Scottish cyclist aims to pedal round the world

A Scottish woman is trying to break the record for cycling around the world.

Cyclist Jenny Graham aims to circumnavigate the globe by bike in 110 days. She will ride 18,000 miles, unsupported, carrying all her kit, and aims to cycle 180 miles a day across 15 countries.

The 38-year-old from Inverness plans to break the record for a female cycling around the world. The current record of 144 days set in 2014 is held by Italian cyclist Paola Gianotti and Jenny hopes to complete the journey in 110 days, beating the record by 34 days!

Jenny, who is part of the Adventure Syndicate and a member of Cycling UK, will start her journey at 6am in Berlin on Saturday, 16 June, the last day of Bike Week. Her plan is to ride for around 15 hours and average 180 miles a day.

The route is 18,000 miles and it will take her across four continents and through 15 countries – Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Mongolia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, US, Portugal, Spain, France and Holland. She will take four flights and a boat.

Jenny Graham will carry her own equipment on her solo cycle (Photo: James Robertson)

The fastest circumnavigation by bicycle (male) record is held by Cycling UK member Mark Beaumont. It took him 78 days with a full support team in 2017.

Mark said: ‘I wish Jenny tailwinds and a healthy dose of grit to get around in World Record time. Her story has already inspired many, so keep up the great work Jenny!’

Jenny’s journey will be quite different to Mark’s; it will just be Jenny and her bike laden with kit.

Jenny said: ‘I just love being self-supported. I feel I am much more in tune with my body and surroundings on the road when I am alone, I will have to manage all the tricky situations along the way and I think that will feel like a fuller experience for me.’

The Guinness Book of Records rules state that cyclists can’t draft behind another rider to make it easier. Jenny also added a few rules of her own including carrying all her own gear and not arranging support vehicles to meet her.

Jenny feels that the time is right for her to have her biggest adventure, her son is now 19 and she’s feels she is fit enough both physically and mentally to take on a record.

She said: ‘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.’

Then 14 years ago, she started mountain biking and after a cycling holiday in Romania, she was hooked.

Jenny Graham has set herself a tough target (Photo: James Robertson)

She explained: ‘I completely fell in love with travelling through the mountains, those two weeks changed everything, we had no itinerary, my friend Cathy and I just went exploring on our bikes – it was an incredible time.’

In 2015 she tried her hand at the Highland Trail 550, but was gutted that she didn’t complete it.

Horrendous weather and repeatedly trying to carry a bike through a river when the water was up to her chest meant by day eight she couldn’t walk and pulled out in tears. Yet Jenny met so many encouraging people that she vowed to get stronger and the next year completed it.

In 2017, she was given an Adventure Syndicate (a Cycling UK affiliated group) training bursary place and met cycling coach John Hampshire, who saw her potential and offered to help her for a year for free.

She laughed: ‘It was like winning the golden ticket. He believed in me and I knew I needed help to see what I could be capable of, but I didn’t have the money to pay a coach.’

Jenny had the confidence to go out of her comfort zone and cycled 750 miles alone in The Arizona Trail Race, even though she’s petrified of snakes! She came sixth.

She wanted another challenge and the thought of going around the world kept coming back: ‘I knew I wanted to do something solo to test my physical and mental ability. I am the fittest I have ever been, so feel like I can do this.’

Jenny’s bike was custom-built for her and donated by Scottish bike manufacturer Shand Cycles in Livingston, West Lothian. Founder and general manager Steven Shand believes Jenny can smash the current world record, on her specially-built Stooshie.

Steven said: ‘Comfort is critical for long distance endurance tests and Jenny is convinced the bike we’ve built for her is perfect for the challenge ahead. The secret is in the frame and in getting it just right for the individual.’