Devil o' the Highlands - Saturday 25th April 2026 - 42.5 miles / 6500 feet of elevation / 9 hours 3 minutes
The Devil has been on my radar for a while, and after entering the 2025 Highland Fling at the end of 2024, it made sense that 2026 would be the year to give it a go. A reminder - the Highland Fling is the first part of the West Highland Way - Milngavie to Tyndrum, 53 miles, 7500 feet of elevation - and the Devil o' the Highlands is the second part - Tyndrum to Fort William, 42 miles, 6500 feet of elevation. I actually speculatively booked my accommodation in Tyndrum and Fort William in April 2025 before they'd announced the date of the 2026 event! Thankfully my guess paid off for the last weekend in April, and I mentally filed it away to focus solely on the Fling. I enlisted the help of coach Iain after spending 3.5 days running the entire West Highland Way in April 2025 and having a reality check of just how difficult it was. Thankfully with the help of a good training plan I was in much better shape for the event in September and had a successful day out. You can read my Highland Fling blog here: https://anxious-ambler.blogspot.com/2025/09/ding-ding-highland-fling-53-mile.html
Post-Fling I enjoyed rest but also some new found speed, even winning my running club's winter parkrun championship and setting myself a new 5k PB of 21.49. I ran every day of December as I did in 2024, and continued the run day streak to 40 days in early January. After a snowy boggy run on the Falkland Yomp with Iain and Julie, I started my 14 week training plan on 19th January. The same plan as the Fling but I felt totally confident this had worked for me in the past and would work again. I was daunted by the speed work more than anything, but the weeks went by and the sessions got ticked off.
The fire wasn't there for me though. I didn't feel like I wanted it as much as I wanted the Fling, and I really wanted the Fling! It was a huge unknown for me. It's not like I felt confident in my ability to complete the Devil, but maybe the element of jeopardy wasn't quite there having done the Fling, or maybe I knew this time what was coming for me in the training plan and I was just going through the motions a bit? I don't know, but I just never felt the spark quite like I did in the Fling training.
I continued to enjoy runs with Julie, especially when she joined me for the dreaded speed sessions! I also enjoyed adventure days with two other phenomenal women, Robbin and Karen, who helped make running fun when I wasn't feeling the fire. We enjoyed days out on West Lomond and a truly brilliant adventure day in the Ochils where we probably laughed more than we actually ran!
I reached the peak weeks - 50 miles with over 7000 feet of elevation - tired but pleased to have got here. I did my last double digits run in the Pentlands on the 6th April and I felt a twinge in my right knee worsen making me hobble slightly. I put it down to the increase in elevation over the peak weeks but was immediately gripped by worry and panic about this injury. I did a wee bit more running that week (including a sunny birthday run in Moray!) but then spent a lot of days resting rather than running. Initially I felt really frustrated that I wasn't completing 100% of my training plan like I did for the Fling - but I had to put this thought to one side as rest was more important than those taper miles. After all, I had done the bulk of my training and it was not worth risking further injury. I did go to see a physio (my friend Karen) and was reassured by her verdict that it was not something that would stop me running the Devil. She taped my knee and I continued to rest.
Without going into all the boring details, we had a tricky first few weeks of April and that combined with my sore knee resulted in probably the worst run up to an ultra I've had. Lots of worry, stress, not enough sleeping or good eating, not feeling rested. However when school went back on 20th April I did have a bit more time to focus on the Devil, try a wee shake out run with my friend Robbin (thankfully pain free), and get my head in the game.
Mum and Dad picked me up on Friday afternoon and we made our way to Killin for a wee explore of the ancestral lands. Made a mistake here by not wearing a hat or suncream, and felt like I'd really caught the sun, especially in my face. Then onto Tyndrum to chill for a bit then join the line to collect my number and 'dibber'. Said bye to mum, dad and Ross who were all heading to Fort William, and spent a fairly chilled evening in the hotel room.
