º£½ÇÖ±²¥

Sharon sets new treadmill world record

Ultra distance runner Sharon Gayter has set a new world record running for 12 hours on a treadmill.

Sharon set the new women's world record, clocking up 98.66km in a 12 hour period running on a treadmill at º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Olympia Building. The record had stood at 96.80km – just over 60 miles. When Sharon embarked on her run on Tuesday this week, her aim was to spend two days and two nights on the treadmill at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ and break the record for 48 hours on a treadmill.

But after taking ill last night and still managing to break the 12 hour record around midnight, Sharon continued until 4am this morning, when she was forced to call it a day.

Sharon, who has been supported by staff from the University’s School of Social Sciences, Business & Law during her run, said: 'I started to feel sick around 9pm but wanted to keep going to at least set one record, which I managed to break at midnight. I took a short break and was able to continue one until 4am, but I just wasn’t able to recover from the sickness.

'I’m bitterly disappointed, but at least it’s better to have at least set one record and achieve something.'

The part-time lecturer at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ made headlines in 2011 when she spent seven days on a treadmill, smashing both the men’s and women’s world records and covering a total distance of 833.05km or 517.63 miles. That record is yet to be beaten.

During her career Sharon has run over 300 marathons and 100 ultra-distance races, including the Badwater Ultramarathon of 135 miles across Death Valley – billed as the hottest race on earth. In 2009 she won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Championships 24 hour event.

She added: 'I’m grateful to º£½ÇÖ±²¥ for once again showing me incredible support, they’ve been brilliant, absolutely faultless.'

Keith Haley, from the University's School of Social Sciences, Business & Law, said: 'We are always happy to offer support to Sharon and we congratulate her on her latest achievement.'

---