Race Recap: Devil o’ the Highlands
Coached runner Roz recently took on the Devil o’ the Highlands race in Scotland. Here she tells us about her reasons for choosing the race, how she broke a Personal Best that had stood for 9 years and some key things you should know if you’re thinking of taking on the Devil.
Stats:
Distance: 42 Miles / 69KM
Elevation: 6500ft / 1981m
Start: Tyndrum, Scotland
Cutoff: 12 Hours
Why did you choose the Devil o’ the Highlands Footrace?
The Devil is the second half of the West Highland Way (WHW). Ever since I first set foot on the WHW, I loved it. It takes me back to my early days of trail running and everything about it is just beautiful. It’s a very familiar route for me, having completed the WHW Triple Crown in 2025 (all three races – the Devil, Highland Fling and the WHW Race). My husband ran the fling (his first ultra) last year and he wanted to do the Devil so he had completed the whole route - so I naturally jumped at the chance to run it again.
What was your racing background going into the Devil?
Running for over 10 years. I took a break from events 2019-2022 but got back into ultras in 2023. in 2024 I ran my first 100 miler (the Robin Hood 100) and in 2025 I completed the WHW Triple Crown.
I'm definitely a mid-pack runner, and really have to work hard and consistently to get where I am!
How did the race unfold?
I didn't actually enjoy the first 15 ish miles! It was cold, the sun wasn't up from behind the mountains. My heart rate was spiking like mad and I felt really sluggish. I was determined not to get caught up in the crowd that was going faster - I wanted to hold back, I knew what was to come and I didn't want to crash and burn.
I was religiously fuelling every 20 mins and keeping my pace slow. This worked really well and as we approached the Devil’s Staircase I knew I was feeling strong. This was what I had trained for, all those miles in the cold wet winter up the Wrekin, and hours in the gym! I powered up the hill, overtaking so many other runners.
By now the sun was out in force and the day was quickly scorching! The long downhill into Kinlochleven really takes it out of your quads and knees, the fire road is such a steep descent. But my music carried me, and I even sang along.
The climb out of Kinlochleven was really tough and as I started along Lairig Mhor, I had to dig deep. This section was the real goal, the only thing that really mattered - I wanted to run and not walk as I had the year before. And it worked! I ran all the way to Lundavra - the final checkpoint.
All the way down the fire road into Fort William, I kept thinking about my goal, to finish strong, it had never really been about a time, but wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake. Even Cow Hill, a sharp climb in the last 2 miles, didn't stop me.
As I turned into the field where the finish line was set, I saw the timer and realised a PB was possible and so I picked up the pace and crossed the line with a scream!
9 years older and just short of 2 mins faster! I won't lie, I shed a few tears at the end, so unbelievably happy!
What were your race day highlights?
I loved the climb up the Devils Staircase because I felt strong and achieving my goal of running Lairig Mhor.
What did you focus on in your training for the Devil o’ the Highlands?
I wanted to stick to the plan - consistency was key for me. Intervals, strength work and hilly long runs - I kept to them all.
Gym work was new to me, and I don't always like these sessions - I'd rather be running, but I attribute a lot of my strength on race day to this, so this is definitely something I will continue with.
What were the most important things you learnt in training and from the race itself?
There were times in training I thought I wasn't doing enough miles, hilly runs naturally slow me down, so weekly mileage always felt too low. But actually it was never about that - the hilly runs were important, time on feet, completing the sessions, and strength work completed the package and were far better than just racking up miles week after week.
A big learn from the race was pacing it. I really held back in the first half of the race, specifically the first 10 miles when everyone sped off! It was hard holding back and being conservative when everyone was flying past me but I knew I had to conserve my energy! The last thing I wanted was to blow up and end up walking sections I knew I could run.
It’s definitely something I will take forward to future races, I’m in this for the long haul so pacing is so important.
Anything people should know if they’re planning on taking on the Devil?
Use the drop bags - there are only 2 - and while there is a table of leftovers, you can't rely on food being available - I saw a few runners without them. Be prepared for the steep descent into Kinlochleven!
But most of all stop and enjoy the views - there is nothing quite like the Highlands of Scotland :)
Find out more about the race: www.devilothehighlandsfootrace.co.uk/