Didn't sleep great but it is hard the night before - I'm always scared I sleep through my alarm. I had some weird dreams that messed with my head, then I found myself getting up at 4.15am. Felt okay, the build up is the worst, you just want to get running. Made my way to the Green Welly Stop for dropping off bags, going to the toilet, and hearing the race briefing. It was lovely to bump into Imogen here, on her 5th Devil, and get a wee bit of chat to help take the edge of my nerves.
Thankfully not too much waiting around at the start line and we were underway at 6.02am. I had initially planned to walk up the first hill but got kind of swept along in the field of runners and it was a good thing as it's a fairly gentle hill and you just want to get going. I spotted Emily up ahead - we started the Fling together in September! - and we spent a lovely few miles together chatting.
Bridge of Orchy is approximately 6.5 miles in and it comes round fast. I was happy to have paced this early section steadily (mostly downhill) and enjoyed the amazing views. The temperature was perfect, nice and cool for running. I remember really struggling up 'jelly baby hill' last year on my solo adventure on the WHW last year but this morning it felt okay, I just took it steadily, watching my feet as I went - the loose stones and rocks made the Devil a challenge!
Past Inveroran and the lovely brief respite of a smooth tarmac road, then the delights of seeing Jo and Llini armed with watermelon. Onto Rannoch Moor and I was feeling really good! I kept expecting the wheels to fall off, but I was so pleased at how well I was moving at this point. Certainly a massive improvement on last time I was here, but the cooler temperature definitely helped! I carried my watermelon skin (?) all the way to the bin at the checkpoint at Glencoe, to the point where it became comforting to hold it, and as I passed a runner they commented on the fact I was still holding it. This was Kit, who was a massive positive influence on my day, full of encouragement and support and advice, and just knowing what to say at the right time! Thank you Kit.
Glencoe checkpoint was a bit overwhelming after the peace and quiet of Rannoch Moor. Trucks everywhere for Highlander filming, people supporting, water and drop bags everywhere. The bottom fell out of my drop bag so I grabbed everything and got out of there. No time was taken to put my Active Root sports drink mix into my refilled water flasks, no time was taken to put anything in my pack. I just got out of there. It was 9.15am and I was 17 miles in.
On the road out, dodging cars, I met a lovely lady (we didn't exchange names unfortunately) and we also spent a number of miles together, and supported each other at various points as we leapfrogged each other throughout the day. I apologised for my lack of chat, but we agreed that actually just running together was more beneficial than feeling the need to chat. I was expecting things to go wrong fairly soon...
I did eat and drink and fill my bottles on the move during walk breaks or uphill bits. I kept moving forwards. However when it came to the Devil's Staircase my head went down. I know it is tough, but I felt like I was struggling way more than I 'should' be. I think a combination of the heat and just fatigue took its toll here. I felt lots better when I got to the top! There was a brilliant cheer squad here with sweets, and also Graham from Monument Photos and one must always smile for the photographer!
On the downhill I started to feel a wee twinge in my left knee, similar to what my right knee had felt like a few weeks ago (my right knee was fine all day incidentally!). I think it was triggered by the downhill and the constant need to watch my feet. I'm not the best at going downhill, always scared of falling. I found this initial descent towards Kinlochleven really hard, but my goodness the views were incredible! Some wise words from Kit really helped here.
The track/road down to Kinlochleven is steep and unpleasant and my quads were starting to feel sore. I felt quite scunnered when I got to the checkpoint here and although I'd originally tried to discourage my parents and Ross to come here, I was really glad they had! Mum was able to hold things for me and put suncream on me and just be that practical support I really needed at that point! I tried not to spend too long here as I still had a long way to go and I just wanted to crack on. We walked out from the checkpoint but I knew I'd need to break into a run and make the most of the flat road before starting the climb up up up. I ticked over to 28 miles here, two thirds done and 14 miles to go. 
