British ultrarunner Sophie Power has set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest time running the length of Ireland.
The 41-year-old mother of three completed the 350-mile (563km) route from Malin Head in the north to Mizen Head in the south in just over three-and-a-half days, breaking the previous record held by Mimi Anderson by over three hours.
The Journey
Power started her challenge on May 28th from Malin. She followed the 2012 route of her inspiration, Mimi Anderson, and covered over 200 kilometers in the first 24 hours. Despite the heat and challenging conditions, Power kept up her pace.
Her support team posted updates on Instagram, noting the tough weather: “The heat is relentless, no breeze in sight. Sophie is really up against it. Her husband John is by her side every step right now.”
Power reached Mizen Head on May 31st, completing the run in three days, 12 hours, and eight minutes.
Support and Motivation
Power’s run was about more than breaking a record.
She aimed to inspire other women to take on personal challenges and gain support from their communities. “I’m doing this to inspire other women to set truly personal challenges – and get their family and friends behind them,” Power said before the attempt.
Power also used this challenge to raise funds for SheRACES, a platform she created to break down barriers for women in sports.
This initiative followed her experience of breastfeeding her three-month-old baby during the 106-mile UTMB race, which highlighted the need for better support for female athletes. Her advocacy has led to changes, including the UTMB offering full reimbursements or priority race access for athletes deferring due to pregnancy.
Power’s record attempt was supported by a four-person crew, including world-record endurance cyclist Kate Strong.
Her husband John and their two sons, Donnacha (9) and Cormac (6), traveled with her, also acting as the witness signatures needed for Guinness World Record verification. Power’s third child, her three-year-old daughter, Saoirse, stayed with her grandparents in the south of Ireland.
Post-Run Reflections
Reflecting on her achievement, Sophie said, “It’s a personal challenge: If it was all about breaking a record, I wouldn’t have the kids. But I want this to be an adventure for them too.”
She added, “My husband’s family are Irish, and it is an incredible opportunity for my two boys to connect with their heritage.”
The morning after completing her run, Power shared her thoughts on Instagram: “I’m back! Where do I start…. I don’t even know. My body had about 2 hrs sleep over 3 nights so is still in shock. Finally in a proper bed I still woke up last night every 30 minutes thinking it was time to go again. I can’t process the run yet. All I can process is my overwhelming feeling of gratitude. By the end, it felt like the whole of Ireland was behind me. My crew went well beyond their limits to keep me safe and my hubby’s family rallied around in so many ways.”
For Sophie Power, the record was secondary to the broader impact of her endeavor.
“Chasing the record wasn’t what kept me going. I knew that would never be enough to overcome the pain! It was just the hope that other women and girls might see me striving and reconsider their own limits. Get a sprinkling of confidence to take on a challenge. Try something they might fail at to gain strength throughout their lives,“ she said to Run 247.
Former record holder Mimi Anderson also acknowledged Powers’ accomplishment: “Massive congratulations to Sophie. She was focused, determined, and just did a really amazing job. The record couldn’t have gone to a nicer person.”
