A woman has smashed a world record by running the entire length of New Zealand in just over 20 days - beating the previous record by two weeks.
Emma Timmis, 37, covered 1,300 miles during her journey from Cape Reinga, at the top of the country, to Bluff, and she did it in just 20 days and 17 hours - shattering the previous record of 35 days and 27 minutes.
She covered around 62 miles (100 km) a day while battling scorching temperatures, and she also had to dodge terrifying traffic and deal with the physical toll of running on roads - which she described as "damaging".
Emma, originally from Derby, completed the run in order to raise money for the charity - and so far she's raised over £15,000.
What do you think of Emma's incredible accomplishment? Let us know in the comments...
She said: "The aim was always to do roughly 100km a day, and based on my averages from my calculations I've now done after the run I averaged 98.8km a day.
"There was a lot of obstacles at the beginning, which meant I couldn't complete 100km a day, so towards the end I was having to do over 100km a day to get the run done in good time.
"Loads of people across the country were following me, people I'd have never met otherwise.
"People would just show up and run alongside me parts of the way, and children would wait with their families at the ends of driveways to cheer me on.
"People would stop in cars with banners at the side of the road and cheer me on - it was just amazing, I was absolutely blown away by the support."
Emma set off on December 18 and arrived at the finish line on January 7.
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A repeat record-breaker, Emma has previously ran 1,500 miles across South Africa in 2011, before crossing the continent of Africa in 2014.
Explaining why she was such a keen runner, Emma said she had been doing it since she was a child in England.
She said: "I've been running since I was 12. I used to run for Derby Ladies Athletics club. I've just run ever since, it's my thing - it keeps me happy.
"It's always been something I turn to just to have private moments of reflection. I also just love being out in nature in the hills and forests - it's really good for your mind".
The previous New Zealand run record was set by Welsh woman Menna Evans in 2020.
Emma has been collecting money for UK children's mental health charity Young Minds Trust, and New Zealand charity YouthLine - and so far she's raised nearly £3,300 in the UK, and nearly $24,000 dollars ( £12,000) in New Zealand.
You can donate to Emma's fundraiser to reward her efforts here.
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