Special Agent Races to Success on Gruelling Course used by the SAS

An estate agency worker has achieved a huge triumph by finishing first in a gruelling 24 km race in the Brecon Beacons.

Mother of three, Louise Wood, who works for Gibbs Gillespie in Gerrards Cross, came first in the female section of the Fan Dance run which features running up and down the Pen Y Fan, the highest mountain in the Beacons.

The course, which takes in cobbled tracks, steep climbs and no paved areas, is part of the SAS and other special military forces’ training and endurance runs.

Louise, was among 400 others who took part on Saturday 4 June, and described her victory in the Clean Fatigue as ‘unexpected’ and left her feeling ‘euphoric’.

Louise who works in the company’s Land and New Homes Department said: “When you hear the name Fan Dance it sounds a bit of easy fun but it’s far from it. The SAS use it in their training exercises and it is renowned among endurance runners for being really tough.

“I love running and trained for six months for this and just gave it a real go. When I reached the half way point and a guy told me I was the first woman past I couldn’t believe it.

“It spurred me on and I kept going by just thinking how proud my three boys would feel about their mum. When I reached the finished line I was emotional but really chuffed to have not only completed the course but to have won my category.”

Louise, who lives in Bourne End, Hertfordshire and has worked for Gibbs Gillespie for 16 years, was the seventh person to cross the line and at one point had to clamber up the steepest section on all fours to get to the top.

The Clean Fatigue category is for people taking part without any additional extra weight such as rucksacks.

Louise added: “It was a really memorable experience for me especially getting to the top of Pen Y Fan and literally running in the clouds.”

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

How will tenants be affected by the incoming Renters’ Rights Act?

On 28th October 2025, the Renters’ Rights Bill was passed into law, and it is now the Renters’ Rights Act. Changes to legislation resulting from this new Act will take effect from May 2026. This will affect landlords and how they let out their property, and it is worthwhile being aware of how it affects…
Read More
Seaside Properties UK
Overseas Property

Gibraltar property values rise faster than UK

Gibraltar house prices rise faster than UK and London, despite market activity dropping 46% The latest market analysis by Enness Global has revealed that Gibraltar’s property market has seen stronger annual house price growth than both the UK and London, even as the number of transactions completing across the market has fallen sharply, creating a…
Read More
Breaking News

Homes with fewer photos priced £80,000 lower

The latest research by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed a stark disparity in asking prices depending on how extensively a property is marketed, with homes listed using four photos or fewer priced almost £80,000 lower on average than those benefiting from five or more images. Benham and Reeves analysed current…
Read More
Breaking News

January market momentum builds

Analysis of the latest market data by eXp UK has revealed that the UK property market has picked up pace in January, with both new instruction volumes and the price of these new listings increasing when compared to the same period in previous years. eXp UK analysed the latest market data*, looking at both new…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 28/1/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Tenancy Deposit Scheme further enhances rental UX with continued tie up with tlyfe app TDS has announced a multi-year extension of its partnership with tlyfe, the fast-growing tenant lifecycle app powered by OpenBrix. Expanding coverage across England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the new…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

More affordable locations grew most in price in 2025

New analysis of the 2025 market highlights that lower-priced locations grew the most in asking prices during 2025 as affordability continued to drive buyer behaviour Across the top 50 local areas where property asking prices grew the most last year, only seven are priced above the current national average of £368,031 Hawick in Roxburghshire in…
Read More