When Jenny Graham set off from Berlin in June 2018, she carried more than a few bike bags and a head full of determination. She carried the hopes of being the fastest woman to cycle around the world. 124 days later, she rolled back into Berlin as a Guinness World Record holder — the fastest woman to officially circumnavigate the globe and she did it unsupported.
It was a story that captured imaginations worldwide. But behind the headlines lies a quieter truth: Jenny’s record was not born from a superhuman training regime or Olympic pedigree. It was born from belief, structure, and support. It started at an endurance training camp in Girona in January 2017.
I first met Jenny at an Adventure Syndicate endurance camp in early 2017. The camp was designed to encourage riders, particularly women, to take on adventures bigger than they imagined possible.
Jenny arrived as a part of the support team with a borrowed road bike and modest but ambitious goals: to complete the Highland Trail 500 and the Arizona 750. During the camp, I offered to coach five riders for a year for free, because I could see how much potential they had if given the right structure. Jenny was one of those riders.
At the time, the idea of breaking a world record never arose, but a few weeks later she called me up and said:
“I want to make the most of this year of coaching. I’ve decided I’m going to break the women’s round-the-world cycling record.”
It was a bold leap and I was shocked at first, but as we chatted and and looked at the numbers, the logistics, and her mindset, I realised she wasn’t being fanciful. She had a genuine shot, albeit definitely what we would call a ‘Dream Goal’.
Big dreams can feel overwhelming, but the key is always to break them into stepping stones. For Jenny, those stones came in the form of ultra-endurance events:
Each of these events built the resilience, systems, and toughness she would need for the round-the-world attempt. And crucially, they weren’t just about fitness. They were adventures in themselves; testing logistics, refining self-sufficiency, and training the mind to cope with adversity.
As I wrote in our ebook How to Be a Fitter, Faster and Better Runner or Cyclist, your body adapts to whatever situation you place it in. Jenny wasn’t smashing out epic rides every weekend. She was training with purpose, consistency, and recovery within the constraints of a full time job and volunteering for mountain rescue on top, then testing herself in the right events to build confidence and systems. By necessity, her training was adapted to fit her lifestyle and the things that motivated her.
Looking back at Jenny’s training log in TrainingPeaks/WKO5, her chronic training load (CTL) in the months leading up to the ride was not astronomical. Her average training stress score per day was in the 70–80 range, the same as many other committed athletes who juggle training with full-time jobs.
Jenny didn’t try to train like a superhero. She trained like a smart, consistent, motivated athlete, and that’s what made the difference.
In June 2018, Jenny rolled out of Berlin to attempt the record. We had planned her route carefully, leaning on Mark Beaumont’s research from his own 80-day circumnavigation. She rode to time blocks rather than daily mileage targets, a strategy that kept her flexible and resilient when conditions turned against her.
Over 18,000 miles later, she returned to Berlin, exhausted but victorious. Her time of 124 days, 10 hours secured her a place in the record books and set a new benchmark for women’s ultra-endurance cycling.
Jenny continues to inspire as a former presenter for GCN, a speaker, and an ambassador for adventure cycling.
“Dear John, What a journey. Thanks for being my Willy Wonka. Love Jenny Graham.”
Bringing tears to my eyes as I read them and think of our shared journey.
Jenny’s story is not just about records. It’s about what’s possible when belief meets structure. She didn’t start out chasing world records. She started out chasing adventures that excited her, and with the right support, those stepping stones built into something extraordinary.
Her journey proves that:
Jenny’s story reminds us that sometimes all it takes is someone to believe in you and offer the right support. That’s why we created the EBR Women’s Scholarship 2025–26 — to give female endurance athletes the coaching, structure, and belief to turn big dreams into reality.
If you’ve ever wondered what you might achieve with dedicated support, this is your opportunity.
Jenny once said yes to a coaching offer at a winter camp in Girona. She said yes to the idea of chasing something that seemed impossible. And she proved to the world and to herself that it was possible.
The next chapter could be yours.
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