A Moment on the Road: Sarah Ruggins and the Record-Breaking Ride of a Lifetime
A Moment on the Road: Sarah Ruggins and the Record-Breaking Ride of a Lifetime
A couple of days ago, I had a fleeting but unforgettable encounter on the A9. Driving north through the Highlands, I spotted a cyclist powering her way uphill—determined, focused, and visibly battling the road. I quickly pulled over, grabbed the camera, and captured a few frames as she passed.
That cyclist was Dr Sarah Ruggins, in the final leg of an extraordinary feat: riding from John o’ Groats to Land’s End and back again—2,700km in just five and a half days. She was solo and utterly relentless.
What followed—after brutal headwinds, steep climbs, sleep deprivation, a mountain of Mars Bars, and (bizarrely) a Highlands-traumatising pole dance from a cameraman (not me - I hasten to add) —was history. Sarah smashed the outright world record for cycling the length of Britain and back, beating James MacDonald’s previous benchmark for this epic journey, and taking not just the female record but also the overall record.
Even more inspiring is her story. A Canadian and relative newcomer to cycling, Sarah first got on a bike just three years ago, after losing the ability to walk as a teenager due to a debilitating illness. To now hold a world record for one of the most gruelling endurance rides imaginable? That’s the stuff of legend.
For those of us who live for the outdoors, human-powered journeys, and stories of grit and resilience, Sarah’s ride is a reminder of what’s possible when determination meets the open road.
Scroll down to see a couple of photos from that chance meeting on the A9—a snapshot of endurance in motion.
