A 43-year-old ultra runner from Symington has completed what is described as the first-ever known double journey along the River Ayr Way, running 82 miles from Ayr to Glenbuck and back again.
Scott Curdie began at Ayr Pier at 4am on Saturday, September 5, and returned at 10pm after more than 18 hours on the route. His challenge covered the full length of the River Ayr Way twice, turning a personal training idea into a demanding endurance feat.
From a training idea to an 82-mile challenge
The idea began when Mr Curdie was training on the route with a friend. They wondered whether anyone had completed the River Ayr Way twice in succession, prompting him to consider attempting it himself.
He spent several months preparing for the run. Although he regularly takes part in ultra running, he said this was a different kind of challenge from his usual races and that, as far as he knew, nobody had previously completed the route in the same way.
“I do quite a bit of ultra running but it's normally races that I do. I was out training on the River Ayr Way with a friend and we wondered if it had ever been done twice in a row.”
Mr Curdie had initially considered combining the attempt with the River Ayr Way Ultra event, running from the finish to the start before joining the race. He decided against that plan because it would have added what he called unnecessary pressure.
A tougher route than it appears
The runner said the route is sometimes viewed as flat, but warned that it includes substantial elevation. That made completing the full distance twice more demanding than some people might expect.
Despite the scale of the challenge, he ran the entire 82 miles, stopping only briefly to meet his support crew. He credited his family and the Scott Brown Fitness community in Irvine with helping him complete the double journey.
“A lot of people think the River Ayr Way is flat but there is quite a lot of elevation, so it's tougher than you think.”
The route took Mr Curdie between Ayr and Glenbuck before bringing him back to Ayr. The run began and ended at Ayr Pier, with the full distance completed in a single day.
What comes next for the ultra runner
Mr Curdie said the River Ayr Way would remain one of his favourite places to train, but he now plans to rest before deciding on another major goal. His next confirmed challenge is a 50-mile ultra in the Lake District later this year.
“The River Ayr Way will always be a favourite of mine for training on; however, for now it’s time to rest up for a bit and plan the next challenge.”