A Scottish woman is aiming to make history for a second time as she aims to become the fastest woman to cycle the NC500.
Christina Mackenzie, originally from Stornoway, will tackle the 516-mile route this weekend to claim her second world record title.
Her attempt comes just 12 months after she set a new Guinness World Record by cycling the length of Britain.
She captured the nation’s attention by becoming the fastest woman to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats, completing the 839-mile journey in an incredible 51 hours, 5 minutes and 27 seconds.
To earn her second world record, she will need to complete the scenic NC500 route in under 35 hours.
Speaking ahead of the event, Ms Mackenzie said: “It has been a tough six months with training and battling the Scottish winter, but also good preparation for any conditions we may encounter.
“It is a challenging course with over 10,000 metres of elevation, the clock does not stop from the time I start so there will be no non-essential stops, all nutrition will be consumed on the bike through hourly hand-ups from the support team at the side of the road.”
Ms Mackenzie, who now lives in Stirlingshire, will set off from Inverness Castle in the early hours of Friday morning.
Amidst her record attempt, Ms Mackenzie will be raising money for Cruse Scotland.
The charity that offers free professional bereavement support to children and adults struggling to cope with their grief following the death of a loved one
She added: “Now all the hard work has been done, I am looking forward to getting started and hopefully I can enjoy some of the fabulous scenery the course has to offer, but I am excited to see people roadside supporting.”
