EP 13 - Beryl Burton, she wanted to leave her mark on cycling!

While you may have been following the women's Amstel Gold Race in the Netherlands last Sunday, I was reminded of how Beryl Burton made her mark on the world of British cycling!

A cycling legend who wanted to leave his mark and who has a park in his image: Beryl Burton Gardens in Morley, Great Britain!

The beginnings of a legend

Beryl Burton was born in 1937 in Leeds, England. A far from ordinary childhood, steeped in war and economic challenges, Beryl quickly demonstrated a fighting spirit and unwavering determination. Let me explain:

At 11 years old, her life took a serious turn when she was confronted with an illness that could have put an end to all her childhood dreams.

In October 1947, Beryl was taken to hospital and the diagnosis was alarming: Sydenham's chorea and acute rheumatic fever:

• Paralyzed on one side of the body
• Unable to speak
• Nor to control his movements

She spent nine months in the hospital and another 15 in a convalescent home without visitors. After celebrating her 12th birthday away from her family, she finally returned home. Her health had partially improved.

But she will suffer for the rest of her life from an irregular heartbeat.

“I was determined to leave my mark
either way "

This period of her life will forge in her a determination to succeed, no matter the difficulties.

Beginnings in the world of cycling

Beryl meets the man of her life at the factory where she works: Charlie Burton, her husband.

A member of the Morley Cycling Club, he introduced her to his passion for cycling and became Meryl's springboard for her cycling career. She fell in love a second time!

Encouraged by her husband, she took part, despite the prejudices of the time, in the club races with the men, who very quickly found themselves behind her.

Her husband says today that:

• the first year he pushed her on the hills
• In her second year, she was part of a group made up of some of the strongest male cyclists in Yorkshire.
• and by the third year? "She was leaving us behind," he said.

A meteoric rise

As promised at 12, Beryl wants to leave her mark in one way or another.

And it's done.

At 20, she entered national time trials and finished sixth in the 25-mile standings. Determined, she promised the winner, Millie Robinson (one of the best cyclists in the world), that the outcome would be different the following year.

You're starting to get it... Beryl wins the 25-mile title the next year... and the year after that... and the year after that...

In short, she won this championship 26 times (yes, yes, 26!).
Beryl said it, she wants to “leave her mark” … so:

1959 : She wins the first of her five world track pursuit titles and is named Best All-Rounder (an annual competition that ranks cyclists based on their average speed) for the first of 25 consecutive years.

1960 : She becomes world road race champion in Leipzig, a few days after retaining her world pursuit title.

1967 : Beryl sets a new British 12-hour record, which will not be broken for 50 years.

In total?

That's 15 world championship medals (including 7 gold), 73 national titles and a record that remained unbeaten for 50 years!

Not forgetting that…

• Beryl doesn't dedicate her life to cycling, she works full-time on a rhubarb farm.
• Beryl is ill, her doctors advise her to rest...

In short, we told you Beryl was a legend! 😉

Yet, despite all her success, she remained humble and determined until the end. She died in 1996 of heart failure while delivering invitations for her 59th birthday party… on her bicycle.

I think this woman is an example to all of us, reminding us that nothing is impossible when you believe in your dreams and are willing to work hard to achieve them. Beryl began and ended her life facing illness… During that time, she never gave up!

That's why he's a REAL legend!

So thank you Beryl for your strength and determination which will remain etched in the history of cycling.

And congratulations to Marianne Vos, who once again won the Amstel Gold Race…
251 awards… doesn’t she remind you of anyone?

Finally, I'm putting here a pretty good little video in English about our legend of the day: