​The journey from the Canada border to the Mexico border along the Pacific Coast covers about 1,650 miles, with roughly 80,000 feet of elevation gain and loss along the way. Tanner Faris, a lifelong cyclist and a middle school teacher in Eugene, remained unfazed by the challenge. He aimed to surpass the fastest known time for the route, which stood at nine days and 14 hours, set by Tyler Pearce, and he planned to do it solo with no outside support. Beginning in December 2025, Faris launched a demanding training regimen designed to build the miles necessary to finish the trip in June, after the summer break had started for Kelly Middle School.
During the Christmas season, while many Americans were resting, Faris kicked off the Rapha Festive 500—a challenge running from December 24 to 31 that encourages cyclists to cover 500 kilometers (about 310 miles). He noted that this period often feels like the hardest time to train: the days are short and the weather is unfriendly. He also commuted to and from the middle school on weekdays, adding about 10 miles to his daily round trip. But his most demanding mileage came on Saturdays, when his training was most intense. His Saturday rides began at 100 miles and grew in distance, culminating in a 250-mile round trip to a Jollibee restaurant in Portland roughly three weeks before the main Pacific Coast attempt.
“After that, it’s just tapering and making sure that you are 100% ready to go, resting to the point where you’re almost bored—where your body is primed to hit the road on day one,” Faris explained. “It typically takes about six months to get my legs under me and my mind right.”
Tanner Faris stands before a sign that reads “California Welcomes You.” His spouse, MJ Faris, said their strongest reaction when Tanner revealed his plan to attempt the Canada-to-Mexico route in record time was a deep, supportive one, including taking care of their two children while he was away. “He’s always chasing the next big thing in cycling,” MJ remarked. “I’m here to help make it happen, to do whatever it takes to ensure his ride unfolds the way he wants.”
Jonathan Sullivan, a college friend who grew closer to Tanner as his cycling interest deepened, recalled the moment Faris first shared his record-aspiring goal. The two had planned to watch a football game at Sullivan’s house—an outing Tanner biked to—and Sullivan remembered Faris hinting, with a quiet confidence, that he planned to set or aim for the record. “We’d just put his bike on his car rack, and I asked if he had any big rides planned,” Sullivan said. “He gave me a soft launch of the idea that he wanted to set the record. I was blown away, though I’d already known what he had done before—this is a guy who has tackled major rides with relentless determination.”