Last weekend - smack bang in the middle of the summer heatwave - I completed the arduous Paddy Buckley fell running challenge in Snowdonia . It covers 62 miles, includes most of the biggest hills in Wales (47 of them) and was the toughest 29 hours of my life.

The route involves ~10,000m of total ascent (so more than Everest!), terrain that ranges from grassy ridges, to great hillsides of shoulder height bracken & heather, expanses of knee deep bogland, rough rocky scree, grade II scrambles and everything in between. It involved setting off at 4.00pm on Saturday, 23rd June and running non-stop throughout the night and the whole of next day finishing with an ascent of Snowdon then a long undulating ridge leading back to Llanberis. I finished with terrible blisters on my feet, swollen knees, a badly sunburnt body and a very tired dog (Twiglet - who did around 20 miles of it).

Mend Our Mountains is a great cause which sets out to look after and maintain some of our most precious mountains in the UK. I was the 166th person, 17th women in 36 years and only 4th person this year to complete the Paddy Buckley. It's a tough undertaking at the best of times but in 25+ degree temps, no wind and a biting sun it took every ounce of my determination and some solid support from a group of running friends to get through it.

I guess it goes to prove that if you put your mind to something, however difficult - you can do it.