In this episode, Gary and Ben are joined by Holly Wootten, who made history at the 2025 Dragon’s Back Race®, finishing first woman and second overall, setting a new women’s record in the process.

The Dragon’s Back is one of the toughest mountain races in the world — six relentless days running the length of Wales, from Conwy Castle to Cardiff Castle, across wild ridgelines, brutal climbs and unpredictable weather. Holly talks us through the highs, lows and everything in between.

She shares how she approached the race with a plan to compete with the men, how she handled the pressure of leading, and the mental and physical battles that come with stage racing. From camp life and gear setup to racing injured on the final day, this is a story of sheer determination and belief.

Holly’s performance was extraordinary — 50:46:16, over three hours faster than the previous women’s record set by Lisa Watson in 2022. She dominated from the start, finishing just behind men’s winner David Parrish, and ahead of a strong field including Jodie Gauld and Lianne Van Dijk.

Expect honest chat about:

• What it takes to race the Dragon
• The reality of multi-day ultras
• Women competing at the sharp end
• How mindset and navigation can make or break your week
• And why Holly still finished strong after injury on day five

This is a deep dive into one of the most inspiring performances in UK ultra running.

🎙 Hosted by Gary House and Ben Mounsey

🎧 Watch and listen on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_pklymQxtluqvkNmf41MYI7fOk8Ki_YT&si=jjt-sW_XAm-5nz4y

#TrailRunning #Ultrarunning #DragonsBackRace #HollyWootten #RUNcensored #MountainRunning #EnduranceRunning #Podcast

RUNcensored Podcast 🎙

The unfiltered running podcast with Gary House & Ben Mounsey — honest chats with athletes, coaches and characters from the world of running.

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