Coffee First, Then the World: One Woman's Record-Breaking Pedal Around the Planet

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But if there were any reservations over her stamina, resolve, technique, temperament or sheer bloody-mindedness, these were dispelled once the Inverness woman embarked on her quest. Without giving away too much detail, the commentaries paint an honest picture of Jenny's physical and mental state throughout the ride, as well as recalling memorable events, both positive and perilous. The style of writing reflects her attitude to breaking the world record – or, rather, smashing the world record! She never dwells on one single anecdote or description for long; what needs to be said is said, then the narrative moves on. On the other hand, it's definitely possible to sense when she is riding through impressive landscapes or witnessing a natural spectacle; things slow down just a little and her writing becomes more descriptive.

Being a world record holder has also presented Jenny with lots of professional opportunities and chances to go on new cycling adventures. a b "Scottish cyclist Jenny Graham aiming to set new round the world record". road.cc. 7 June 2018 . Retrieved 4 September 2018. However, there were times when Jenny admits she would have enjoyed the motivating drive of someone else. She says: “You have to learn to manage yourself. There is no one motivating you, no one to get you out of your bad mood and no one to put you in a good mood. There is also no one to blame for anything. You have to figure out your own rollercoaster of emotions and to watch for your natural highs and lows. a b c "Jenny Graham; Taking on the 'Around the World' Record - Apidura". Apidura. 6 March 2018 . Retrieved 4 September 2018.It was also such a humbling experience – some of the places I travelled through, there was so much poverty. I was so acutely aware that my challenge was always by choice, and what a privilege it was to have that choice in my life. That stuff lasts for a lifetime.” Friends: The Adventure Syndicate, Mark & Marcus, Callum Maclean, as well as been part of an array of other people chats which is always great fun!! Yet, whether negotiating sub-zero temperatures in Australia, being a natural target for the insect kingdom in Lithuania, or being embroiled in dangerously close encounters with lorries on the notorious Trans-Siberian Highway, the then 39-year-old child-support worker from Inverness was determined that nothing would stop her mission. She boldly went into the record books I grew up in the best adventure playground ever – the Scottish Highlands – cementing a deep-rooted love of the outdoors and mountainous environments. Videos

In the months following her extraordinary feat, Jenny was in demand as a motivational speaker and subsequently joined forces with Beaumont – to whom she is very grateful for all his tips, advice and encouragement – as they collaborated on a film with TV presenter Si Richardson about riding the North Coast 500. It only lasted for six months but during that time we were skiing and snowboarding in the high Alpine mountains, running rapids in kayaks, tromping about the hills learning to navigate, and going on overnight camps with our mountain bikes. In Russia, when Jenny faced the danger of riding on the busy Trans Siberian Highway, she made the difficult decision to cycle through the night instead of day-time. She says: “There I was on Day 9, already breaking my rule that I wouldn’t cycle through the night too early in the trip. It did worry me that this would end up being a mistake but the highway traffic was a real fear.” Jenny, who was already an experienced cyclist, isn’t talking about the physical aspect, but rather her ability to plan the ride, raise the funds, gain sponsors and to envisage it happening.Her inspiring story swerves from terrifying near collisions on the Russian roads and weather extremes in the southern hemisphere to the beauty of the Mongolian landscape and exhilarating wildlife encounters in North America. A Highland cyclist is to embark on an 18,000 mile cycle around the world | Press and Journal". Press and Journal . Retrieved 4 September 2018. Tourism boards/ sustainable travel programmes closer to home with Sustrans, Transport Scotland, Visit Scotland and Wild About Argyll.

Jenny says, “I’m a girl who wasn’t sporty or great at PE at school. When my son went to primary school, I was looking for something else in my life, so I took an introduction to outdoor pursuits course and that started me on a journey to explore more.” In writing the book, which many friends had encouraged her to do, Jenny has had the opportunity to give a more in-depth account of her journey.

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I could go at my own pace and make my own plans as I went. Quite often, I’d just decide to have another coffee – and then get going, just like the book title says.” a b "Can Cycling UK member Jenny Graham break the female record for cycling around the world? | Cycling UK". www.cyclinguk.org . Retrieved 4 September 2018. After smashing the solo and unsupported female Guinness World Record by almost three weeks, she found herself suddenly in demand for TV, radio and newspaper interviews. She says: “I do like riding with other people but for the round-the-world cycle it was easier to be doing my own thing. It meant there were fewer stresses and pressures of riding with others. My hope for the book was to share a far more raw version of the story than had so far been portrayed using just the highlights in the film, podcasts and more than 100 talks about the well-rehearsed story. Writing it down I wasn’t able to brush or laugh things off (particularly with the ban of using emojis!).

Jenny Graham was overcome by self-doubt before she launched herself on the pursuit of history and a place in the Guinness World Records (GWR) book in 2018. When I set off this time last year, I wasn’t sure what lay ahead, but the journey was awe-inspiring, exhausting and ultimately life-changing. I’d encourage anyone to get out on their bike and discover they are capable of far more than they think they are. On Thursday the 18th of October 2018, Jenny Graham made history by becoming the fastest woman to circumnavigate the world by bike. She started in Berlin on the 16th of June 2018 and returned 124 days and 29,656km later, beating the previous record by 20 days. She said: “I’d hold my breath as they hammered past me, just millimetres from my arm. I’d even pass some [lorries] that hadn’t been able to hold their speed and overturned. This made me think a lot about how grateful I should be for the life I have in Scotland. Although I am not particularly financially wealthy in my culture, I have wealth in terms of freedom to make my own choices and to travel.

In 2018, over the course of 18,000 miles, I gained the round-the-world cycling record by taking 20 days off the previous time. Finishing in 124 days and 11 hours. I left family and friends behind to complete my solo, unsupported lap of the planet by bike. I soon released that outdoor sport should become central to my life – signing up to that course was a pivotal moment for me. It completely changed the trajectory of my life and my worldview was burst wide open with new possibilities. I wasn’t born into a particularly sporty family, but my childhood was full of outdoor adventures. Building dens, swimming in the sea and riding bikes – everywhere. Unsurprisingly, there were positives and negatives of a solo challenge. While Jenny, who had her only child, Lachlan, at the age of 18, is chatty and gregarious, she reveals she likes being on her own. countries, 124 days and 18,000 miles. This is the story of one woman's solo lap of the planet by bike.