In this episode I sit down with Alice Tirbooman to talk about her journey from aerial circus and climbing in Bristol, to solo Scottish long distance running.

We share tales of the remote and unsung Mullardoch Round, a 50km circuit of 12 Munros north of Glen Affric, which Alice ran solo and unsupported in 2022 and 2023. She then contrasts this with her racing experiences which range from the London Marathon, to the Glencoe Skyline and Jura Fell Race.

We talk about Alice’s solo traverse of the Cuillin Ridge, which combined her running and climbing skills in a rewarding challenge which was made all the more valuable by an unexpected twist, when her climbing partner had to pull out during the approach walk. Initially nervous about continuing alone, Alice found her flow and with this a deeper confidence in her own abilities and strengths.

Alice’s father is from Mauritius and her mother from the West Country. She talks about the lack of racial diversity in hill running, and the potential lack of role models in the sport for minority ethnic runners. Alice is a member of Westerlands Running Club and has found the running community to be a welcoming and inclusive place. She talks about possible ways to enhance representation within the sport, and the benefits of promoting running to a wider and more diverse audience.

* I state that ‘no-one owns the mountains’. More accurately I mean no one ‘should’ own the mountains; that the right to roam them (responsibly) should be for all.

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