[Author’s Note: This article is the sixth in an 11-part series in AJW’s Taproom celebrating under-the-radar races.]
Going down annually towards the tip of June within the Scottish Highlands, the West Highland Means Race is an iconic, long-lasting ultramarathon.
The West Highland Means Path, which supplies the race its identify, opened in 1980, and the primary race befell in June of 1985. Two Scottish runners, Duncan Watson and Bobby Shields, ran the primary version of the race as a cheeky head-to-head problem and lined the almost 90 miles of the course in 17:48. They completed collectively.
The 95-mile West Highland Means Race is an iconic ultramarathon that began in 1985. All images courtesy of West Highland Means Race.
The next 12 months, Watson and Shields invited a couple of different runners to affix them within the enjoyable. Over the subsequent few years, the race established itself within the area, and participation grew. Nonetheless, allowing challenges and a scarcity of sturdy management within the Nineties put the race beneath stress, and by 1999, the race was in peril of being canceled.
Dario Melaragni and Stan Milne, two runners who had accomplished the race a number of instances round then, determined the occasion was too vital to fail and took over the directorship in 2000. All through the 2000s, the race grew beneath their management, and by 2010, it was routinely attracting over 100 runners annually. At this time, the race is capped at 300 runners and fills to capability yearly.
In its present type, the West Highland Means Path runs for 95 miles and has greater than 14,000 ft of elevation acquire. Except for a couple of miles of street, the occasion is held totally on path. The occasion has a couple of distinctive facets, together with a 1 a.m. begin and a few lengthy stretches between checkpoints, together with one over 20 miles.
As with many historic ultras, a number of folks have double-digit finishes on the West Highland Means. After the 2023 race, Neil MacRitchie and Fiona Rennie each have 17 finishes, and Adrian Stott, Jim Drummond, and the late Tony Thistlethwaite all have 15 finishes.
The 1 a.m. begin is only one factor that makes the occasion distinctive.
The race is presently directed by Ian Beattie, a multi-time West Highland Means Race finisher. Beattie is supported by a faithful all-volunteer workforce and retains the race totally non-profit, because it has been because the starting.
The workforce is sort of pleased with the “household really feel” of the occasion, which begins at packet pickup on the afternoon earlier than the beginning and concludes with the prize-giving ceremony after the final finisher has crossed the road. Every finisher receives a good-looking hand-carved crystal goblet to commemorate their achievement.
The prize-giving ceremony at West Highland Means Race doesn’t begin till each runner has crossed the end line.
Reads the race web site: “The race makes no claims to be the hardest, hardest, or most scenic race on the planet. The organizing workforce merely seeks, whereas making an attempt to maneuver with the instances, to take care of what’s a novel and iconic problem on one in every of Britain’s authentic and most spectacular long-distance trails. Working the West Highland Means is achievable by anybody with a love of the outside who desires to expertise Scotland at its most interesting.”
Every finisher receives a hand-carved crystal goblet.
The 2024 race is full, however registration for the 2025 occasion opens on November 1, 2024, for anybody wanting to affix this distinctive problem.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar, Scotland. Belhaven Scottish Ale is a deep, darkish, malty beer that weighs in at 5.2% ABV. A easy, syrupy Scottish Ale, Belhaven can be an ideal pint to savor after ending the West Highland Means Race.
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The West Highland Means highlights a few of the finest surroundings of the Scottish Highlands.