I generally don't mind the climb out of Kinlochleven, I find that the Devil's staircase is worse. This was the first time I'd done it on tired legs though, and it was tricky. But I enjoyed the shady bits under the trees, dunking my hat in the various streams, and encouragement from walkers and other runners. It wasn't too bad, and then it was onto Lairig Mor. Thankfully I knew from last year's solo run that it's still a loooong way to Fort William! It's beautiful though, and there's plenty of runnable sections so I just had to keep moving forward. I felt ropey - some nausea creeping in and my stomach didn't feel wonderful. I was drinking coke mixed with water from my flask and in many ways it helped and in other ways it hindered! The streams helped keep me cool but I was hot and bothered, and probably lacking in electrolytes.
Lundavra was a welcome sight. I got here at half past 1. I had some lovely water poured down my back, more coke, a hug and a finish line to reach. I actually checked my tracker here and saw that it estimated my finish time at 3.08pm. To me that became a target to finish before then (same happened on the Fling leaving Bogle Glen with my finish time estimated as 6.38pm, I was determined to be done before then!).
I really really struggled all the way to the start of the firetrack. I mentally felt done in. I was really frustrated with myself, but I knew the heat was a big factor in my struggle - I just don't cope well running in the sun! I was so so glad to reach 'watermelon hill' - the watermelon here was simply incredible and then there's some lovely downhill simple running towards Glen Nevis. Plenty of WHW walkers on this section who were all so supportive and cheered a lot!
Cow Hill was an unknown for me but I'd heard lots of foreshadowing about it. I met a French runner here and another runner who had both run the Devil before and were very reassuring. It's not so bad, but it's not what you want at 42 miles! At one point I heard some cheering and I felt goosebumps as I anticipated the finish. A lovely gentle downhill here and I just knew the hard work was done. I was so relieved!
I saw my girl waiting to run in with me and we crossed the finish line together like we did in the Fling. It didn't have the emotions of the Fling finish, but it felt incredible! I was done in 9 hours and 3 minutes.
I felt pretty rubbish after the finish - I was dehydrated and emotional but the tears wouldn't come out (too dehydrated!). I lay down in the shade for a while, then knew I needed to get some food into me. The food at the finish was incredible - I had the chickpea stew with rice, cheese and tortilla chips - it was incredible! I had iced water, a can of Magners, and a cup of tea! There were even ice lollies going around which was delightful! It took quite a while to feel 'normal' again so I just took my time - and stayed out of the sun!
My legs were already ruined from the downhills and I knew the next few days would be painful. We had a really nice evening enjoying pizza and fizz sitting outside the hotel, a cool bath and a shower. Not a great night's sleep but I never sleep well after an ultra. The next day was painful but a restorative premier inn breakfast definitely helped! We then drove home, and my legs were incredibly sore for the rest of the day!
Thankfully they've eased as time has gone on, but it almost feels like mentally this ultra hit me the hardest (I don't think this is true as the Moray Coastal Trail 47 miles hit me really hard, also a hot run!). It's really left me pondering my motivation and what I want to do next. Feeling a bit scunnered with running, I was apprehensive about - but keen to try - joining Karen as a support runner for the last 10 miles of the Pilgrim's Ultra, 56 miles from North Queensferry to St Andrews, last week (a week after the Devil).
Thankfully this, and other slow steady runs and walks with friends recently, has all helped me feel better mentally about running. I'm really not ready to throw myself into something else just yet, and I have a break coming up soon (a birthday present to myself) that will hopefully help my body and mind recover. Ultra marathons are no joke, and despite the fact others seem to cope no bother (no point comparing myself to others, I know this but I still do it!), I seem to take more time to recover, physically, mentally, emotionally.
But I'm still proud of myself for completing the West Highland Way twice in the last 380 days - my Easter solo adventure in 2025, the Fling in 2025 and the Devil in 2026.
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