Tai Chi practitioner Wade Green admits he was not feeling incredibly 'zen' trying to cycle up the Desert Rd, but he's chuffed his efforts to reach Wellington have earned him a nomination in this year's Pride of New Zealand awards.
The Tauranga man has been nominated by his Taoist Tai Chi Society peers after completing a solo three-day excursion to help raise money to pay for a Tai Chi instructor's learning trip to Canada.
Mr Green's March ride also tied in the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Taoist Tai Chi Society of New Zealand.
Mr Green said he had "done a fair bit of cycling events" and the trip to Upper Hutt, to attend a Tai Chi international workshop, made sense.
"I thought it might be a bit different to cycle down there, and it sort of escalated from there," Mr Green said.