Soon after Rinehart rewrote the record books, a battle of dueling century riders in Long Island, New York, attracted national attention. Irene Brush of Brooklyn started things off by pedaling 200 miles in 22 hours on May 7 and 8, 1899. A month later, she rode 300 miles in 29 hours and in mid-July, 400 miles in 48 hours. Brush's achievements soon were eclipsed by two new marathon cyclists. In late July, Jane Yatman, a 24-year-old former bookstore clerk from Manhattan, powered through five centuries in 58 hours. In early September, Jane Lindsay of Brooklyn pedaled 600 miles in 72 hours. Later that month, on September 16, Jane Yatman set out to ride 700 miles, a feat which she accomplished in 81 hours, 5 minutes. "Miss Yatman plainly showed the effects of the terrible strain in her countenance," reported the New York Times, "and said that the ride was torture during the last twenty-five miles." Those miles, and indeed the entire last century, were ridden in a drenching rainstorm. –Wheels of Change, Sue Macy What central idea do the statistics help the reader understand? Rinehart held the longest cycling record. Women bicycle racers were very competitive. Not everyone supported women racers. Cycling races were popular to watch.