Dr Sarah Ruggins
Speaking Topics
Leadership
Peak performance
Embracing resilience
Transformation
Team building
Overcoming adversity
Bio
Dr. Sarah Ruggins' story is one of starting over twice and still finishing first. Now one of the world’s leading endurance cyclists, her journey is one of extraordinary reinvention: from paralysis to the podium, she has defied the odds at every turn.
Originally an Olympic hopeful in track and field, a sudden illness left her paralysed for years. After regaining her independence, she set her sights on a world record run—only to fall short. So she turned to the bike, and just two years later, shattered the outright world record for Land’s End to John o’ Groats and back, beating the men’s record by nearly seven hours, with media referring to it as “the sporting achievement of the decade.” She is now one of only a handful of women in history to have ever held an outright sporting record over male competitors.
She has raced unsupported in more than 20 countries across Europe and Africa, enduring extreme temperatures, wildlife and isolation, needing to problem solve in high pressure situations under extreme sleep deprivation. She holds multiple speed records, including the fastest LEJOG return (2,720km in 5 days, 11 hours, 14 minutes) and the fastest women’s 1,000-mile time trial in history.
Outside of sport, Dr. Ruggins is known for her leadership in finance, specialising in transformation, innovation, and building high-performing teams. She is an accomplished academic, speaker and philanthropist, and her life is the subject of a forthcoming documentary.
Why book Sarah?
Sarah is a media-trained orator who speaks with grit, clarity, and emotional depth - backed by a rare authenticity that makes audiences feel every step of her story. She is experienced with live broadcast and audiences up to 4,000.
Her academic and corporate successes make her relatable to these audiences and give her the ability to translate her experiences to lessons for leaders navigating change. She specializes in team building and transformation.
She’s also one of few women in history to claim a major endurance record - beating men’s fastest times in one of the toughest sports on earth.
She speaks with authenticity on how she’s learned to believe in herself and take up space in male-dominated environments.
"If you're looking for an engaging speaker with a fantastic story to share, I'd highly recommend Sarah. She delivered a masterclass for us on building resilience and finding success through failure - a session people are still talking about six months later.
Sarah shared an inspiring and deeply personal story about her life - a powerful story of grit, resilience, and perseverance. Her calm, sincere, and authentic style, paired with a natural gift for storytelling, captivated the audience from start to finish. Truly inspiring."
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