In May 2025, Sarah Ruggins made history.

She became the fastest person to cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back, covering the 1,677-mile route in an astonishing 5 days, 11 hours, and 14 minutes.

Sarah didn’t just smash the women’s record - she claimed the outright record.

But what makes her achievement all the more extraordinary is everything she had to overcome to get there.

Just over two years earlier, she had barely ridden a bike. Before that, she spent years recovering from a debilitating illness that stripped her of her physical strength and sense of identity. And yet, through grit, precision, and an unshakeable mindset, she transformed herself from a complete novice into one of the most elite endurance cyclists in the world.

This episode is about more than athletic achievement, it’s a story of what happens when you set an audacious goal, back it with discipline, and believe that setbacks are just the start of something greater.

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarah_ruggins/

Mentioned in the Podcast:

The Bike Project: https://thebikeproject.co.uk/

Bikes for Refugees: https://www.bikesforrefugees.scot/

Support the podcast:

Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Tom and Benny P are back with more tales of triumph, chaos and the curious art of blagging a bargain.

Fresh from The Speed Project, Benny P shares what it was like to run a non-stop relay from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and still somehow make a decent coffee at the end.

Meanwhile, Tom’s been gallivanting around Northumberland and Cornwall without spending a single penny on accommodation - he spills the beans on how he did it, and the magic he found along the way.

We also reveal the trick to getting into the Eden Project for free and there’s a surprise cameo from a very famous Hollywood Brit who dropped in on Tom’s socials.

Plus, we draw from the Great British Misadventures pot and hear one of Tom’s funny and/or embarrassing stories from his own misadventures.

Visit Ben's Trailside Coffee Van: https://www.instagram.com/trailsidecoffee/

Follow Ben: https://www.instagram.com/mr.bennypalmer/

Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trusted Housesitters: Get 25% off your membership: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF116724/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=refer-a-friend&utm_campaign=refer-a-friend

Get in contact:

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:37 Coming up

04:38 Ben takes on The Speed Project

17:58 How to manage a 48 hour tempo

25:49 Jonty Brown's Solo Speed Project

30:59 Is holidaying in the UK actually expensive?

36:54 For the love of stone circles

39:48 Is the UK weather actually bad?

44:52 Tom's famous Hollywood follower

50:49 Tom's birthday in Northumberland

58:11 Charlie Bennett's episode

59:31 Cornish adventures

01:06:49 Fowey's famous authors

01:11:18 Getting into the Eden Project for free

01:18:55 Minions, Cheesewring and Wild Guides

01:25:14 Holidaying off season

01:31:34 Trusted Housesitters

01:33:12 Merlin Bird ID

01:36:14 Writing challenge update

01:42:38 Murder your darlings

01:45:31 Coffee Corner

01:49:54 Great British Misadventures

Charlie Bennett is a regenerative farmer whose passion for history and storytelling transforms seemingly ordinary farming fields into a tapestry of marvels and hidden tales in an episode where wisdom, wit, and wonder converge.

When Charlie inherited some farmland in Northumberland, he decided to bring it back to what he calls "common sense farming" - with sustainability, re-wilding and community at its heart.

His adventure on the land has seen him plant over 40,000 trees, return stretches of farmland back to nature and persuade Coca-Cola to build him 11 ponds - all part of a bid to boost biodiversity while keeping the farm thriving and productive.

Charlie’s storytelling and unyielding curiosity offer a fresh vision for the future - a reminder that sometimes, the most profound journeys begin right at the roots of the land.

More information on Charlie: https://charliebennettauthor.co.uk/

Mentioned in the podcast

Wilding by Isabella Tree: https://www.isabellatree.com/books

Fat Llama: https://fatllama.com - Use the code 'tomfatlama' when signing up to get £20 free credit

Support the podcast:

Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get in contact:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah