Fifty kilometres, barefoot, in just over five hours, and there was not even a spot of blood on her feet.
All Savannah Wild walked away with was one big blister on her blackened pads.
Oh, and the title of Guinness World Record holder.
The 27-year-old ultra athlete took the title on Victoria Day, Monday, May 18, 2026.
Under sunny skies, with some wind for relief, she ran laps all day at the Greater Vernon Athletic Park.
Her record to beat was seven hours, and she did it in just over five hours and eight minutes.
“I got off 20 minutes early,” said Wild, a Kelowna resident, who estimated she would take five-and-a-half to six hours.
Sitting on the track surrounded by family and friends, Wild felt a little nauseous from the heat, but overall “pretty good.”
“I’m so grateful and I’m so amazed.”
The first 10 kms “felt great,” but it didn’t take long for the pain to set in.
“I think i was about 15k in and the pain was already setting in and I was like alright well let’s just push ‘er and get it over and done with.”
She admits a track, which has some give under it, is a lot nicer than cement.
But it also has its moments.
“Nearing the end, it did feel like glass.”
Little four-year-old fan Lua Magee, of Lake Country, sat with Wild after the race, comparing her own pinkie toes to the runner’s.
“The feet are pretty good,” Wild noted. “There’s a pretty gnarly blister, but one blister is a lot less than I was expecting. I’ve run in shoes and gotten a lot more than that. I actually always say, the secret to no blisters is go barefoot.”
That’s exactly what led Wild to the record, which she saw was up for grabs.
“Barefoot was my intro to ultra running back in 2021 so it felt like a full circle moment.”
A momentous feat for anyone, but particularly this woman, who in 2024 was hit by a truck, broke her neck and was told her athletic career was over.
So even though she spent a week sick in bed ahead of Sunday’s run, she wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass her.
“I don’t like to postpone things,” she laughed.
While she is from Kelowna, her hometown Apple Bowl is under construction, plus, overlooking Kalamalka Lake made the run a little more pleasant.
“It’s so beautiful up here and I just love the scenery ,” said Wild. “For a track, you get the best view.”
Up next, Wild is taking a well-deserved rest, but will be back training for her next race in six weeks – the Canadian Death Race.
A long list of evidence was collected throughout the day by family, friends and witnesses, which will be submitted to Guinness for official review.