Runner Sophie Power says it was an “overwhelming tailwind of people pushing her forward” that helped her to set a new female for running the length of Ireland. The 41-year-old mum-of-three took three days, 12 hours and eight minutes to run 347.03 miles from Malin Head in the north of the country to Mizen Head in the south.
Sophie was more than three hours faster than the previous record holder, Mimi Anderson. But the impressive road running feat, which included a total ascent of 17,502ft, left the accomplished ultra runner “chronically exhausted”. She also suffered pain, injury and heatstroke during the record run.
Sophie, of Guildford, Surrey, told Advnture: “From quite early on I had very sore chafing around my bottom, like a nappy rash. Then my feet became sore and, from about 150 miles on, I had a painful right knee. The knee pain came from the constant camber of the roads.
“The nights were also tough mentally, and I felt vulnerable on the roads because of large vehicles. My cycling support Kate Strong stayed with me, but I felt scared and I was so tired that I started whimpering.” The weather was challenging, too.
“On days one and two there was torrential rain and a headwind and then, on the last day, it was very warm and I suffered heatstroke," said Sophie. "I just didn’t know if I could keep going because I felt so ill. My support crew did everything they could to try to cool me down.
“This record was achieved not just by me, but by an amazing group.
