IRELAND
WORLD RECORD
In May 2024 I took on the biggest challenge of my life: to set a Guinness World Record and become the fastest woman to cross Ireland.
After 347 miles, I crossed the finish line in 3 days 12 hours – 3 hours ahead of the previous fastest time!
About the Challenge
On Tuesday 28th May, I set off on a huge challenge to attempt to become the fastest women to run across Ireland.
The previous record was 3 days, 15 hours, 36 minutes set by the amazing Mimi Anderson in 2012. To beat it, I had to run over 100 miles every day with less than 2 hours sleep for the whole duration. Mimi was one of my ultrarunning inspirations when I started in the sport and has been so supportive throughout this whole challenge.
I took the same route as Mimi – starting in the very north in Malin Head and finishing at Mizen Head in the south. My amazing team kept everyone updated on Instagram and could feel the love coming in with all your messages, hundreds of people 'dot watching' on the live tracking feed, and the many people who turned up to see me on route in person. By the end of the challenge, it felt like the whole of Ireland was behind me!
I was also fundraising for SheRACES, to break down barriers for women in sport and get more women on start lines, achieving their goals and empowering them in the rest of their lives. The donation page will be staying live for a little while yet. So far I have raised over £5,000 to support the work that SheRACES does.
I couldn't have done any of this without my team behind me. My husband was by my side, juggling our two boys (6 and 9), the logistics of the challenge and driving the huge RV! And our Irish family too, giving so much love and support, while also looking after our daughter, who I was running back to as quick as possible!
Kate Strong cycled beside me on the roads, keeping me safe; Nick Kershaw kept everything running smoothly so all I had to do was keep moving; Liza Ponce was the best cheerleader and kept my socials up to date the whole time; and Phil Hill captured amazing photography along the way, as well as lending his own experience and knowledge.
Media Information
If you'd like to cover my record challenge, I have put together a Media Pack below with more information and visual assets. You can also contact me for interview requests.
Now it's your turn…
I believe setting a challenge and completing it can change your life, and I want to inspire and enable more women to do that. So I’m calling this 'Challenge You'.
Set a challenge outside your own comfort zone: as a GB ultrarunner, for me this was a much longer (350-mile / 563km) run; for others this might be 'Couch to 5K' or cycling to a family member in another town.
The challenge is unique to you.
Make it personal: A meaningful challenge makes it much easier to commit to training and keep pushing when the going gets tough. For me it was very personal, as I dropped my three-year-old daughter in the south of Ireland with her grandparents and ran back to her as quickly as I could! My husband’s family are Irish and it was an incredible opportunity for my two boys to connect with their heritage while supporting me.
Get the support you need: Getting a team alongside you is critical – 'if you want to go far, go together' – and without my family and friends, I wouldn't be able to do this. It can often feel hard for women to ask for help, which is a barrier we want to break down as with it we can achieve so much.
Please consider raising funds for SheRACES as well to help us break down barriers and enable more women to get to start lines and take on their own challenges.