Congratulations to Emily Levy and Norman Ireland for set a new record for the Pittsburgh to Washington DC in the 2x mixed team category.
Levy Ireland Record Attempt 2025 Ride Narrative
Ride Summary
Our self-supported, multi-day journey started at 09:58 am on September 26 2025 at the medallion in-lay aside the fountain in Point State Park, Pittsburgh, PA. Emily and Norman traversed the Great Allegheny Passage and the Chesapeake & Ohio Towpath, landing them at the zero-mile post in Georgetown, DC, in a total elapsed time of 75:48:45. Overall, the weather conditions were variable. The ride began with summer heat and lush greenery lining the path, followed by a full day of cold, rain, mud, fallen leaves, and even a landslide hazard. Conditions evened out, yielding a finish at 72 degrees Fahrenheit and partly cloudy skies. Mud and puddles persisted throughout the ride, so we took advantage of every hose we found along the way during our refueling stops.
The Pittsburgh-to-DC route is a globally known and widely revered point-to-point adventure in the cycling community. Both trails are publicly accessible, non-technical, and highly trafficked by recreational and endurance cyclists. Many cyclists who ride the entire route take a week and/or utilize a porter service to transport their belongings. The extra challenge to push through longer daily miles with a heavy load is desirable to few, but as Emily’s late father (WUCA #3897) would say, “The greater the challenge, the greater the glory.”
Norman is a DC-resident cyclist, and he was already planning and training to ride this route. So, it was easy for him to join Emily for a mixed team record attempt. This record attempt was on Emily’s radar for a while because, as iconic as this route is, there has been no female record for this point-to-point route. This presented a meaningful opportunity to establish a new, inspiring benchmark for female ultra-cyclists, as this route is accessible, safe, and rich in cultural and geographic significance.
We had no special equipment, just some sturdy bikes and good lights. Our secret weapon was some pre-ride olive oil. Believe it or not, ingesting a tablespoon of olive oil can improve energy stability during long rides. After a rocky day 1 nutrition-wise, Norman tried olive oil before starting day 2. Emily was a believer. Now, Norman can say that it really works! In addition to our olive oil, we ate decent meals along the way; good ol’ PA/MD pickings of burgers, fries, pasta, pretzel bites, and pizza. Ride snack favorites were pickles and electrolyte drink mix.
One of the great gifts of cycling long distances is how it heightens your appreciation for simple things—a hot meal, a dry place to sit, or even just a smile from a stranger. Beyond the natural beauty of the trail, one of Emily’s most memorable moments came during a cold, wet stretch when we ducked into Take Six in Meyersdale, PA. Soaked and muddy, we stepped into the warm diner and ordered food. Emily’s personal pizza arrived steaming hot, with a dramatic cartoon-worthy cheese pull. In that moment, it felt like the best pizza she’d ever tasted. Looking back, she admits it was probably just a solid, comforting pie—but after miles in the rain, it was the best rebound. That’s the magic of endurance cycling; it turns ordinary moments into something extraordinary.
Norman’s favorite part of the trip was the magic of our longest day, day 3. We had planned to ride 125mi from Cumberland, MD to Harpers Ferry, WV. The hotel offered breakfast, but it didn’t start until 7:00 a.m., and we needed to be moving earlier. So, we rolled out at 6:30—without eating! Norman was already feeling doubtful whether his training would hold up to challenge of day 3. Now, he was also hungry.
Every person we passed that morning was so happy to be out on the trail. With each reciprocal ‘good morning’ from fellow recreationalists, Norman’s spirits lifted. By the time we entered Hancock, MD, 60mi later, Norman was still hungry, but completely confident. The happiness of strangers had filled more than his stomach that morning. His heart was filled with the joy of nature, doing what he loves and being alive. We were happy too. And In case anyone has ever wondered, saying “good morning” while passing people on a trail is happily accepted and, in some cases, returned until about 5:15 in the evening.
Not every moment was a joy. Some stretches tested us physically and mentally—the kind of challenge that make you question why you started, but also remind you what you’re capable of. We had planned to end that long 125-mile day at a cozy inn in Harpers Ferry, WV. But to get to WV, we needed to cross the Potomac River by bridge. Unexpectedly to us, the bridge was closed for the week! When we arrived Harper’s Ferry it was 7:15pm. As we approached the bridge, a passerby told us about a shuttle service for riders. But we checked and saw the last shuttle had just left—at 7:00 p.m.
We felt defeated, with frustration swelling beneath our fatigue. We had been counting down the last ten miles with sore bodies, low energy, in anticipation of a shower and a hot meal. Rather than get angry, we entered problem-solving mode. Together, we decided to keep going and ride to the next town, another 5 miles down the trail. What’s 5 more miles when you’ve been riding all day?
Using Google Maps, we navigated to a last-minute accommodation in Brunswick, MD—only to be greeted by a surprise climb. It started as a gentle uphill into the town center, then after a left turn, a steeper grade. Following that left, we made a right which revealed an even steeper grade! Each turn revealed more climb, culminating in a punishing 9% – 12% grade over the last third of a mile. All in all, Brunswick, MD added an additional 400 feet of elevation on the final 2.7 miles of the day. We finally tapped out at 137 miles for day 3—exhausted, hungry, and humbled—but only 55 miles left until DC!
Our last stent was a focused one. We put on some music and steadily pushed forward. There was unexpected construction on the last mile of the Towpath in Georgetown which forced us to climb a few flights of stairs with our loaded bikes, add extra distance, and about 30 minutes of extra time. But alas, we rolled over the footbridge behind Thomson’s Boat House, dismounted our bikes, leaned them against the zero-mile post, and stopped the GPS at 1:46pm on Monday September 29th. We were greeted by our significant others with high-fives and hugs. We covered 344.5 miles self-supported, powered by trust in each other, love for nature, a little grit, and—believe it or not—a few spoonfuls of olive oil.