He had earned him his first world record, a coveted position on Page 112 of the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, and the cover of Popular Science magazine!
After conquering land by human power, Greg set his sights on the water. After an unsuccessful attempt at the human-powered boat 24 hour distance record in the summer of 2007, Greg broke endurance-kayaker Carter Johnson’s 242 km (150.34 miles) record on Whitefish lake in September of 2008, pedaling his ultra-efficient trimaran boat a total of 245.16 km (152.33 miles) in 24 hours. He was now the proud owner of two world records, and another spot in the 2010 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
Crossing Oceans by human power
As part of his on-going efforts to show the world the amazing potential of human power, Greg is now focused on crossing the Pacific ocean from Canada to Hawaii in a special pedal-powered boat called “WiTHiN”. The attempt is scheduled to begin in July 2010. After building and testing a prototype human-powered ocean boat, Greg and his team are now busy testing a new expedition boat. If successful, this journey will earn Greg a “world-first” – as the first person to travel this route under his own power. A number of sea trial and training expeditions are planned for Winter 2010.
Fighting Childhood Obesity One Bike at a Time
Greg’s pursuit of the limits of human power inspires a refreshing ‘do more with less’ philosophy. It also opens up opportunities for a larger discussion he feels is desperately needed, confronting the serious issues we face with skyrocketing childhood obesity rates.
As part of the Pedal The Ocean project, Greg would like to give away 3000 bikes to 300 kids, but he needs your help. Sponsor a mile for $50 and for every mile that Greg pedals WiTHiN across the Pacific ocean, Kimberlee’s Bikes for Kids charity will donate one bicycle to a deserving child who can’t afford one. If Greg makes it to Hawaii he will have travelled 3000 miles. With the help of your generosity, that could mean 3000 bikes for 3000 kids!
Motivational Speaking
Greg is a successful and inspiring motivational speaker. His spirit is contagious. His message is vital. Greg’s motivational speech entitled “Bold!” is an entertaining look at the kind of attitude it takes to realize a dream, based upon the immortal words of German Poet Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe:
“What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it, for
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”
Greg lives in Southern Alberta with his business partner, training partner, best friend and wife Helen, and their two teenaged kids Cody and Krista. He is currently training for the human powered Pacific ocean crossing record attempt which is scheduled to depart from Tofino, BC in early July, 2010
