Mail Sport Extreme: 'The Highland Ultra is unforgiving... you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable'

Daily Mail​

15-05-2025

As summer arrives in Scotland, more and more people are taking to the great outdoors and discovering what this country has to offer.
Rolling hills, wild countryside, breathtaking views, generally all less than an hour from base camp for most of us.
For just under 1,000 men and women earlier this month though, that meant competing in the Beyond the Ultimate Scottish Highland ultra marathon, a gruelling race over three days with more than 5,000metres of elevation and a total distance of 125kilometres.
While golden and sea eagles patrol the skies over the Knoydart Peninsula on the west coast of the Highlands, dolphins and Minke whales are not uncommon visitors to this remote part of Scotland. Joining the red deer that roam freely across the landscape, Shaun Charles was one runner who took to the trails, claiming a 14th-placed finish for a total time of 21 hours and 46minutes.
Despite being just two years into his running journey, Charles has managed to gain plenty of experience both in road-running and on Scotland's trails. The Highland Ultra though, was like nothing he'd ever tried before.
'I started running two years ago, in April 2023. The goal was to push myself away from smoking, having smoked for quite a lot of years,' he says. 'So when I started running, I knew smoking would be terrible for the lungs.
'Since then, I've done the Edinburgh marathon, Barcelona marathon, London marathon, a 70km ultra marathon in Perth, but nothing really compares to the Beyond the Ultimate Highland. That was different gravy as far as ultras go.
'With the Highland Ultra, you're in the complete wilderness. Knoydart Peninsula is as rural as it gets. When you're running a marathon — or other ultras — you're typically offered food, water, gels, all that sort of stuff, at the aid stations. The Highland edition is so rural that there's no road access so there's none of that stuff.
'It's so different (from other ultra marathons). As far as Beyond The Ultimate races go, they have one in the desert, the jungle, the Arctic and they have one in the Highlands of Scotland, so it puts it into perspective how tough it is and how unique a place it is to run.
'The amazing medics who volunteer have to hike to the aid stations which are basically medic stations because, most of them, you're not getting any water, the suggestion is to top up here at the river because there won't be another river for some time. So Beyond The Ultimate supply you with a filter bottle at the start of the race and it's your job to keep yourself hydrated. The medic teams direct you to where the closest, cleanest river might be, but they don't physically supply you with water. So it's really, really close to nature in that sense.
'It's unforgiving when it rains up there too. You can have weeks and weeks of sunshine and you're still wading through bogs, rivers and all that sort of stuff, so it's really tough going. It pushes the physical and mental limits of what you can achieve out there.'
Though only two years into his running journey, 29-year-old Charles, from Penicuik, has been roaming the trails for just seven months.
While he has clearly reaped the physical rewards, it is the connection with nature which the self-employed landscaper has relished the most in this stage of his fitness journey.
'Since I've started, I've not looked back,' he admits. 'I do a little road running here and there but the trails are where it's at; the views are spectacular, the terrain is a lot tougher, you're having to think because it's a bit more technical, sometimes having to be a bit more mindful of the route, having to navigate that little bit more because you're not just following a road or path. But the clarity you get, the connection with nature, when you're out trail running is unbelievable.
'It's as much a mental challenge as a physical one. You definitely, no matter your experience, need to respect the challenge and not be intimidated by it. Training your body and training your mind is equally important. You can be fit as a fiddle but if your mental grit isn't there, if your resilience isn't built up, the Highlands in Scotland is a different ball game — they will get the better of you.
'You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable, running on tired legs, spending time in rough weather, embracing all the elements, packing the proper kit, nutrition, pacing yourself as well, it's all really important.'
There may be the old saying that you can have four seasons in one day in Scotland, but for the past few weeks at least, the country has been bathed in glorious sunshine.
Not only did this provide great racing conditions, it also provided spectacular views from the hillside, overlooking the west coast of Scotland.
The reward of sitting down at night, fuelling up for the next day's racing overlooking Lochs Nevis and Hourn — also known as Heaven and Hell — after a day of navigating the wild countryside were like none other.
'The elevation was unbelievable,' says Charles. 'Over the course of the three days, the elevation was more than what it would take to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
'You're very self-sufficient in the run, you have to run with all your gear; sleeping bag, medical gear, food, water, everything. My pack was about 14kg and you're carrying that for the full three days. It's really difficult, especially if you're not used to running with a pack.
'Some of the ultras I've done in the past, the aid stations give you food and water so you maybe have a running vest on and top up your water bottle and a wee snack but you're having to run and supply yourself with everything.
'It's important to fuel as best you can, top up water in the rivers when you can and don't go in blind. You have to have a nutrition plan. Even as a somewhat experienced runner, it was really, really tough. Hitting walls of fatigue just going an hour without food and getting carbohydrates and electrolytes back in your system. You really do notice it out there.'