Ding ding! The Highland Fling - 53 mile ultramarathon!

Ding ding! The Highland Fling - 53 mile ultramarathon - Saturday 20th September 2025

I'll cover my training in a separate post at some point, but I arrived in Milngavie on Friday 19th September knowing I had put everything into the training plan devised for me by Iain Bethune. I'd covered the speed sessions, the recovery runs, the longer runs with increased elevation, the hill reps. I've changed the way I think about running as a result, and I was in the best shape of my adult life. I could do no more - but the taper did send me slightly crazy wondering if I could've done more! There were too many hours on my hands to overthink everything and wonder if I was actually fit enough...

I took the train to Milngavie and walked a mile to the Premier Inn (the one that's technically in Bearsden but really not that far!) to register, pop to Aldi for some more carbs, then sit in my room for a chilled few hours. I wasn't up for socialising, and as a parent it is a rare treat to have a night on my own with no parenting duties and whatever I want to watch on tv! I packed and repacked, but found it really hard to switch my brain off and go to sleep. My biggest fear - and it had been a recurring thought for weeks - was that I'd sleep in past my alarm, wake up at 7am and have missed the start! I imagined having to tell everyone that after 14 weeks of training I'd missed the actual event. So I lay awake, worrying about that, getting up to check for the umpteenth time that I had actually set my alarm, not wanting to fall into a deep sleep etc. I did sleep a wee bit - I must have - but I have to say it was a relief when my alarm went off at 4am! I could just crack on, the wait was over.

I planned to leave the hotel at 5am, giving myself an hour to get ready, which seemed like a lot, but it went by fast and I was glad to have it. It allowed me not to feel too stressed or rushed. I thought there would be quite a few runners walking along the road at that time, but just me! Eventually I met someone else who was walking from the closer Premier Inn and we had a good chat - Russell, I think. His niece had made a giant Tunnocks teacake paper mache for the Balmaha drop bag competition! We found the train station together, and made our way to the drop bag cars. 

Pensive at the start! Photo credit: Monument Photos

I managed to eat my peanut butter sandwich and two bananas, went to the portaloos a couple of times, had a wee chat with Ross who was volunteering, and generally felt anxious but awake and ready to get going. When we got into our starting pens it felt very real - I took the third pen for the over 12 hour runners, and had a nice chat with Deepesh which helped settle the nerves. The first wave went off at 6am, the second at 6.02am and us in the third at 6.04am. It felt very surreal to be running through Milngavie in the dark - being careful not to trip up on the steps up from the station! The lovely Emily appeared to my left and we chatted for a mile or so out of Milngavie, that also really helped calm the nerves as adrenaline was pumping.

I enjoyed the darkness, everything lit up by head torches, being careful of tree roots in Mugdock Country Park. I had a couple of chats here with folk, and tried to be mindful of my pace. Going too fast here would be a big mistake. It was light around 7am, and I took my headtorch off and put it around my wrist - I'd put it my bag later I thought. 

Shortly after Carbeth I got chatting to a lovely lady called Claire, and we spent a good few miles together. That really passed the time, and Claire was so interesting. I saw my lovely pal Nikki at the road crossing so got a hug and words of encouragement - that was a great boost, then we passed a guy singing Bruce Springsteen 'Dancing in the Dark' which was incredibly cool! Out into the open fields and the miles ticked by until the first timing check in point at the Beech Tree, around 7 miles. I've never used a 'dibber' before so it was quite cool to see how it worked! After that it was a short time before the next check in point at Drymen, where it was good to see Ross again. 

Approaching Garadhban Forest, Photo credit: Hippie Nixon Photography

Onwards to Conic Hill - Dave was getting the update texts and told me that the tracker predicted me to be at Balmaha at 9.51am, after leaving Drymen at 8.17am. It's a lovely section with forest tracks and I stuck to my plan of walking the inclines, at a reasonable pace. I thought often of Julie here (Julie Bethune, extraordinary ultra runner who I've been lucky to share a few miles with over the last few months and has taught me the art of power marching uphills!). I lost Claire at some point here, but I expected to see her again - sadly I didn't! I marched up Conic Hill with purpose, knowing it'd be a slow descent. At this point the weather was glorious to the point of almost too warm - it had been such a mild morning with barely a chill in the air. And no rain!

