A journey of finding myself again, making friendships, discovering a love of running and achieving something I once thought was impossible.
If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d one day run a 50K ultra, I would probably have laughed at them.
Me? Running 50 kilometres? Absolutely no chance!
And before we go any further, let’s make one thing clear: I’m not a fast runner. Never have been, and I’m certainly not going to win any races for speed! I’m not out there chasing personal bests every time I put my trainers on. But what I’ve discovered is that you don’t have to be fast to achieve big things. Sometimes you just need determination, a little stubbornness and the willingness to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
This is the story of how I went from struggling to get off the couch to crossing the finish line of the Dava Way Ultra. It’s a story of grief, friendship, courage, determination, plenty of muddy training runs and discovering that I was capable of far more than I ever imagined.
Where it all began ❤️
A year after losing my mum, I was still struggling. Life felt different and, if I’m honest, I was still trying to find my feet.
Then came International Women’s Day and Skedaddle Shop’s first event. I don’t know where I found the courage, but I decided to go along.
That day I met an absolutely awesome bunch of ladies who inspired me more than they probably realised. I left with a little spark, and just three days later I’d downloaded the Couch to 5K app and headed out for my very first run.
I had absolutely no idea what I was letting myself in for!
I didn’t stop. One run became another, and slowly something started to change. Looking back, that first brave step wasn’t just the start of a running journey. It was the start of finding a little bit of myself again.
Finding my people 🏃♀️
By June, things were starting to get a little tougher, it got hotter outside and I was losing momentum. I’d already entered my first 5K race, though, and there was no way I wanted to give up.
After a few weeks of building up the courage, I finally went along to the running club, now known as Strathisla Striders.
I’m still not entirely sure why I needed so much courage to go to the community centre. I already knew almost everyone who went along, but sometimes your mind works in strange ways!
It turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have made.
A few months later, I ran the Room to Run 5K and, feeling a little braver, turned to Clare and asked, “Will you do a 10K race with me?”
Her response? “Let’s do Brodie 10K!”
10K seemed SO far away at the time, but I trusted the process and knew that if I kept putting in the work, I could get there.
The week after Brodie, I went along to spectate at the Dava Way Ultra. I remember thinking, “One day, I’d love to do that!”
Oh, if only I knew where that little thought would lead!
When the goals got bigger ⭐️
After conquering 5K and then 10K, the next challenge was the Half Dramathon.
Clare and I entered in January, giving me plenty of time to train for October 2025. By this point, Clare was already an ultra runner, so a half marathon was practically a walk in the park for her!
Then came July 2025 and International Running Day. Clearly, I was feeling ambitious because I decided it was the perfect time to enter the Moray Marathon 2026.
I messaged Clare to tell her I’d entered. Her response? She’d enter too!
I hadn’t even run the Half Dramathon yet, but somewhere along the way I’d started believing that if I trained hard enough and trusted the process, I could achieve things I’d never imagined possible.
The Half Dramathon came around and what a day we had! The memories Clare and I made that day are ones we still talk about. It was more than just a race. It was the laughs, the support, the miles and the feeling of achieving something together.
By then, I’d gone from wondering if I could run 5K to signing up for a marathon. And that Dava Way Ultra I’d watched and thought “one day” was still somewhere in the back of my mind.
Trusting the process 🏅
November 2025 was time to knuckle down and train hard for the Moray Marathon.
Well, that was the plan!
Of course, life had other ideas and I ended up with the flu. Three weeks over Christmas without running and I started to panic. Had I lost all my fitness? Would I get back to where I needed to be?
January arrived, I got back out there and thankfully the miles started coming back. Before long, I was back at half-marathon distance and building again.
The next few months were filled with cold, wet training runs, long miles and plenty of determination.
Then came April and marathon day.
Of course, we couldn’t have an ordinary weather forecast! We had a storm.
For a good chunk of the race, we actually got away with it, but around mile 16 the wind started picking up and by mile 24 we were dealing with wind and hail.
Those last couple of miles were HARD. Really hard.
But we did it. We crossed that finish line and I became a marathon runner and with that the sun came out!
