Scottish gravel racer and extreme triathlete Caroline Livesey has added the prestigious North Coast 500 to her ever-expanding list of achievements, smashing Christina Mackenzie’s previous record for the famous Highland route by over four hours this week.
Livesey, the current Scottish national gravel champion, covered the 516-mile (860km) route, widely regarded as one of the most picturesque in the world, in 32 hours and 22 minutes, eclipsing Mackenzie’s NC500 marker for a supported female by four hours and 17 minutes (subject to verification from the World Ultra Cycling Association and Guinness World Records).
Setting off from Inverness Castle at 4am on Tuesday morning, Livesey – who had originally targeted a time of 35 hours – was forced to endure some classic Scottish summer conditions throughout her ride, with rain falling consistently during the first half of her attempt, while a heavy downpour greeted the 46-year-old on her return to the Highland capital.
However, with fortunately little wind to speak of, and switching between her Orbea Orca Aero road bike and Orbea Ordu time trial machine, Livesey was able to ride almost non-stop, maintaining an average speed of over 25kph for the entire 860 kilometres, featuring over 8,000m in elevation, smashing the record in the process.
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“I am just switching on my phone after a truly insane experience breaking the world record,” she posted on Instagram on Thursday morning.
“I am staggered by the amount of support. Thank you for all the messages, donations, and interest in what was an incredible 32 hours and 22 mins. Despite how tough it was, I loved every minute.
“More to follow when I get my head together, but for now, the most important thing for me to do is acknowledge my crew. Words fail me when I think how much time and energy each of them put into making this happen for me. It would not have been possible without each of them. I am so grateful.”
Livesey, as she noted in her post, was supported by a dedicated team enabling her to ride through the night, including her husband Mark, who kept her supplied with food, which by the end was comprised mainly of rice pudding, mashed potatoes, milkshakes, and – with the finish in sight – the odd Coke.
The 46-year-old has established herself as one of the stars of the ultra-endurance and gravel scenes in recent years. In December 2024, she became the first person to win the Patagonman XTRI, considered the world’s most extreme triathlon, twice.
And in 2025, she followed that up with her first ever UCI Gravel World Series victory in Thailand, before securing the win at the inaugural Scottish gravel championships in August.
But according to her husband Mark, despite that glittering palmares, the NC500 record might well be her finest hour (or 32) yet.
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“As achievements go for Caroline, this is right up there… possibly the greatest of them all,” he wrote on social media.
“I never once doubted Caroline could not do this. I know her too well. She’s stubborn, relentlessly detailed to the point of madness, but most of all, she simply loves riding her bike.
“Watching Caroline take on something this brutally difficult was an emotional rollercoaster. Not only did I have to watch my wife suffer for hour after hour, I also had to document every part of it along the way.
“The time itself doesn’t surprise me. Deep down, I always believed she had a 32-hour ride in her. What she has achieved out there is hard to put into words. The toughness, composure, determination and sheer love for the challenge was incredible to witness.
“We need time to decompress and reflect on this. Finally, the team did what teams do. Made it work.”
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As well as breaking the record, Livesey’s NC500 attempt also aimed to raise awareness and funds for her Peak Education Nepal charity, which she co-founded with Mark, and which supports education initiatives for children from poorer backgrounds in Nepal.
Livesey’s time was also, notably, over five and a half hours faster than the marker managed by Mark Beaumont back in 2015, when the Scottish endurance athlete became the first cyclist to complete a timed ride on the circular route, arriving back in Inverness in 37 hours, 56 minutes, and 44 seconds.
Beaumont set a new overall record for the NC500 in 2022, covering the route in 28 hours and 35 minutes, a record since eclipsed by Matt Downie, whose 2023 time of 27 hours and 30 minutes remains the men’s record.
Back in 2017, Livesey was left with a bone fracture in the pelvic region and cuts and bruises to her lower back and head after she was “rugby tackled” off her bike by an irate van driver who accused her of ‘undertaking’ and swerving in front of him as she attempted to avoid hitting a dog.
The injuries left her unable to train for eight weeks, causing her to miss out on qualification for that year’s world triathlon championships. The van driver was given a six-month suspended sentence and ordered to pay her £5,000 in compensation.
3 thoughts on ““Possibly the greatest achievement of them all”: Scottish triathlete and gravel champion obliterates North Coast 500 record by over four hours”
I remember the rugby tackle incident https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-42661262 because it was on a road I ride quite often near Pateley Bridge.
‘I thought you were a bloke’ – not that it would have been acceptable anyway.
Good that Caroline Livesey hasn’t let it put her off.
Absolutely fantastic effort by Livesey!
I rode 100 miles in and around Inverness last year at about the same average speed, it was absolutely fabulous although there was heavy rain and winds gusting to 40 mph for more than half of it; at the end of the ride I don’t think I’ve ever felt more drained. The idea of going back out and repeating the same thing four times more is absolutely incomprehensible, what an astonishing achievement.