I was being so careful on the way down - I'd recce'd the route in the Easter holidays, and found it really tough, so I knew it'd be slow and steady. Thankfully the rocks were mostly dry - but I slipped on a wet one. Went down on my bum and put my left hand down to break my fall - thankfully my headtorch was still around my wrist and I think it protected me from a wrist injury (and fortunately it didn't break in the process!), but my fingers felt weird. There was nothing visibly wrong but I had got a huge fright, and it took a long time to bounce back from that. I think adrenaline and frayed nerves got the better of me, rather than any physical hurt, which thankfully was extremely minimal (and could've been worse!). The runners around me checked I was okay, particular thanks to George who then accompanied me most of the way down and talked me through his earlier fall to make me feel better!

Photo credit: Monument Photos

When I got to the Balmaha checkpoint the kindness of John the volunteer made me weep again, and given I'd washed the mud off my hands and there was nothing to show for my fall, he probably thought I was a bit silly! But he was so kind, said I could sit down and see a medic if I needed, encouraged me to get some sugar in, and advised taking off my ring (thank goodness he did, my ring finger was one of the ones I'd staved and it was already swelling up, I barely got my ring off in time). I filled up my flasks, and felt a wee bit sad my Highland Fling themed drop bag hadn't won (I've subsequently seen the other entrants and WOW!) so I ripped off the dancer and carried her with me all the way to the finish, mini cowbell ringing in my bag the whole time. (On that note, volunteer John removed the cowbells that were round the box and took them in his pocket to the finish with him, where he kindly presented me with them! What a legend!)

I was still a bit emotional leaving Balmaha and it took a few miles to get back in the groove. I had some tatties and later on some salt and vinegar hula hoops as I navigated along Loch Lomond. 

Heading up out of Balmaha, photo credit volunteer Colin Knox

This section to Rowardennan is really lovely, and I felt a lot better than the last time I was here on my Easter recce. Lovely Michelle from Kinross Road Runners said hello as I passed her and we had a wee chat.

the only way is up...

Ben Lomond 

I was glad to dib in at Rowardennan around 11.30am ish, 5 and a half hours after I'd started, 27 miles in with 26 to go! It was definitely nice to be past the halfway point. I went for a pee in the visitor centre toilets here which are nice, and washed my face which felt great! A lady in the toilets asked what we were doing today to which my response was "I'm wondering that myself" but told her about the event and she was very encouraging! Every walker we met was full of kind words and encouragement which made a huge difference!

After every checkpoint it did take me a wee while to get back in the groove, and it was no different after leaving Rowardennan, I probably could've run here a wee bit more but it wouldn't have made much difference to the day as a whole. I knew the toughest sections were still ahead of me, so it was better to conserve energy when I could. On my Easter recce I'd taken the 'low road' but the Fling follows the 'high road' which is basically an uphill track for - a couple of miles? Not sure, but it was all spent walking, and having a nice chat with Susie who was doing her second Fling.

Photo credit Fiona Rennie

The technical bits started before Inversnaid, with some scrambling. Ultra running legend Fiona Rennie was here at one of the bigger steps up. I spent many days at Inversnaid in my days as a Rabbies tour guide, and now I was back on Saturday lunchtime. Glad to be at the 34 mile mark but very apprehensive about what was ahead! I had a few minutes at the checkpoint refilling water bottles as I'd done everywhere else, and grabbing the stuff from my drop bag. Yes I would carry that peanut butter sandwich all the way to Beinglas just to put it in the bin...

I got in a wee group of other runners here and we navigated maybe 3 or 4 miles of this section together. The company really helped there - there wasn't tons of chat as we concentrated on where we were putting our feet, but moving together as a group felt nice. It kept my spirits up when potentially my head would've gone down. It seemed to take forever - over 2 hours to do just over 6 miles. I knew it'd be slow going, it got a bit tiresome, but then it was done.

Dario's post, Loch Lomond

On the way to Beinglas I spent some time with lovely Llinos, who has run the West Highland Way race. Unfortunately she had a fall as we chatted, which I felt bad about it!? She encouraged me to carry on, but I was very relieved to see her again as we reached the Beinglas checkpoint!

