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Last Updated: Jan 31st, 2008 - 16:25:03 |
Rose Leith (45) yesterday arrived at Fair Head cutting a full 1 hr 19 mins and 42 secs off the 53 year-old record set by Isobel Clements.
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| Rose Leith and the former record-holder Isobel Clements minutes after Rose finished the cycle |
Her journey started at Mizen Head on Saturday morning at 10:00AM and took her through West Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Offaly, Westmeath, Longford, Cavan, Monaghan and across the border where she continued on through Armagh, Tyrone and finally into Antrim. The 592KM (368 Mile) journey took 21 hrs 40 mins and 21 sec to complete an average speed of 27.33Km/hr. Isobel Clements was on hand to greet Rose when she finished her marathon cycle along with other cycling greats.
"I am so sorry that I have taken your record" Rose said to Isabel "but I am really delighted to have made it mine"
Rose who moved to Ireland 6 years ago from Zimbabwe works for Europcar in Sales and Marketing and has a Diploma in Sport Therapy. She has a background in ultra marathons and counts the 7 day run across the Sahara Desert among her achievements. She finished the 1000KM New Forest spin and the Welsh 12 hour Time trial covering 216 miles in 12 hours last year.
Trained by Aidan Ryan and supported by Paul O'Donaghue, himself a former record holder for this route, she is currently training for the Paris-Brest-Paris (1200KM) this summer. Rose cycles with Sorrento Cycling Club and sometimes trains with Bray Wheelers. Rose's licence is with Sorrento CC / Audax Ireland.
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| 1954 Record holder Isobel Clements and new record holder Rose Leith |
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| Isobel holding a copy of her article describing her journey all those years ago |
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| The record crew, Paul O'Donoghue, Rose Leith, Isobel Clements, Morris Foster (himself an 'End to End' record holder, having taken the record from Joe Hadden in 1964) and Aidan Ryan, (Rose's coach) |
Extract from the Sorrento club website.
The big day is here. June 30th. Rose is one her way from Mizen Head in Cork to Fair Head in Antrim. Everyone in the club wishes Rose every success and hopes she can follow in Paul O'Donoghue's record breaking steps from last year.
Thanks also to the many club members, and others from throughout the cycling community who are supporting Rose in this mammoth effort.
Update at 12 noon. Good tailwind. Passing Dunmanway. 18 minutes up on schedule.
Update at 3pm Good tailwind, Sunny Dry. Near Charleville. 5 hours gone and 32 min up on her schedule (this original schedule was to take 20 min, not 1 hr as stated earlier off the record)
Update at 17:50 50 min up at Limerick, now 7k from Nenagh, 30.3 kmh average.
Update at 20:05 300k completed, almost halfway, in 10hrs 5 minutes. Aidan say she is looking fresh.
Update at 20:45 3rd scheduled stop 312.4k, 74 min ahead of schedule.
Update at 22:40 225k to go, 76 minutes up on schedule, holding steady and in good spirits. Between Edgeworthstown and Cavan.
Update at 6:40 am Still on course to break the record. Estimating a 7:30 am finish, which would be 21:30 and 1:30 off the old record of 23 hours and 3 seconds set in June 1955 by Miss I Woods/Clements
Update at 7:29 am Going to finish in less than 15 min. Isobel Woods, now aged 78, at the finish to meet her!
Congratulations Rose! 21:40:21
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