Lexi Chambers: The Ultra-Endurance Athlete Taking on Alpe D’Huez

Lexi Chambers is a name synonymous with Guinness World Records. She has seven.

A proud member of Team SiS, Lexi is no ordinary athlete – turning tragedy into triumph and facing adversity with gumption most can only dream of.

This July, she will be tackling her next challenge: Climbing the Alpe D’Huez. 

Elective Amputee. World Record Holder. Warrior.

The brutal 13.8km climb is hard enough on a bike, never mind in a standard wheelchair. But this is exactly what Chambers is going to do. 

In 2019, Lexi made the courageous decision to undergo elective below-knee amputation. She had lived with the excruciating condition, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, for some time, and this choice finally gave her control of the condition, on her terms. 

But the operation wasn’t a deterrent for determination; if anything, it deepened it. 

In 2024, she wheeled over 1,400km from John O’Groats to Land’s End – climbing the equivalent of Mt. Everest 1.5 times over and covering a marathon distance every single day, for 35 days straight, in a manual wheelchair. This was done in support of The Exeter Chiefs Foundation & The Aaron Lewis Foundation.

This is what takes Lexi from an extraordinary endurance athlete to an elite one. Every single endeavour has been undertaken in a non-sport, or standard, chair. 

And these weren’t standard pursuits. They were ultra-marathons (10 of them, in 10 days!), brutal endurance feats, and relentless tests of speed. These are achievements that demand a rare calibre of athlete to conquer.

The Alpe D’Huez challenge is part of a gruelling training regime in preparation for a gargantuan 2027 campaign: 4,812.2KM coast-to-coast across America. In a standard wheelchair. All in the name of charity. 

“Not Despite Adversity. Because of it”

Lexi has taken her personal adversities and turned them into gains for the greater good. Training serves as a critical mechanism to channel focus away from chronic pain, while her staggering endurance exploits provide a platform to raise vital awareness and funding for causes close to her heart. 

As a proud ChildFund Rugby Ambassador, she made history in 2025 with the “Race to the Women’s Rugby World Cup”. This extraordinary journey saw her complete ten ultramarathons in ten days – all in a standard wheelchair – whilst carrying the official match whistle for the opening game at the Stadium of Light. 

Every single mile conquered drove vital support for ChildFund Rugby, an organisation empowering girls and young women globally to build leadership and resilience through the sport.

She has also dedicated her efforts to raise funds for Team Forces: a specialist charity that harnesses the power of sport, challenge and adventure to improve the lives of those within the armed forces community. Her Team Forces Campaign 2027 will be dedicated to them and as a celebration of Women’s Rugby, which Lexi is deeply inspired by. 

Alpe d’Huez, or, Stage 19 of The Tour de France

Lexi Chambers, UK army veteran, former NHS nurse, and lover of women’s rugby, is aiming to conquer 21 hairpin bends, 13,8km of ascent, and an elevation gain of 1,073km in a standard, everyday wheelchair. 

It’s famously known as stage 19 of the Tour de France; to Lexi, it’s a statement piece. It’s a media moment – the perfect opportunity to be in the deserved limelight and garner attention, whilst gaining some valuable training. 

Ascending the picturesque Alpe d’Huez, in the French Alps, goes beyond a test of strength and endurance; it’s a mental trial, a battle against the elements, conditioning at altitude. It’s a way for Lexi to familiarise herself with the most extreme conditions. 

Science in Sport is proud to support Lexi on this mission as her official Nutrition Partner. 

You can support her by going to her official website. 

Lexi Chambers x Science in Sport

Propelling a standard wheelchair over long distances requires profound upper-body muscular endurance. Upper-body exercise utilises smaller muscle groups compared to running, leading to faster glycogen depletion and higher heart rates. 

Scientifically speaking, this spectacular challenge will require a lot of fuel. The 2024 End2End challenge saw Lexi ingesting upwards of 6,000 calories per day to maintain homeostasis. The fuel needed for the Alpe d’Huez Challenge will be much more aggressive, and we’re going to provide her with everything she needs to meet those demands.

There are also potential heat-related challenges, which will become a reality in the US. Hydration and electrolyte replenishment will play a key part in the strategy to avoid cramps and the loss of key nutrients through sweat. 

We recognise that the needs of wheelchair users differ from those of non-wheelchair users, so we are working closely with Lexi Chambers to perfect a fuelling strategy that meets all her personal requirements. All athletes have unique fuelling needs, and Lexi is no exception. 

Looking Ahead. What’s Your Excuse? 

We’re going to highlight Lexi’s website again, where you can read about the variety of ways in which you can support this most impressive journey. 

In July 2026, she will slay the legendary 21 bends of Alpe d’Huez, rising a relentless, unyielding vertical gradient. 

In March 2027, she will embark on a coast-to-coast trans-USA expedition. 130 days, one woman and her chair, no pacing team, no drafting. Just her, and her pure grit, matching marathon distances each day. 

Lexi does this because she can. She is reshaping global perceptions of adaptive athletes and raising vital funds for Team Forces. 

She doesn’t seek optimal conditions or use specialised equipment; she works with what she has, trains hard, and fuels her engine flawlessly. 

She’s unlocked impossible limits, and we are proud to support her to unlock more.