A WOMAN is racing to set a new world record for bagging all 282 Munros in one continuous, self-propelled journey.
Jamie Aarons, a 43-year-old social work adviser, started her challenge at 6.30am on May 26 on Mull and has been climbing Munros and running, cycling, walking or kayaking between them ever since.
On Monday morning she reached the summit of her 281st Munro, with around 18 hours in hand to reach the top of her last Munro in order to break the world record.
Her schedule meant that she could take just a few hours of rest in a tent between summits before getting back underway to try and beat the current world record for a continuous, self-propelled ascent of all 282 Munros set by Donnie Campbell in 2020.
Campbell completed the journey in 31 days, 23 hours and 2 minutes.
So far, Aarons has raised more than £12,000 for World Bicycle Relief, with every £120 raised buying a brand new bicycle for a student, teacher or healthcare worker in a rural part of the world.
Before starting her challenge Aarons said that she was indebted to the late ultramarathon runner and blogger John Kynaston for encouraging her to get into trail running.
She said: “John greeted me on my very first venture into trail running in Scotland and his warm encouragement (in 2008) led me down a path – literal and figurative – which I will forever be grateful”.
Kynaston, who died of a heart attack in 2021, was regarded as a pioneering figure within endurance racing in Scotland.
Originally from California, Aarons moved to Scotland in 2005 and said the country’s Right to Roam laws are one of the main reasons she has stayed.
The previous record set by a women for a continuous, self-propelled ascent of all Scotland’s Munros was held by Libby Kerr and Lisa Trollope, who took 76 days and 10 hours to complete the journey in 2017.
