Bridget Glaister Completes 380km Solo Supported Dragon’s Back Challenge

Bridget Glaister becomes the first person to complete a solo (supported) continuous running of the Dragon's Back Race® route in Wales. The route follows the spine of mountains from Conwy Castle to Cardiff Castle. A distance of 380km / 230 miles across mountain terrain and incorporating a total ascent of 16,400m. The time taken sets the record at 102 hrs and 40mins.

Bridget crossing the infamous Crib Goch on her solo challenge ©Bridget Glaister

On Saturday 26th July 2025 Bridget Glaister became the second person to complete the Dragon's Back Race® route as a continuous record attempt.

Not only is she the first woman to succeed, but is the first person ever to run it solo supported - where support is only available at the road crossings, and with absolutely no pre-arranged support on the route itself in the form of pacers, moral support, navigation, carrying of equipment, feeding… etc. Shane Ohly's success in the previous year had been run fully supported on the route itself with a crew of 30.

Starting at 10:06am on Tuesday 22nd July and finishing on Saturday 27th July at 16.46pm (Garmin watch timing), Bridget finished the iconic 380km journey down the mountainous spine of Wales in 4 days, 6 hours and 40 minutes (102 hours, 40 minutes). Shane Ohly previously ran it slightly faster, by just 7 minutes (102 hours 33 minutes) and had a full support team on the hill. This contrasts to Bridget navigating solo through technical terrain and scrambles, facing multiple nights alone in the mountains, carrying all her kit and taking on the full burden of decision-making - which becomes increasingly critical once the effect of fatigue and sleep deprivation start to take a hold.

Solo and self supported in the mountains ©Bridget Glaister

Bridget had a chance to catch up with Shane after the event. Trying to pick out individual moments is difficult because there were so many, but there were most definitely highs and lows on each leg of the journey. Setting off into the dark nights alone was a tough aspect to get used to and yet one of the highs was the solo night crossing of the Elan Valley hills that rise up and over Drygarn Fawr where there are 2 burial mounds. It was a warm night and the sheep were milling around all the time, some running off and others stopping to pee in fright as they do. At one point I sheltered the beam of my torch and saw the mass of stars in the sky which was uplifting. During that time, I felt safe and warm and completely in my element. That moment stood in stark contrast to one of the lowest points earlier that particular day when trying to nip between a trod and a track just before the dam at Llyn Llygad Rheidol prior to the ascent to Pumlumon Fawr. I had planned to take that route (having reccied it only weeks before) and yet when I got there the tussocks and undergrowth had grown to almost head-height and it got to the point that I was having to launch myself over them. I was too far in to turn back, yet there was no sign of the track and I was wasting energy. I nearly cried with frustration, and just had to keep fighting and believing I would get there.

Bridget put all faith in her pacing - knowing it well and sticking to it. It's very different when there is no one around you to race against, but I tried to keep progressing as much as I could. This is what kept me going over the final plateau of the Brecon Beacons during the dead of night when there was no visibility due to rain and mist and a significant need to put safety first.

Sleep strategy is often the undoing of long multi-day efforts and this was something she left to her husband to monitor as shecrawled into the transit van at the road support points, and grabbing an hour or two along the way. I think I had just enough to keep going safely, but there were one or two lows when I was suffering and it brought out some self pity for a while.

Reaching Cardiff Castle completing her 380km journey through Wales ©Bridget Glaister

As Bridget says: "What really helped is that I always looked forward to the next mountain, it's what pulls me along. This is going to make me stop and smile for a long time. I'm delighted that I was inspired by Shane's first ever continuous run of the route and decided I should try it in my way, and now I have."

Thinking of taking on the challenge?

Read more about the Dragon’s Back FKT or register for the 2026 race below!