Rob Peterson, a 62-year-old retired tennis coach, is making world records on his stationary bike while supporting efforts by Operation Lifeshield in Israel.
Peterson holds the world record for the number of miles ridden on a stationary bike. He has ridden 120,185 cumulative miles to gain the title.
Peterson resides part-time in Bandera. While he started out living in Rockport, he discovered Bandera and “fell in love with it.”
He runs a ministry with his wife called 2 Christians 4 Israel.
Peterson is a member of Christians for Israel. Using the notoriety from his world records, he says he uses his stationary cycling campaign to raise awareness of antisemitism and to raise money for bomb shelters, emergency equipment and support for Israeli citizens.
He refers to this support as his mission. Peterson raises money for Operation Lifeshield, an organization founded by a small group of friends who saw a need in 2006 for bomb shelters in Israel. Operation Lifeshield’s mission is to provide Israel’s threatened communities with the protected air raid shelters needed.
Operation Lifeshield provides three types of shelters to protect schools, kindergartens, synagogues, parks, sidewalks, bus stops, and senior day care centers. Each shelter can protect up to 15 children and can be accessed in 20 seconds.
Lifeshield shelters are constructed in Israel by leading manufacturers of steel-reinforced concrete products. Because they are manufactured in Israel, they can be deployed quickly. The shelters comply with the strictest construction guidelines and have the approval of the Israeli Defense Force Home Front Command.
Two-hundred air raid shelters have been deployed throughout Israel using donations from Christian and Jewish organizations around the world.
Peterson holds several world records found in the Guiness Book of World Records. He holds the world record number of tennis serves, with 8,017 accomplished in 10 hours and 7 minutes.
He also is the record holder, along with his partner Ray Miller, in longest tennis volley. Their record is 17,062 strokes in 9 hours and 6 minutes.
In 2016, Peterson first participated in a benefit for multiple sclerosis, which started his world record journey.
He resides in Bandera currently but spends part of his time in San Francisco, where his daughter lives. She is battling MS.
Peterson has not let retirement slow him down. He had hip replacement surgery in 2021 and is still shooting for his goal of 250,000 miles on the stationary bike.
He rises early each day, around 3 a.m., to reach his daily goal of 75-100 miles on his stationary bike.
He moves his bike around to ride in different places. He rides in parks and public spaces, as well as at his home. Another goal of Peterson’s is to obtain a tour vehicle to help spread his message.
Peterson is also participating in the Senior Division of Operation Push Up. His goal is a million pushups in two years. Aside from riding his bike, he also does 1350 pushups each day.
Peterson sees his support of Israel and raising the awareness of antisemitism as his mission. He engages in fitness activities as an extension of his career in tennis.
Even though he is retired, he is a man on a mission who sets his sights on faraway goals.
