Meet the Team

Lou Beetlestone

Lou is a massively experienced outdoor instructor, with a passion for mountain running, climbing and alpine mountaineering, holding the reputable Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor qualification. Lou also volunteers for Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation. She has a range of mountain and water qualifications and a number of physical achievements tucked under her belt, including solo/pairs wins in UK mountain marathons, a Paddy Buckley Round completion in 2018 and a solo, unsupported Welsh 3000s round in under 8.5 hours.

In 2019, Lou was part of the first all-female team planning to climb all the Alpine 4000m peaks, in one summer season. 2019 and 2021 also saw Lou working on the Event Team for the Dragon's Back Race®, as well as guiding on many Official Recce Events since 2019.

Lou also ran in the Dragon's Back Race®, in 2022 and 2024, as well as finishing the Winter Spine Challenger North in January 2024.

Jade Phillips

Jade loves to run long distances, as well as climb and trail run in the hills and mountains of the UK, and overseas when she can travel. Jade mixes her love of the outdoors working as a Mountain Leader (often run-guiding!) and a Rock Climbing Instructor, with her passion for conservation in other community work in Wales, including volunteering for Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue Team. In December 2022 Jade enjoyed a Solo Unsupported circuit of Mid Wales’ Corris Round (56km/3300m) under a full moon.

Jade has guided on numerous Official Recce Events since 2021 and has worked on the Dragon's Back Race® Event Team most years since, then, sharing responsibilities between Course Operations and Mountain Safety.

Her local hills are now the Rhinogydd and Cadair Idris massif, and she’s very familiar with the Cambrian Mountains from her time living near Aberystwyth.

Mike Murray

Mike loves anything that involves being in the mountains, from walking and mountain running to climbing and ski touring, across the world. Mike holds the International Mountain Leader qualification and is a UESCA Ultrarunning Coach, Leader in Running Fitness and British Nordic Walking Instructor. He runs regularly with clients in the Alps over the summer months.

Mike particularly enjoys long mountain journeys and in 2018 he planned and completed a continuous 550-mile route across all 190 mountains above 2000ft high in Wales. Mike also completed the Dragon's Back Race® in 2019, and finished the Summer Spine in 2021 and Winter Spine Challenger South in 2024.

Mike has guided on a number of Official Recce Events since 2021 and this excellent experience has given him a huge insight into many aspects of the Dragon's Back Race®.

Helen Teasdale

Helen’s personal and professional passion for being outdoors has taken her to many countries around the world, mountaineering, climbing, running and kayaking. Upon leaving school, Helen pursued a career enabling her to share experiences and educate others in the outdoors, working in North Wales for over 30 years…that’s a lot of local knowledge! Holding the Winter Mountaineering and Climbing and International Mountain Leader qualifications, Helen enjoys local fell races and long, mountain runs and completed the Welsh 3000s in 10hrs 30mins Road to Road, just for some extra mileage.

Helen has worked on Official Recce Events since 2022 and the Dragon's Back Race® Event Team in Course Operations and Mountain Safety. After two years of DNS due to different injuries, Helen reached the start line of the 2025 Dragon's Back Race® and finished the full 6 x days, finishing in the Top 10 Females.

Joe Faulkner

Joe is great friends with the Dragon's Back Race® with completions of over 4 events, spanning 25 years – including the original edition of the race in 1992. Joe enjoys a very strong history of fell and ultra-running, as well as competing in numerous adventure and expedition races and mountain marathons. His experience as an off-road runner, mountaineer, mountain biker and mountain skills educator is highly respected in many outdoor circles and Joe will always pass on excellent advice based on years of experience.

Joe also knows how many expedition races and events run from the other side, too – having organised his own races (look up the winter classic - Tour de Helvellyn!) and worked on the safety team for many of Ourea Events courses. With a variety of outdoor qualifications, randing from Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, Winter Mountain Leader to Rope Access Technician and Safety Manager, Joe’s experience is diverse and always helpful on the hill or in the valley.

Becki Penrose

Becki works as a full-time outdoor professional, in the UK and overseas. She loves being in the mountains either on foot or on skis. Becki’s favourite days out are spent moving efficiently and navigating independently through the mountain environment. She really loves her work opportunities to guide and support others in developing their mountain skills and trail running both in the UK and the Alps. Becki has completed various ultra-distance mountain races, including the Snowdonia 50 (err, actually 58 miles?!), UTMB CCC, Eiger Ultra 50k, Cheviot Goat Winter Ultra and took part in the Dragon's Back Race® in 2021.

Unfortunately, an injury prevented a successful completion of the full Dragon's Back Race® event, but she fell in love with the route and plans many re-visits, whether supporting other #DragonsInTraining, or for another race attempt in the future.

Tim Laney

Tim holds extensive experience as a Mountain Leader, International Mountain Leader and ultra-runner. As well working across continents with diverse expedition groups, Tim has completed numerous iconic races across different countries, including the Dragon's Back Race®, Tor des Geants, UTMR, UTMB, Hardrock and Grand Raid des Pyrenees, as well as UK mountain marathons and personal running adventures. And this doesn’t include the time he spends physically and logistically supporting others in their attempts on classic UK running rounds and ‘FKTs’.

Drawn from his numerous personal and professional journeys, Tim has an enviable and thorough knowledge of the Welsh mountains and what makes for enjoyable and successful multi-day mountain running.

Kate Worthington

Kate manages the Dragon's Back Race® Official Recce Events for RAW Adventures – looking after all logistics on and off the hill, as well as enjoying meeting so many Dragons on the hill, year on year. Kate is a Winter Mountain Leader – one of the highest walking qualifications in the UK, a UK Athletics Fell and Trail Leader in Running Fitness and British Nordic Walking Instructor and loves guiding others mountain running. This includes recces for local races, the Paddy Buckley Round, a female FKT on the Hebridean Way in 2019 and completed her own Solo/Unsupported FKT on the 83 mile Snowdonia Slate Trail in 2025.

Kate has guided on Recce Events since 2019 and supported the Event Team on every edition of the race since 2015, and has a thorough knowledge of the ‘changing’ route from many years on the Course Operations and Mountain Safety Teams and supporting route recces/checking and landowner liaison tasks for Ourea Events. Kate ran in the Dragon's Back Race® in 2021, having to retire from the race through injury, towards the end of Day 5. Gutted! But never say never to go back again...

Ieuan Belshaw

Ieuan enjoys exciting, physical challenges and is usually towards a few goals at any one time. Currently, projects include running Classic British Mountain Rounds, and in 2025 he completed a Paddy Buckley round and a fast Winter completion of the local ‘new classic’ Mountain Goat circuit – 50km/3800m. Ieuan’s knowledge and enthusiasm for adventure comes from a lifetime travelling worldwide in mountainous landscapes, via kayaking, climbing, hiking expeditions and running – for work or personal time.

Ieuan is highly experienced Mountain Leader and Kayaking Instructor, working towards a Winter Mountain Leader qualification. He is also a UESCA Ultrarunning Coach and uses his keen running skills to help others prepare for big goals. Ieuan has supported Event Teams for the Dragon's Back Race® and Cape Wrath Ultra, with race experience in both events. It was September 2025 that saw Ieuan’s recent hard work rewarded and he finished the full Dragon's Back Race® course in 3rd Male position – a fantastic achievement!