7 days on a treadmill – world record attempt
14 - 21 December 2011 @ Teesside University
You can read
Sharon's own account on the News page
DAY
7:
Sharon's remarkable
finishing distance at the end of the event today at 12 noon was
832.57kms (or 517.33 miles) which is a really amazing achievement.
This distance now needs to be ratified by the Guiness World Record
team. A MASSIVE WELL DONE to Sharon!
Thanks to Teesside
University you can watch coverage of the event on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJclDHqhiwI&feature=share
.
Sharon
at the finish [Photo courtesy of Barry Dunne]
Here is a flavour
of the press coverage:
Evening
Gazette, 22 December 2011
www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2011/12/21/athlete-sharon-gayter-smashes-world-record-84229-29988808/
Darlington
& Stockton Times, 22 December 2011
www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/9433004.Endurance_record__was_far_too_easy_/
Evening
Gazette, 21 December 2011
www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2011/12/21/athlete-sharon-gayter-smashes-world-record-84229-29988808/
BBC
News, 20 December 2011
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-16275938
DAY 6:
More
great news to report. Sharon broke the existing men's 7
day treadmill record at 17:09 today, in other words 6 days, 5 hours
and 9 minutes into the challenge. There has been significant media
interest and the record breaking moment was broadcast live on BBC
Radio Tees and covered in the local TV news.
Sharon did not
break her schedule to celebrate instead powering on to increase
the new record distance. She will finally stop at 12 noon tomorrow
(Wednesday 21st December 2011) for a really well earned rest and
Christmas break with TWO NEW WORLD RECORDS under her belt!
CONGRATULATIONS
SHARON from your Web Team!!!
SEND YOUR MESSAGES
DIRECT TO 07888 739054 to help Sharon through the last hours of
the challenge and don't forget to sponsor
Sharon.
Sharon would
like to thank everyone for sending their messages of support and
especially to Lee Chamberlain, the existing record holder, who kindly
called yesterday with a message of support when Sharon was about
65kms short of his record. Lee's record of 753.24 km (468.04 miles)
was achieved at the Camberley Shopping Centre, Surrey, UK, from
18 to 25 July 2009.
More photos
from 9.30pm Tuesday 20th December:

Above: Two new
records achieved but still 14.5 hours to go to the 7 day deadline
Below: Sharon
seen from outside the Olympia Building at Teesside University

DAY
5:
Great
news from Teesside University - Sharon has beaten the existing
women's record for running on a treadmill for 7 days in just 5 days,
4 hours and 47 minutes! The record was formerly 649.87 km (403.81
miles) and was set held by Marina 'Mimi' Anderson in the UK just
over a year ago.
Sharon will
now set her sights on the men's record of 753kms which was set by
Lee Chamberlain on 18th – 25th July 2009. She hopes to equal
this record some time on Tuesday 20th December. GOOD LUCK SHARON!
DAY
4:
At
5pm on Sunday (Day 4) Sharon is looking remarkably good still and
amazingly has notched up 541kms.
She is feeling
really confident about beating the current ladies record of 649.86kms
some time tomorrow (Monday).
Her support
team consists of two official timers and several representatives
from each of the charities she is raising
money for. They are helping to relay the messages of support that
are coming in via text and facebook. The messages are being chalked
up on a board placed in front of Sharon's treadmill so if you want
to help her through the remaining time you can send you message
via Andy Russell's mobile which is 07888 739054.
Sharon was also
pleased to report lots of visitors including the local Albert Park
Runners, Tanni Grey-Thompson and the Assistant Dean of Teesside
University.
Sharon's husband
Bill was also there tonight running a 10k on the adjacent treadmill.
He has a bit of catching up to do! (see photo below)
Note: Correction
- Sharon set off at 12 noon on Wednesday 14th December not 11am
as stated in my report.

