Image Credit: © 2026 James Busby
Even after 25 years of telling the stories of brands that live and breathe the outdoors, and now in an age of sensationalised "virality," the story of Dr. Sarah Ruggins still managed to grip us.
Sarah, who is a PhD-qualified finance professional from Canada and is now based in picturesque Gloucestershire (not very far from Spring HQ actually) was a running prodigy in her youth until her dreams were shattered by a rare neurological disease that left her unable to use her limbs and needing full-time care. But then, she discovered cycling which provided the foundation for an extraordinary second lease in life.
In May 2025, Sarah proved the magnitude of that comeback. She completed the 2,700km journey from John o’Groats to Land’s End and back (JOGLEJOG) in 5 days, 11 hours, and 14 minutes. In doing so, she shattered the existing men’s world record by nearly seven hours and surpassed the previous women’s record by more than four days.
Unbelievably, this is just the beginning. On the 5th of June 2026, Sarah will begin her most ambitious challenge yet: One Way North. A solo 6,000 km transcontinental record attempt, a ride starting from Tarifa, Spain and ending in Nordkapp, Norway.
As you can imagine, the route is not only long but demanding. Sarah will be navigating mountain climbs, high speed descents, and remote country roads where conditions can swing from 35ºC to -10ºC in a matter of hours. With rides of up to 22 hours a day, there will be no margin for error.
In these extremes, kit isn't just clothing but a critical component of her survival and speed. Enter our client Kostüme. Founded in 2020 in Bristol, Kostüme is a performance-led activewear brand built on an industry-disrupting, limited-edition preorder small-batch model. To put simply, the brand uses capital that would typically be tied up in overstock to well-considered product innovation and performance engineering. The type of product you need when attempting to break world records.
In a newly released video produced by Kostüme, Sarah finally gets a professional bike fit after she admitted to previously "riding on vibes". Using real-time pressure mapping, Sarah and Jon Wild at Pedalling Perfection identified a specific instability in her left hip. Ed Bartlett, Kostüme's founder, was onsite as they explored how different chamois positions and compression levels could support a new "short crank, high saddle" setup. She also reveals she put a staggering 15,000 km on her Kostüme bib before even starting her record attempt.
Now, for a brand built on sustainability and longevity, there is no greater validation than kit that refuses to quit after a year of punishment!
Sarah’s bike fit was just one chapter of a 10-month journey. Head over to kostume.cc to learn more about One Way North 2026 and the kit that's going to take her across long roads ahead.