How a runner from the Somerset Levels fell in love with the Welsh mountains
Laura Briggs aka Vegan Fitness Runner
Podcaster and journalist Laura Briggs, aka Vegan Fitness Runner, is a trail runner and flat-land dweller with a former aversion to hills.
A chance entry into the world’s toughest mountain race – Wales’s The Dragon’s Back Race – completely changed the way she approached running.
Last year I ran the 300-miles of the Macmillan Way – the first person to do so – to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and to test my own limits. Before then, I’d been a keen trail runner, with a growing passion for endurance (ultra) running.
Living on the Levels, my running had always been fairly safe in terms of terrain, and the rolling Cotswold Hills and some bumps towards Dorset, including the South West Coast Path, were about the furthest I’d really scaled - bar a marathon I’d run in Scotland’s Cape Wrath. I loved Cape Wrath – the dramatic landscapes, the unpredictability of the weather, and the isolation. The hills, though, well – I didn’t love them.
As a journalist I’d written quite a bit for Women’s Running Magazine and I thought I’d chance my arm at a media place for the 2023 Cape Wrath Ultra – I knew I loved the area, the challenge was beckoning, and the editor had given me the go-ahead. I was a touch too late. All the media places had been allocated, but I was given another option. Would I be interested in running the Dragon’s Back Race (DBR)?
I’d watched a film about DBR with my husband and he still remembers me vowing I’d never run such a brutal and hilly race. I think I probably referred to the competitors as “out of their minds” and with my aversion to hills, there was no way I’d ever consider it. But now – with the offer on the table – and the thirst for the next adventure still to be quenched, I took the opportunity and threw myself into training.
Changing my mindset was key. I had to see hills as my friend if I was to have any chance of tackling the Welsh mountains. I set myself some mini-challenges on the way – booked in some time in Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons; entered a 50-mile ultramarathon entitled “The Hilly 50” and started to understand the beauty and benefits of running at height.
Living at sea level meant that I was totally awe-inspired at my first glimpse of the mountains. The feeling of insignificance can overwhelm you. The weather can disarm you in a moment. You must respect the mountains, and also appreciate them in equal measure. Hill training paid off and I began to feel fitter and stronger than I ever had. Running on the flat became a bit boring. I was looking for the gnarly, the wild, the views, the elevation.
Wales and its mountains has taught me a lot about myself. It’s shown me that the mountains are in charge. Underestimate them at your peril. But it’s opened up a huge world of beauty and breath-taking experiences that I hadn’t previously been part of.
Wales is fabulous and I’ve had the absolute privilege of being able to train in Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons, and the Rhinogs. I’ve met wonderful people along the way who’ve encouraged and supported me. When I arrived at Plas Isa I was about to recce a section of the Rhinogs back down to Dolgellau as Storm Betty began to roll in. It was a fabulous weekend.
Staying at Plas Isa was an absolute highlight of my training journey. What a warm, welcoming guesthouse – perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors. Ian and Hanneke couldn’t have done more for me.
The Route
The Welsh mountains and the people I’ve met along the way have given me strength to toe the line with phenomenal runners on September 4th as I stand facing 234 miles of the Dragon’s Back, from Conwy to Cardiff.
Far from feeling scared about scaling new heights, I’m relishing that challenge.
Enter the dragon!
You can follow Laura on Instagram: @veganfitnessrunner
Facebook: Vegan Fitness Runner, and listen to the podcast Vegan Fitness Runner on your favourite player.
She’s runner number 36 in The Dragon’s Back Race and you can follow her by visiting the DBR Facebook Page from September 4th.