Photos from
5pm Sunday 18th December

DAY
3:
Day 3 update
from Alan Guy and Andy Russell. Great news to share!!!
Sharon has completed
1/3rd of the distance required to break the MALE 7 day treadmill
world record in under 2 days. Sharon is in good spirits and we can
all be proud of her.
Hope that some of you
can come and see her (Olympia Building is just behind the University
library in Southfield Road). You will see Sharon as you walk towards
the building.
DAY
2:
7:40pm - within
the last hour Sharon has completed an impressive 200kms. She was
feeling a bit below par during one session today but has picked
up and is now back on track and feeling very optimistic.
DAY
1:
Sharon set off
on her record bid this morning at 12 noon supported by a good crowd
and officially started by Councillor Brenda Thompson. TV crews from
the BBC and ITV, radio crews and newspaper reporters were all in
attendance to cover the event launch.
After less than 7 hours there was some drama when the treadmill
equipment failed. Sharon was almost due a meal break but the food
was not ready so unfortunately some time was lost from the schedule
while a back up machine was organised.
By 9pm Sharon was back on track, in good spirits and feeling comfortable
having completed 70.89kms.
Read
more on the Teesside
University website
Photo:
Sharon at the launch of her world record attempt at Teesside University
Record
and dates
Current record
for the furthest distance run by a person for 7 days on a treadmill
is 753km set by Lee Chamberlain on 18th – 25th July 2009.
My
record attempt will begin at midday on 14th December and finish
at midday on 21st December 2011.
The event will
be held in the Olympia Building at Teesside University and is open
to the public.
This page will
be updated daily with my progress thanks to Ella Towers.
You may also
be able to follow my progress on facebook.
Charities
For this event
I have nominated two charities that I would like to raise funding
for. You can donate at www.virginmoneygiving.com/SharonGayter
You can donate
by texting my code (FYVR54) and the amount you want to donate to
70070. For example to donate £1 simply text FYVR54 £1
to the telephone number 70070.
You can give
money in the collection tins where I am running in the Olympia Building
at Teesside University.
Charlotte
Wren Forget-Me-Not Fund (Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research (LLR)
LLR is 50 years
old and was founded by the Eastwood family of Middlesbrough in June
1960.The red Forget-Me-Not is the symbol chosen to signify that
LLR was set up and dedicated to the memory of their little girl
who lost her battle with leukaemia. Thankfully, they had the selfless
determination to set the fund into vital research into all blood
cancers. In 1960 leukaemia was a death sentence with survival rates
at just 1% and now in 2011, that figure is a 92% chance of survival
– thanks to your support.
Mike and Claire
Wren, as a family of local fundraisers in Middlesbrough, set up
their Forget-Me-Not Fund, in loving memory of their beautiful and
brave three year old daughter Charlotte in 2007.Their vision is
to help ‘make a difference’ for little people fighting
blood cancers by funding breakthroughs in research and improvements
into treatments that are less invasive, less painful and ultimately
to find that elusive cure for all, in a dedication to Charlotte’s
memory.
At all theirfundraising
events, Mike and Claire truly believe that whenever people are gathered
together in Charlotte’s name – Her inspirational spirit
and legacy of unconditional love will continue to go on.
Website: http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/give-memory
Zoe's
Place
Zoe is the Greek
word meaning gift of life, at Zoes Place they believe that life
is precious no matter how long it lasts.
Zoes Place is
a home from home for babies who have life limiting or life threatening
conditions. Zoes Place can take up to six infants at any one time,
there is also accommodation and ample facilities for the whole family
if these are needed.
They offer palliative
and specialist respite care for babies/infants from birth to five
years old, and end of life care when it is required. They afford
each individual respect and dignity regardless of gender, race,
culture, religious beliefs or disability.
My
sponsors
I am very grateful
for all the “behind the scenes” work done at Teesside
University to make this attempt possible, nearly every department
in the sport and exercise department has been involved in some way
– physiology testing, nutritional advice, technicians, security,
sports therapy, psychology and students and staff.
I have
been fortunate to gain some product sponsorship:
|