Runners and spectators standing in a field. There are misty hills in the background. It's a grey autumnal day.

My first FRA relay

Last weekend I took part in my first FRA’s (or, to use its proper name, the British Athletics Fell and Hill Relays) and it was also my first relay race. Two hundred and fifty teams representing clubs from all over the UK gathered in Braithwaite,…

The Ben Race

Fifteen Westies assembled in Fort William on a hot September day to race up the Biggest Ben of Them All. I've spent the last few months attempting some Ben-specific training, plotting increasingly convoluted and repetitive routes in the Ochils…

UTI by UTS (by UTMB) 13th May 2023

Last weekend I travelled to Wales to take part in the Ultra Trail Snowdonia (UTS) race.  UTS is one of the “By UTMB” races, and as the only UTMB qualifier in the UK it is a pretty big event. If you are not familiar with the UTMB…
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Glentress Marathon

Since Chris drove and JD posted on WhatsApp, the race report falls to me (Kira gets a pass as a new member). This was my first marathon and I was excited to be finally doing it.  I was also curious to see what happens when I run more…

Nepal Himalayas – Everest Base Camp ( 5,364m) + Island Peak/Imja Tse (6,189m)

14th October 2022 People often ask me “How was Nepal, did you have a good trip?” I really stumble with words to articulate my thoughts and feelings around it. So lets give this a go. Grab a cuppa cos this is a long yin. I jetted off…
A rowing boat being prepared for racing
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A Westie on Water?

I remember as a child being scolded by a Sunday School teacher for consuming a boiled sweet in church. While I was unsure at the time what blasphemy I had committed, I had not realised that this might have left me with a taste for the sacrilegious. That…
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Great Scottish Run 2022 – Half Marathon

It had been three years since my last Half Marathon, and in all honesty I wasn't feeling terribly prepared for a grand return to long distances. I suspect I could count on two hands the number of runs over 14km I've done since the start of…

Alpine Division Update

Westies Alpine division checking in for the real race news you have all been waiting for. Yes it's the start of the skimo season (for all those needing a reminder of this exotic pursuit please consult an earlier exemplar https://westerlandsccc.co.uk/les-diablerets-3d/)…

Paul’s report on Charlie Ramsay Round

Prologue It all started with sightseeing the Charlie Ramsay Round with Saki and supporting Natalie on her Ramsay Round attempt in 2020. Since then, Ramsay Round was something in back of my mind - a challenge I fancied as it involved a long…
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Devils Burdens 2021 – The Sunday night results show

Dear All,   The moment I'm sure you've all been waiting for has arrived. Just like the real burdens the results have taken a wee bit longer than ideal to get processed but nonetheless here they are. But before they are announced it…