Ultrarunner and Team GB 24-hour athlete Sophie Power once again showed the level of her determination and athleticism as she completed a route travelling nearly 350 miles (563km) from the North to the South of continental Ireland. She smashed the previous record at 3 days, 12 hours and 8 minutes.
Following the footsteps of the previous record holder, Mimi Anderson, Power set off on her record-breaking run at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28th from Malin. Her meticulous planning and strategic execution put her ahead of schedule, a testament to her professional approach.
Power’s relentless pace was evident from the start. In the first 24 hours, she covered over 200 kilometres, maintaining her speed as she reached Mizen Head, the island’s most southerly point, at around 8.10pm on Friday, 31st May. Her swift run shaved off a massive three hours-plus from Anderson’s mark.
As the race neared its end, the conditions became increasingly challenging. The support team, updating her progress on Instagram, described the relentless heat, the absence of a cooling breeze, and the vast blue skies stretching ahead. Sophie, undeterred by these adversities, was accompanied by her husband John, a constant source of support and encouragement.
>> Sophie Power talks 24 Hour Challenges and Team GB Glory
The mum of three travelled the first 50 miles in eight hours and 34 minutes, with the 250-300 mile section taking 15 hours and 12 minutes.
Sophie is a passionate leader for her SheRaces campaign, which she was raising money for in this challenge. She Races is a platform she created to break down barriers for women in sports following the viral photo of her breastfeeding her three-month-old baby at the 106-mile UTMB race after she couldn’t defer the race.
Power has been a key influence on changes since then, including UTMB now offering full reimbursement or priority access to races to athletes who have to defer their place due to pregnancy.
Her husband, John Power, and two sons, Donnacha (9) and Cormac (6), tracked her from a motorhome en route. Her daughter Saoirse (3) was waiting with her grandparents in Cork. Sophie expressed she would be “running back to her as quickly as I can!”
As Sophie crossed the finish line and was asked for a few words from the livestream, she said, “It’s a very long way!”