John Bleday (pictured) is all smiles shortly after arriving to Cape Cod following his 28-day cross-country bike ride from Seattle. Photo by Charlie Harrington.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Everybody is looking for ways to stay busy and fit these days. For Westwood native and Xaverian alum John Bleday ('10), that meant hopping on his bike this summer and cycling across the entire country.
"He just felt like doing it," said Bleday's cousin, Charlie Harrington, when asked about John's accomplishment. "He did so well, it was incredible to see him do that."
Bleday began his journey with his bike tires literally in the Pacific Ocean on June 27. He proceeded to bike every day for 28 consecutive days, only stopping to eat, sleep and for bathroom breaks. On July 24, Bleday arrived at the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of Cape Cod with friends and family there to greet him. Bleday jumped into the ocean to celebrate.
A four-year letter winner in track and cross country at Xaverian, and a captain of both the cross-country and indoor track teams, Bleday has always been a supreme individual sport athlete. He was a two-time indoor Division I mile champion, a two-time Indoor All-State champion in the mile, the Division I outdoor two-mile champion and the All-State champion in the two-mile. John also earned Nike All-American honors for his fourth place finish at the Nike Indoor Nationals in the mile.
Following high school, Bleday ran indoor track and studied accounting at Dartmouth. He won two Ivy League Conference titles (3000m indoors and distance medley relay), led the Green to multiple NCAA championship meet berths, and ran career-best 4:00.6 mile time. After Dartmouth, John received his masters in accounting at Boston College. Now studying for his MBA at Columbia University in New York City, Bleday continues to be one of the most intelligent - and athletic - specimens around.
For funny and incisive sports analysis as well as video highlights of games, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter and Instagram handles @flano0.
