Borders Abbeys Way – Run The Borders 2024

This was always a bad idea from the very beginning… when Breaking Strain (organisers of Run The Blades) announced they were putting on a race on the Borders Abbeys Way I signed up almost immediately. As the only one of Scotland’s Great Trails to pass through my home town of Selkirk, it had been onContinue reading “Borders Abbeys Way – Run The Borders 2024”

Pig on the Hill Backyard Ultra 2024

What an epic race that was! But to properly tell the story we need to go back more than a year to June 2023 and as it was then called, the Lionsgate Backyard Ultra. I had gone there as part of Team Scotland, with high expectations after winning God’s Own Backyard Ultra 2022 and madeContinue reading “Pig on the Hill Backyard Ultra 2024”

Mapledurham BYU 2024 – A Crew’s Eye View

Going to Mapledurham was a bit of a last-minute plan, but we’re glad we did! After the Cow Shed Backyard Ultra was cancelled due to short notice, Julie had a bit of a gap in her schedule before her next race in June and was still looking to find a few extra yards to secureContinue reading “Mapledurham BYU 2024 – A Crew’s Eye View”

Rasselbock Backyard Ultra 2024

Well it’s two weeks since Rasselbock Backyard Ultra and I am still trying to get over the disappointment of stopping at 38 yards 😭. That’s the thing about Backyard Ultras that makes them so hard but at the same time makes you want to go back for more. I was determined to go into thisContinue reading “Rasselbock Backyard Ultra 2024”

Ultra Scotland 100 2023

Over 6 months after the race I am finally sitting down to write the race report. This one has been a hard one to write! It is the race I came closest to DNFing, I completely fell apart and somehow managed to pull myself back together mid-race to finally finish first female and fourth overall.Continue reading “Ultra Scotland 100 2023”

GOBYU 2023

Went to Leeds, ran 31 yards, DNF’ed, went home again. That’s pretty much what our weekend at God’s Own Backyard Ultra amounted to, but at the same time it was so much more than that! Hours spent on the trail, time in camp catching up with our “backyard family”, seeing many people smash their ownContinue reading “GOBYU 2023”

Orkney Backyard Ultra 2023

Orkney Backyard Ultra was my third big race of the year and I had deliberately taken it easy since Ultra Scotland 100 four weeks before. This felt quite strange and left me nervous that I wasn’t doing enough, but was definitely the correct approach for me as my final two runs felt great and IContinue reading “Orkney Backyard Ultra 2023”

There and Back Again…

Not “… A hobbit’s tale, by Bilbo Baggins”, but rather the Ochil 100 – both directions along the Ochil 50 route back-to-back 🤪 Julie had run (and won) the Ochil 50 last year so I’ll spare you the blow-by-blow route description (re-read her post if you’re looking for route info) and just give you aContinue reading “There and Back Again…”

Loch Ness 24 2023

This race was simultaneously the worst and the best thing I have ever done – I’m still buzzing from it 4 days later as I write this 😁 So many challenges along the way, but I managed them all and came away with a result that I still can’t quite wrap my head around! ButContinue reading “Loch Ness 24 2023”

By Way of the Glen

Some time last year I heard that Rocket Events were putting on an extension to their annual Great Glen Way Ultra, adding (just!) the whole West Highland Way beforehand to make a 170 mile + 21,500 ft of climb continuous route all the way from Glasgow to Inverness via Fort William. It sounded just likeContinue reading “By Way of the Glen”