At 83, World Champion Triathlete Peggy is cycling the length of the country raising funds for Devon Air Ambulance.
At 83, Peggy (Keenor) Crome is cycling the length of the country.
Her journey from John O’Groats to Land’s End is an extraordinary physical challenge by any standard. But speak to Peggy, and she quickly strips it back to something much simpler.
“You don’t think about 1,000 miles,” she says. “You break it down.”
It is a philosophy that runs through her life as much as this journey. Practical, steady, and grounded in experience. Because while Peggy’s ride may place her in contention for a Guinness World Record as the oldest woman to complete the route, that was never the true motivation.
“If I’m going to do it,” she says, “I really need to do it for a reason, rather than a selfish reason.”
A family connection
That reason takes her back 15 years, to a moment her family has never forgotten.
Her granddaughter almost drowned in a pond in a rural north Devon village. In those critical minutes, the Devon Air Ambulance was called.
“My granddaughter was actually saved by the Devon Air Ambulance,” Peggy says.
What followed were days of uncertainty. Alice was taken to hospital, where the family waited, not knowing what the outcome would be.
Then, after several days, came a moment that has stayed with Peggy ever since. Alice opened her eyes, looked at the teddy she had with her, and said one word.
“Teddy.”
From that, everything changed.
“We knew she could see, we knew she had memory,” Peggy recalls. “It was just such a relief to all of us.”
Today, Alice is 31, a mother of two, and a gifted wildlife and bird photographer. Her life has unfolded in ways that once seemed uncertain. Peggy often reflects on that.
“That would never have happened had she died on that day.”
Looking back, she describes it simply.
“There were two miracles… Alice, our miracle baby and the miracle Devon Air Ambulance.”
Peggy’s connection to the charity does not stop there. From her home overlooking the sea, she has witnessed rescues take place, watching as multiple services come together when it matters most.
“I have seen it… literally, with my own eyes, how everything linked together.”
It is a reminder of something easily missed. Services like Devon Air Ambulance are part of everyday life in the background, until the moment they are suddenly everything.
For Peggy and her family, that moment changed the course of a life.
A life in motion
While the motivation behind this ride is deeply personal, Peggy’s ability to take it on comes from a lifetime of movement.
Representing British triathlon in the 80+ age group, she has won no fewer than 25 European or World Triathlon Gold Medals. Her achievements are remarkable, but she speaks about them without a trace of ego.
Instead, she returns to something more relatable: progress.
“When I started, I couldn’t even run 100 metres,” she says. “Very slowly I started improving.”
Peggy emphasises the power of consistency, there was no sudden transformation, short runs became longer ones. Small gains gradually added up.
It is that same mindset she brings to her current challenge. The journey is not thought of as a single overwhelming distance, but as a series of smaller, manageable efforts. Morning, afternoon, evening. One stretch at a time.
There is also a clear sense of humility. Peggy is careful not to assume anything along the way.
“I never say I am now going to do this,” she explains. “I always say I plan to do this.”
It is a perspective shaped by experience, by accidents, injuries and rehabilitation and by an understanding that even the best preparation cannot account for everything.
Inspiring others to start
For those following her journey, it would be easy to see Peggy as exceptional. But she is quick to challenge that idea.
“Many people think, ‘I’m not good enough,’” she says. “The truth is, they probably are.”
Her message is not about records or medals. It is about starting where you are, doing what you can, and building from there. Whether that is a walk, a swim, or a short cycle ride, it all counts.
For Peggy, staying active has never been about perfection. It has been about showing up, adjusting, and continuing forward.
More than a journey
As Peggy undertakes her challenge, there is something quietly powerful about what she represents.
This is not just a story about endurance. It is a story about gratitude, about what happens after a life is saved, and about the many years, experiences and memories that follow.
It is also a reminder of the role Devon Air Ambulance plays in communities across the county. For families like Peggy’s, it is not an abstract service. It is something immediate, real and life-changing.
“I would have thought most people know someone who’s been rescued by the air ambulance,” Peggy says. It is that quiet, far-reaching impact that shapes her decision to ride. Not just for her granddaughter, but in recognition of the many lives the service continues to reach.
And when she finally reaches Land’s End, she already has a plan.
“When I finish,” she says, “I should be throwing the bike over the rocks into the sea.”
Whether or not she follows through is another matter but asked what she is most looking forward to, she doesn’t hesitate.
“Finishing.”
If you’d like to support Peggy’s challenge please donate here.