By this point, I’d already entered the Dava Way Ultra and the Full Dramathon. From someone who once struggled to get off the couch to running a marathon, what was happening?!
I was starting to realise just how much was possible when you keep showing up.
Bigger challenges ahead 🏃♀️
April to October was all about putting in the work.
There were smaller races, plenty of long training runs and lots of learning along the way. One thing I particularly wanted to improve was my fuelling, as I’d really struggled with that during the Moray Marathon.
Every long run was another opportunity to learn what worked, what didn’t and what my body needed.
Then came Dramathon day!
The sun was shining, and Clare, Andy and I set off for what turned out to be the BEST day.
There were so many laughs along the way, my fuelling went well and I felt so much better afterwards than I had after the Moray Marathon. In fact, I even ran a 5K the following day!
Three weeks later came the big one.
The biggest challenge I’d ever taken on.
I’d walked the trail before, so I knew what to expect, but knowing a route and running 50K are two very different things!
I’d put in the training, learned from my previous races and had my fuelling plan sorted. Now it was time to see what I was made of.
The Dava Way Ultra – I DID IT! 😭❤️
We set off and, for the most part, things were going well. I knew the trail from having walked it before, so I had an idea of what lay ahead.
But around 30K, my brain started playing tricks on me.
Self-doubt crept in and I started thinking I couldn’t possibly get past 42K. It was the fear of the unknown. I’d run a marathon before, but those extra kilometres seemed like a completely different challenge.
Then we reached checkpoint 2 at 34K.
A quick face wash, a trip to the toilet, some food and a little reset. Somehow, my head settled and I started feeling like myself again.
42K came and went. Then 50K didn’t seem quite so impossible.
But there was one final sting in the tail… the climb to Nelson’s Tower!
We made it to the top, grabbed a quick photo and then it was downhill all the way.
And that’s when it hit me.
My face started leaking. I couldn’t believe I’d actually done it. All those training runs, all those doubts, all those cold and wet miles. I was going to finish a 50K ultra!
I quickly dried my tears because there was absolutely no way I was crossing that finish line crying! 😂
I took my phone out, checked my face and we were out of the woods and on the home straight.
I started running faster than I had done all day as the finish line came into sight. I had no idea if my husband would be there, but then I spotted him standing waiting for me.
That was it. I sprinted towards the finish, collected my medal and went straight to see him.
I DID IT. I REALLY, REALLY DID IT!
More than just 50 kilometres ❤️
When I look back at where this all started, it’s quite difficult to put into words just how much running has changed my life.
Along the way, I’ve found friendships, a running community, confidence and a belief in myself that I didn’t know I had.
I’ve learned that progress isn’t always straightforward. There are setbacks, illnesses, doubts, bad weather, tough training runs and days when getting out of the door feels like the hardest part.
But there are also finish lines, unforgettable memories, laughter, achievements and moments when you stop and think, “I actually did that!”
And no, I didn’t do it quickly. I’m not a fast runner, and I never set out to be one. My journey has never been about how quickly I can cover a distance. It’s about proving to myself that I can cover it in the first place.
There were plenty of runners who finished before me, and plenty who could run those distances much faster. But every single one of us had our own journey, our own challenges and our own reasons for being there.
I often think about that first event at Skedaddle Shop and the ladies who inspired me to take that first step. They probably had no idea where those chats that day would lead.
From struggling after losing my mum to finding the courage to try something new, joining a running club, making amazing friendships and eventually completing a 50K ultra. What a journey it’s been!
Special mention to my amazing supportive husband whose love and encouragement mean the world to me, and for turning a blind eye when another pair of new trainers appear in the wardrobe.
You don’t have to be fast to go far. You just have to keep going.
Never underestimate where one brave decision can take you.
Sometimes the hardest part isn’t running 50K. It’s finding the courage to put your trainers on and take that very first step.
And sometimes, that one step changes everything.
Here’s to the next adventure! 🏃♀️❤️
Well done loved reading that and totally inspiring. Keep going you are smashing it!
Tracey Scott
LikeLike