UK runner completes National Three Peaks Challenge in less than a week

In an extraordinary feat of endurance, 24-year-old runner Imogen "Imo" Boddy has set the world record for the fastest time to complete the UK National Three Peaks Challenge on foot (female).

The challenge involves summiting the highest peaks in Scotland, England, and Wales — respectively Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon, running from one mountain to the other — encompassing a total distance of approximately 680 km (422 mi) and an ascent of 10,052 feet (3,064 meters). 

Young but incredibly determined, the Malton-born runner has tested her limits and powered through the entire race in record time, finishing the task in only six days, five hours and 43 minutes.

After 45 years, her achievement surpassed the legendary British endurance walker Ann Sayer: in September 1979, the pioneering female long-distance athlete conquered all three peaks with the impressive time of seven days and 31 minutes.

Imogen prepared for the quest alongside her trainer Chris Taylor. 

Part of her training regime included going to Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, training in six inches of snow, while she also continued to prepare by running every day, several miles a day, for months.

Battling tiredness and heat throughout the entire race but determined to reach her goal, Imogen began the UK National Three Peaks Challenge on 15 May and finished it less than a week later, on 21 May.

The humungous journey started in Scotland, with Ben Nevis.

Excited to start and ready to smash a world record, Imogen began her adventure at Fort William (in the Highland region of Lochaber) and, from that moment on, she demonstrated exceptional physical prowess and incredible resilience. 

“Ben Nevis was probably the easiest,” she admits. “Partially because it was the first one I did. It’s probably my least favourite one but, because it was the first one, I was also super excited.”

Imogen's swift and efficient ascent and descent set the pace for the challenge. Without a moment's respite, she ran to the Lake District in England, where she tackled Scafell Pike. 

Standing at 3,209 feet (978 meters) and waiting for her, Scafell Pike promised to be the most difficult peak of the three. In line with her expectations, this middle point was the hardest one to face — but it also turned out to be the most exciting part of the challenge.  

“It was an amazing sunny day," Imogen explains, "so there were loads of people.”

“Scafell Pike was amazing. It was the toughest one, but also probably the most rewarding,” she says.

Followed closely by a van with her parents, her boyfriend and her team, Imogen tried to keep her body temperature low despite the heat with ice packs during her short breaks. She also drank strawberries and cream frappuccinos to keep herself cool and reduce the risk of heat strokes.

Day five was the hardest time, she says. Exhaustion loomed over her, as she could only take short naps in the support van, but she was determined to break the record.

“After my third nap, I broke down," the record holder says, remembering the most difficult point of her entire adventure. “I needed to sleep. That was pretty brutal.” 

But, with only one mountain left to tackle, Imogen was ready for the last sprint.

The final leg of the challenge saw her reach and ascend Snowdon, in Wales, which stands at 3,560 feet (1,085 meters). 

During this very last effort, after running a minimum of 100k every day, Imo once again demonstrated an incredible physical and mental strength, and smashed the record while maintaining an impressive pace. 

“The best moment was crossing that finishing line,” she admits. 

“It was a massive team effort, so the first thing I wanted to do was to say thank you to my team.”

After that, it was time for a well-deserved rest!

With her journey quickly going viral and inspiring a great deal of runners and people on social media, Imogen was surrounded by the love and cheers of her family, friends and social media community throughout the entire week: from start to finish, she recalls that she had a fantastic support network. 

Endurance athlete Sean Conway also joined her in her adventure, running with her for a few miles as she made her way to Snowdon. 

The runner also had regular checkpoints with her parents and the rest of her team along the way.

“Chris, my coach, was by my side the whole time,” she adds. “And I was also supported from afar — with social media and the press. Despite being alone, there was so much support.”

Chris never left her side, cycling next to her as Imogen soldiered through the challenge.

Despite her undeniable successes, however, the record-breaking runner also said that she has definitely felt the weight of being a young woman in sports, sometimes, and that not everyone immediately supported her ambitious record attempt.

"That is also true brand-wise," she says. "I've had a lot of brands who have supported me, but also many brands who haven’t supported me. And a lot of adults - like parents of my friends - weren't supportive. But I'm pretty stubborn."

When she was only 22, Imogen completed the JOGLE endurance challenge, becoming the youngest woman to run the length of Britain and covering a whopping 60 km (40 miles) a day for a total of 1,340 kilometers.

Her race took her from John o' Groats to Land's End, and she completed the ambitious crossing in just 22 days.

Although Imogen isn’t looking at more world records, for now, she is indeed training for her next big goal!

Her friends would want to see her rest for a while, she admits with a laugh, but the now-record holder is already thinking about the future.

Ambitious and awe-inspiring, the young ultra-runner aims to qualify for Team GB at the IAU 24-Hour World Championships next. The athletes participating in the international 24-hour run competition demonstrate incredible tenacity, and Imogen is ready to smash the race and add another success to her portfolio.

One thing is certain: there’s more running in her future.

“I would love to make running my profession,” she confesses, “I am already working as a running coach.”