69-Year-Old 'Unicycle Granny' Breaks Her Own World Record

At 69 years and 189 days old, Linda Jarrett glided across a California stage in a clown costume and red wig, pedaling her trusty unicycle through a Nutcracker production while making history. The "Unicycle Granny" just broke her own Guinness World Record as the oldest female unicycle rider on Earth.

Linda's love affair with the one-wheeled contraption started at age 10 in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Her dad gave her a 24-inch Schwinn unicycle for her birthday, and she immediately turned her dance school's acrobatics group into a full-blown circus act with her sisters Donna and Debbie.

By 13, she'd upgraded to a towering 6-foot unicycle that she rode everywhere around her neighborhood. "Anything that involved flipping, twisting or unicycles, I was in," she says about her college years at Florida State University's flying circus program.

Linda's performing career took her to Hollywood for a decade working as a stunt double and coaching for the TV show Circus of the Stars. She met celebrities while "flying when the stars were eating lunch" and particularly loved working with Leave it to Beaver star Tony Dow.

Throughout her moves around California, Linda never stopped performing in musical productions and community theatre shows. She first broke the world record in January 2023 at age 66, riding across a stage with a little girl perched on her shoulders.

Why This Inspires

Linda's secret isn't just athletic ability. It's her infectious joy for making people smile and her commitment to passing that joy to younger generations through youth dance centers and children's circus shows.

She admits that unicycling at her age requires constant engagement from leg and core muscles, and she always rides near a spotter since a fall could mean broken bones. But the thrill of performing never faded, and her support system of trainers, spotters, and family keeps her going strong.

Linda plans to attempt another record in May when she turns 70. Her advice for aspiring unicyclists captures everything about her spirit: "Start VERY young and NEVER stop! May all your days be circus days!"