by Nadia Sinclair

Imagine your much-prepared races being cancelled due to a global crisis and then, sculpting your own adventure. This is the tale of a 36-year-old ultra-runner who challenged herself to execute an extraordinary journey running from Land’s End to John O’Groats, a staggering average of 70 miles for 12 days. Showcasing an absolute feat of endurance, she crushed the women’s world record by more than 10 hours, completing the journey in just 12 days, 30 minutes, and 40 seconds. Have a look under the hood to grasp what fuelled this magnificent effort and how this determined athlete handled the gruelling miles and accompanying discomfort.

Already proficient in marathon running, she finds thrill in testing her mind and body’s capacity, constantly venturing into harder challenges with every attempt. The exhilaration of exploring new landscapes and the sheer liberty of the sport makes running enticing for her.

The Making of an Unprecedented Journey

Reeling from the cancellations of the Two Oceans (a 35 mile ultra marathon) and Comrades Ultra (an 89K ultra marathon), she nurtured the audacious idea of this landmark run. Four days of relentless planning utilizing the OS mapping tool lead to a viable route.

The challenge was physically and mentally gruelling, pushing the athlete into uncomfortable territories as she aimed to cover 70 miles every day, significantly more than her previous record of 62 miles. She carefully divided her routine into manageable blocks of 30 minutes and 10K chunks, generating small milestones to look forward to that aided in lifting her spirits.

Dealing with the Struggles

The robust athletic venture came with its share of high and low moments. Enjoying the sight of the entire country and the companionship of her sister bestowed an unforgettable positive experience. However, dealing with fatigue and pain pushed her into dark hours every day. This became particularly difficult on the last day when she could not run due to a leg injury.

Being an ultra-runner, she was no stranger to different types of muscle pain, but this journey tested her more than anything she had experienced. With the help of sports masseuses and a doctor, the pain was continually managed using a variety of techniques including massage, stretching, taping, and acupuncture.

Staying Fueled on the Go

The nutrition part of this extreme challenge was an amalgamation of energy bars, malt loaf, sausages, fruits, yoghurts, cakes, croissants, scotch eggs, and pizzas. The bountiful foods alternated every 30 minutes provided her the necessary stamina to keep going.

Breaking a World Record

According to our determined runner, this was undoubtedly the hardest challenge she has ever undertaken. Its difficulty pushed her to her limits, taking her out of her comfort zone and challenging her in ways she never imagined. The compelling desire to set a new world record that would reflect her grit became one of her primary motives.

In the quiet moments of self-reflection, she admits to contemplating never embarking on such a colossal challenge again. But the road ahead may already be beckoning her. Balancing her time between running, providing sport massages, guiding running adventures, and her love for yoga and musicals, she is an embodiment of an active and adventurous spirit. As for future goals, she aims to inspire women to embark on grand running adventures, write her book, and possibly plan for a run across the Pyrenees in the coming summer!

Endurance running is often considered 80% mental. The testament to this fact is the story of our trailblazing runner, who chose to conquer pain and embrace discomfort to achieve something truly incredible.

Keywords: ultra running, endurance running, women’s world record, extreme challenge, mental endurance, physical endurance, running adventure, marathon running, athletic venture