Ultra-runner smashes the 45-year record for scaling three peaks

A YOUNG ultra-runner has smashed the world record for the fastest woman to complete the full Three Peaks Challenge - by 18 hours.

- Douglas Whitbread

Imogen Boddy, 24, ran from Ben Nevis in Scotland to Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales, as well as climbing the summits, in just six days, five hours and 43 minutes.

She broke Ann Sayers's previous record, which had stood for 45 years.

Throughout the challenge, which saw her running around 62 miles a day, Imogen took cat-naps in a van driven by her parents - while consuming Starbucks Frappuccinos and lollies to keep cool during a freak spring heatwave.

Imogen, from Clapham, South London, said: "It hasn't really sunk in yet. We finished last Tuesday and I've been dreaming ever since that I'm still running and kind of just been in and out of sleeping and eating.

"But crossing the finish line was an incomparable feeling. It hasn't really truly hit me yet the enormity of what I've done. I haven't really celebrated. I've been pretty broken - but we had a Chinese on Tuesday night.