WONDER woman Sharon Gayter last night smashed the women’s world record for running from John o’ Groats to Lands End. The former Cleveland bus driver is 55.

Having left John o’ Groats at 7.30am on Sunday, July 21, the grey haired gladiator reached Cornwall’s most westerly point just after 6.36pm, 12 days and 822 miles later, becoming the first woman to cover the distance in under 300 hours.

Though she had hoped to complete the epic run inside 12 days, Sharon still sliced more than four hours from the old world record of 12 days 15 hours and 46 minutes. Her official time was 12 days, 11 hours, six minutes and seven seconds.

“I never doubted for one step that I’d do it, but I’ve promised Bill, my husband, that I’ll never, ever, do anything like it again,” she said.

“The pain in my feet for the final 24 hours has been dreadful, the absence of sleep is really kicking in, but what I need more than anything is a shower. I haven’t had one since day three.”

“She’s desperately tired, her feet are shattered, her body’s in further stages of breakdown but she’s done it,” said Trevor McDermott, a member of the support crew which included Bill, a lorry driver. The extraordinary journey, through record breaking heat and occasional floods, had been followed every step of the way by hundreds via an internet tracking device. “There are no words to describe her,” wrote one admirer, “except perhaps bonkers.”

Running from Lands End, Sharon had set a world record of 13 days, 10 hours and a minute in 2006 but then saw it beaten. She spent two years meticulously planning the latest attempt.

Her triumph came despite several setbacks – late on Monday night she’d collapsed unconscious in the road. “When she came around she just couldn’t feel her legs,” said Trevor. “It was desperate, her body was just demanding sleep.

“Next morning at 5am she was bouncing, smiling, encouraging and inspiring everyone else. Among the amazing things is that it’s she who’s been encouraging us.”

Sharon, who lives in Guisborough and is now a lecturer at Teesside University business school, ran 87 miles on the first day and never dropped below 49. She reached the halfway stage after five days six hours and 32 minutes and after six days had run 451 miles. She averaged four hours sleep a night.

Throughout the end-to-end epic she has been inviting contributions to the Redcar and Cleveland branch of MIND, the mental health charity.

“She is the most tenacious and most inspiring lady you could ever imagine,” said Izzy Wilkinson, another support team member.

A further setback had come in Preston last Sunday evening, when she became inextricably marooned on a construction site and lost around three hours.

Near Monmouth she found the road closed and guarded by 8ft metal fences. Sharon somehow squeezed beneath them while her bike support crew clambered with their machines over the top.

Even with the end almost in sight, the support crew had yesterday to issue an appeal to local runners to bring ice and water after the A30 towards Penzance was closed to vehicles.

She already holds numerous world records, including several on a treadmill, but has vowed to take life a little more slowly.

Trevor McDermott’s not sure. “She’s totally exhausted, spent, but in a couple of days she’ll probably be bouncing around like a puppy. This one could still run and run.”

nSee the Backtrack column in today's sport pull-out for more on Sharon's world record.