Arriving into Beinglas, photo credit Hippie Nixon Photography

Arriving into Beinglas, photo credit Hippie Nixon Photography

This was the last 'proper' checkpoint with a drop bag (a drop bag that I carried almost all the way to the finish!). I didn't spend too long, but I did try (for the first time) a coke and water combo which really worked! I'd definitely do this again. I walked out sipping this, updating Dave, and chatting with Louise, Allan and Katie (I'd met Allan briefly on the Wildheart Runners recce back in August). Moving forward with purpose was the aim of the game here - it wasn't fast but it was forward motion, walking the inclines, jogging everything else.

One thing I'm most proud of is how I managed myself over these last 12 miles. I passed a few trudging folk who were heads down, maybe grinding it to the finish. I was proud that I kept a jog going and didn't allow my head to go down (the coke helped!). Everything I'd done over the last 14 weeks allowed me to finish strong. I just keep moving forward. Charging my watch on the go, and clutching my drop bag, not keen on eating anything from it!

When I caught sight of the last checkpoint at Bogle Glen, near Crianlarich around the 47 mile mark, I got an almighty shout "HELEN!!!" from the amazing Lee, followed by a lovely hug and a wee chat with him and Jo. This boosted my spirits so much. I dibbed in at Bogle Glen, said I didn't know if I needed anything to which I was told "if you don't know, you don't need anything, so get moving" in the nicest way, it was a kick up the bum to carry on! Through the big gate and lots of folk cheering here really boosted me up the hill.

Heading for a hug with Lee, clutching drop bag & watch on charge! Thanks to Jo McKnight for photo

My tracker predicted my finish time as 6.38pm (would've been 12 hours 34 minutes), and I was slightly surprised/disappointed. It was 5.20pm and I'd hoped to be finished before 6.38! But the tracker had been pretty accurate all day...nothing for it but to keep moving forward. I chatted to Dave who was with Totty in Tyndrum getting fish and chips. I told him to be ready at the red carpet before 6.38, I was on a mission! I wasn't moving particularly fast, but I was moving!

After Auchtertyre farm I finally put my drop bag away in my pack, and geared myself up for the last 2 miles. I was going to finish.

The last mile into Tyndrum, photo credit: volunteer Colin Knox

I'm so glad I'd gone on the Wildheart Runners recce a month earlier because I knew exactly what was coming on the last few miles. Spirits remained high, even when the rain came on lightly. The distant sound of bagpipes drew me nearer and I was going to finish this thing!

The biggest buzz came on arriving at By the Way campsite, flags and people everywhere, a red carpet ahead of me, and my wee girl waiting to run with me. There is no moment like this moment. It was everything I'd dreamed of, and much much more. I was buzzing!!

Spotting my wee girl waiting to run the red carpet! Photo credit: Hippie Nixon Photography

Photo credit: Tom Frow

Photo credit: Tom Frow

This moment!! Photo credit: Chris Anderson

When I crossed the line someone gave me a hug and put a medal round my neck but I only had eyes for Nikki - unless she put a medal round my neck?! I've genuinely no idea! Ross gave my timing slip, Nikki took my dibber off, we got photos, I was ushered into a tent for finisher photos and a cup of tea - I felt like royalty. I saw Susie again, then headed for the catering tent as I was aware Dave was standing outside probably wondering where we'd gone!

Overcome with emotion! Photo thanks to the wonderful Nikki Sheridan

Photo thanks to the wonderful Nikki Sheridan

I'd been looking forward to my baked tattie and haggis all day and it too surpassed expectations, I even had a wee cry but it was happy tears! I met the lovely Jo and Chris who kindly looked after me even more - the people in the ultra running world are the nicest you'd hope to meet. They look after you and make you laugh and lift you up and bring you down to earth and give you hugs and keep you warm and they are just the best!

The difference between the me that finished the Moray Coast 50 (47 miles with 1000ish feet of elevation) in May 2024 and the me that finished the Highland Fling (53 miles with over 7000 feet of elevation) in September 2025 is vast. I was undertrained for the Moray run and the heat broke me. They are not comparable races but the difference in my performance and my attitude is huge. I went into the Fling being as prepared as I could be and I trusted in my training. I trusted in Iain's plan and Julie's advice and the faith of people in the know. I trusted in how I felt - strong.

This is the run I am most proud of.

I dedicate this run to my biggest cheerleader, my Uncle Colin, who passed away unexpectedly on the morning of Saturday 20th September. I found out the next day 💔