Skye's Donnie Campbell reveals his life as an ultra-runner

What is it like to run 500 km in nine days? Well, try asking Donnie Campbell, the British Ultra Trail winner.
Donnie Campbell. Picture: Globalshots.co.ukDonnie Campbell. Picture: Globalshots.co.uk
Donnie Campbell. Picture: Globalshots.co.uk

Ultra-running is one of the fastest growing sports, with races almost every weekend in the UK.

Growing up on the Isle of Skye, Campbell’s first sport was shinty.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “I played that up to international level, for the Scotland under-18 team.

“Then when I was seventeen joined the marines and spent three and a half years there.”

Read More
1,300-mile pilgrimage to monks' Moray Abbey nearing the end

Following this, Campbell studied Sports Conditioning and Development at University, where he fell into a pattern familiar to many of us.

He added: “I enjoyed the uni lifestyle a bit too much – a few too many beers and takeaways. By the time I finished uni I was 16 and a half stone.

“I started running because running was what I always used to keep fit when I was in the marines and playing shinty. A friend suggested I do this ultra-run on Islay & Dura, in Scotland, which was 150 miles over 4 days.

“It sounded like what I joined the marines for – a bit of adventure and running on trails and hills. So I got fit, ended up finishing 4th and just fell in love with ultra running.

“That was in 2009. My first ultra.

“From there I trained smarter, lost more weight and I just got faster and faster.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“In 2013 I ran for Scotland at 100k in the Anglo-Celtic Plate.”

It’s not just about racing Campbell takes care to stress that racing and exploring are two sides of the same coin.

Racing gives you focus and sharpness, but the other side of it is just going out and exploring new trails.

“I’ve travelled a fair bit to race. I went with a friend for two and a half weeks and we ran 15 or 16 consecutive ultras around Africa, including running up Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya. I ran across the Namib Desert – 550 km in 9 or 10 days.”

Unsurprisingly, Campbell still has a soft spot for the scenery of his Scottish homeland. “Having Glencoe or the Nevis Range on your doorstep – and being brought up in Skye with the Cuillins – you have a great playground there.”

In 2011 he ran a sleepless 184 miles from Glasgow to Skye, raising £22,000 and gaining national coverage in the process.

Campbell believes his Scottish upbringing has other benefits too. “I suppose the harshness of the Scottish winter does make you a bit tougher because you’re used to being wet and cold.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If you wanted to train in nice weather, you’d never train in Scotland. You can cope with it better than some European countries because you’re more hardened to it.’

“Sometimes it’s just about keeping moving’ When it comes to tactics for taking on these ultra-runs, Campbell notes he “hasn’t really got any mental quirks”.

“Sometimes I’ll use positive self talk just to focus a bit more. “I’ve always had quite a lot of self-discipline and determination – obviously you need that to get through marines training.”

However Campbell has some tips for those of us with less natural grit. “I have read ‘The Chimp Paradox’ which is a great book by Dr Steve Peters, who used to be the British cycling team psychologist for Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton.

“That’s a good mind-management book for if you get into a downward spiral, which you inevitably will do during an ultra.

“There’s strategies you can use to keep yourself going, keep yourself motivated and positive.

“It’s an easy reading book – you can relate it to your work, your hobby, sport or diet. It helps you understand why you make certain decisions and then to control the decisions you want to make.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Most running injuries are from overuse, so it’s [about] having a progression in your training and building up gradually – not trying to copy what the elite athletes do.

“[You] end up getting injured because [you’ve] just done too much, too soon.” ‘Just go out and run’ As a running coach, Campbell has some advice for people struggling to get their running shoes on each day.

“Small steps – 20 minutes is better than nothing. And it doesn’t have to be running, it could be a walk-run.

“If you’re struggling for motivation, the best advice is ditch the watch. “Forget about ‘I’ve gotta run this mile in this time’ or ‘I’m slower than I used to be’.

“Go out and just run, explore and try and have a good time – switch off from the stresses of life. As for diet – “just a healthy balanced diet, plenty of veg, some pasta, rices and lean proteins”.

“It’s not rocket science: just avoiding processed foods, ready meals and high saturated fat like crisps and chocolate.”

Related topics: