Rosie SwaleMBE - the first and only woman to run around the world "has broken another world record on the 30th April by completing her 26th marathon in 26 days on the Great Welsh Marathon course in Llanelli.

Rosie .... Tenby’s round-the-world adventurer, completed the challenge in aid of children’s hospices.

Human Being Active supported Rosie on this stage of her latest epic adventure.

The marathons, Rosie says, are her personal thank you to all the people who have always been there for her through thick and thin, and will also be in aid of two very special hospices.  Rosie continued: “There are many causes that are forever part of my life.

If 26 marathons in 26 days was nt enough Rosie went on to do a 27th the following day in her home town of Tenby as a lap of honour in appreciation of the the huge support she received from family and friends.

Young feeling

She was greeted by cheering crowds as she crossed the finish line in Tudor Square, where she said she was happy but tired.

She said: "I think the main thing is to show people that they should reach out to do what they want to do.

"Maybe you can't always get there but you should always reach out.

"Although I am actually 63 doing something like this makes me feel as though I am really 36."

Mrs Swale Pope began running on Easter Monday in Tenby to raise money for children's hospices.

Throughout her marathon challenge, the grandmother has been pulling the three-wheeled cart called Icebird she used on an epic 20,000-mile global run that took her almost five years.

The cart held her provisions and camping equipment as she ran across Europe, Russia, Asia and north America.

As she had done during her round-the-world feat, she once again slept in her trusty cart during her latest challeng

She was awarded the MBE for the global run, which she started in 2003, carried out in memory of her husband who had died of cancer.

Ms Swale Pope said she was motivated for her latest challenge around Wales and England by the "tragedy that children need hospices".

She said: "The main thing for me is to raise as much money as possible for children, I don't care about records.

"For me this underlines my belief that the real adventure is every day life.

The previous 26 days had seen her run in places including London, Bristol, Tunbridge Wells and Bury St Edmunds.

In each location her run has covered a pre-planned route to achieve the 26 miles and 385 yards needed to be classed as a marathon.

All money raised will go to the Ty Hafan Hospice in Cardiff and Helen & Douglas House Hospices in Oxfordshire.

The marathon trek itself was conceived as a thank-you to all those who supported her on the round-the-world run ...

Extract from Sky and BBC News

Beauty gives runner Rosie a big step up

A GRANDMOTHER who has literally run around the world has been left breathless by Llanelli's scenery during her latest jaw- dropping challenge.

Rosie Swale Pope, famous for spending five years completing an epic 20,000 mile global run, has just completed 27 marathons in 27 days.

The Tenby-based runner had been due to finish her gruelling mission at the Discovery Centre in Llanelli on Friday, where she completed her 26th consecutive marathon. But the following day, the amazing 63-year-old felt ready to take on one more, and to thank a legion of supporters across the UK for their backing, she ran an extra marathon by way of a traditional lap of honour.

Mrs Swale Pope had been pounding the pavements to raise money for Ty Hafan children's hospice in Cardiff and Helen and Douglas House in Oxford.

She said: "It's been tough, but worth it to raise money for a very good cause.

"I've never been to Llanelli before, and I was blown away by how beautiful it was — it was lovely to look at while I was running through.

"The sea, sand and blossom trees were glorious and the people were just so friendly towards me.

Support

"Throughout my run people have been coming out to wave at me and support the cause.

"People have donated cash, and drivers have even beeped their horns in support — it's really spurred me on.

"I hope this helps to raise a lot of cash for Ty Hafan — looking at the stunning scenery in Llanelli made me feel lucky to just be able to see it — some children won't get that chance."

Her original mission may have ended, but the runner decided to run another marathon the next day in Tenby.

"The extra marathon was to thank people for their support and to encourage people to raise cash for the cause." she said.

Mrs Swale Pope crossed the finish line of her gruelling 707-mile odyssey on Saturday night, to rapturous cheering from a crowd of supporters in her home town.

She wore through 53 pairs of shoes when she ran round the world in memory of her husband, who died of cancer.

She set off on her 20,000-mile run in 2003, returning to Tenby in August 2008 and was awarded an MBE last month ...

Extract from Llanelli Star

Tim Gasser of Human Being Active said ... " it is a huge honour for us to have helped and see Rosie complete her 26th Marathon 26 Days in Llanelli and we are proud that Rosie had chosen the Great Welsh Marathon course as part of her challenge"

Tim added ... "a massive thank you must also go to the people of Llanelli who came out to support Rosie in droves and who donated generously to the children's hospices Rosie is raising money for".

Anyone who would like still like to donate to sponsor Ty Hafan hospices, the charity Rosie is run the 26 marathons in aid of can do so by clicking this link or the below button.

For more details on Rosie,s epic Journey please CLICK HERE and Rosie's blog can be found HERE