A cycling team featuring a Kirkby Lonsdale woman have been victorious in their arduous bid to smash a Guinness World Record.
Claire Turner, 36, was one of the 15 participants that broke the record for the longest continuous static spinning class at 29 hours, breaking the previous record of 28 hours, set in the United States in 2019.
The task was made even taxing for Claire as still suffers from long Covid complications after contracting the virus in February 2020, as she explained:
"I have not been able to run like I used to due to permanent chest issues and also joint pain in my ankles that plagued me for 6 months after the illness".
The group's 29-hour marathon would see them each virtually cycle from Land's End to John o' Groats, and Claire said of the experience:
"It was incredibly hard - personally we all hit some very dark places, at different time, and we helped each other through.
"Afterwards it felt amazing - the last 50 minutes on the bike were incredible.
"Tons of people were there cheering and supporting and we smashed through as we'd already met the current record at 28 hours so this was the real party.
"We finished to the song 'Proud' by Heather Small, which has me in tears now when I think about it.
"I'm ecstatic and also a bit overwhelmed by it all.
"My body after 36 hours is back to 100 per cent bar some bruising - I'm not sure how that's possible!"
The attempt was organised by Claire's friend Jackie Scully, part of her personal goal of raising £40,000 for the Mintridge Foundation, a mental health and exercise charity, breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!, Mind and NHS Charities Together by her 40th birthday, after battling breast cancer.
Jackie said: "Having thought I would never make 40, I was determined to make turning 40 count.
"I thought success would be breaking a world record, but the experience has taught me that real success was watching a group of people from all walks of life pull together and pull off the seemingly impossible - having a great party and raising £40,000 in the process.
"I will never forget it. Kindness and determination will take you a very long way".
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