Northwest Highlands athlete pushes himself to the limit to raise funds for the Martin Moran Foundation…
To climb a Munro (a Scottish mountain over 3,000 feet high) is a major achievement for most of us. But Lochcarron’s Robin Downie did ten times more than that in less than a day – he recently completed the inaugural Martin Moran Round by climbing almost 30,000 feet in 20 hours, 51 minutes, covering a distance of 86km.
To put what he did in perspective, that’s the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest and running two marathons, over some of the most rugged and remote mountains in Scotland.
So, why did he do it? The answer is simple – to raise money for the Martin Moran Foundation, established by the family ‘to honour the life and legacy of celebrated mountain guide and explorer Martin Moran,’ funding adventure programmes for young people who may not otherwise be able to enjoy the great outdoors.
Robin got to know Martin when he first started exploring the mountains near his home in Lochcarron, where Martin also lived until his tragic death in 2019, while leading a mountaineering expedition in India. Martin knew the local hills better than anyone else and, like Robin, pushed himself to the limit – for example, he was the first person to climb all the Munros (a total of 282 hills) in one single winter.
‘Martin was a huge inspiration,’ says Robin. ‘He was also very supportive to me when I did my first Celtman triathlon in 2017, and before the Round, I read his books again to get myself into the right frame of mind.’
Martin and Robin also gave a talk together in the Lochcarron Village Hall in 2018, describing their adventures in the hills. ‘A lot of people in the village have a story to tell about Martin,’ says Robin, ‘and I’ve had huge support from the local community.’
Martin’s wife Joy Moran has also been very supportive to Robin. ‘I first met Joy and Martin as a youngster,’ says Robin, ‘and Joy gave me a second-hand racing bike that she had used to tour the Alps with Martin, which I used on the local hills, including a race up the Bealach Na Bà.’
Another big help to Robin over the years was neighbour Roger Stonebridge, who fired up his enthusiasm for the hills, after maths and French lessons. Local dentist Lloyd Parsons was also Robin’s swimming coach, as he went on to complete another two Celtman triathlons, the Glencoe Skyline, Snowdon Skyline and the Thorxtri triathlon in Norway.
Robin has set an extremely fast time for the inaugural Martin Moran Round, but he’s been planning the route for four years. Doing the Celtman triathlon was also a good way to prepare. ‘I’m more experienced and confident now, and my endurance has also improved. It was always my dream to do a circuit in the Torridon hills but the challenge is now a lot greater, extending the route further south to the Achnashellach hills.’
Martin’s son Alex Moran also helped with the planning and encouraged Robin to ‘go the extra mile,’ extending the route from the original 75km to the eventual 86km. ‘Go big!’ he told Robin before the final circuit was agreed. ‘Alex is also partly to blame for how brutal it is!’ Robin adds.
The journey begins…
What you eat before and during an endurance event can make a huge difference. Robin set off on his run at 3am and the night before sat down to a hearty meal of Tuscan bean soup, pasta, vegetables and garlic bread. During the run, he ate fruit cake, flapjacks, cashew nuts and Jelly Babies – going uphill. ‘You can’t eat when you’re coming down,’ Robin explains, ‘because you’re going much faster and you have to watch your footing.’
What was the trickiest part of the Round? ‘The descent from Liathach was probably the worst part,’ says Robin. On the ridge before then, he and his support runners Abel Mclinden and Doug Bartholomew of Torridon Mountain Rescue changed their route at the last minute. ‘When we reached the pinnacles, we were meant to go around them, but Abel asked me, what would Martin Moran say if we didn’t go over the top!’
After that came the descent through ‘a massive boulder field,’ between two sheer cliffs, with his support team beside him, so he could head straight for Beinn Eighe, avoiding a return to the main road. Alex and Robin both agreed on this very direct route – but it’s not recommended for the average hillwalker.
‘If you’re not careful and push against one of those boulders, it might fall down on top of someone,’ Robin explains. ‘There are a lot of opportunities for things to go wrong. One mistake could have delayed us or even ended it all, but thankfully, we made it down together, filmed most of the way.’
Robin and the rest of his support team are looking forward to seeing the film when it’s released. The filming (by Jimmy Hyland, Brian Sharp and Sam Walker) was sponsored by Mountain Equipment, who also provided Robin with most of his gear. The outdoor specialists also sponsored Martin Moran and are lead sponsors of the Foundation.
Robin was keen to thank Joy Moran and the rest of the Martin Moran Foundation for their backing throughout the challenge, as well as everyone in his support team on the day, and the local community for their encouragement and their donations.
What next?
Robin graduated from the University of Stirling in 2020 and worked for the last two years in a cardiology ward, where he must have been able to keep a close check on his heart.
So, has Robin reached his peak yet? The Martin Moran Foundation website describes him as ‘one of Scotland’s most promising athletes,’ but he’s already achieved quite a lot in his 26 years. Only time will tell, but the experts say endurance athletes tend to reach their peak in their mid thirties, so Robin has at least 10 years to improve his performance.
The website adds: ‘Martin would have been full of admiration for Robin’s incredible feat and overjoyed to see such drive and enthusiasm for these mountains in his honour. Each summit, lochan and valley were imprinted on Martin’s identity since his first forays into the hills as a young man and they still remain full of his spirit today.’
Will Robin have another go at the Martin Moran Round to better his time? ‘The day went well and the weather was good,’ Robin explains, ‘but it could easily go wrong, and I need a good reason to do it again – for example, if it helps to raise more money.’
Robin was still in recovery mode when we spoke a few days later, so his long-term plans are not yet carved in stone. But first he wants to do some travelling, starting off with Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way – a mere 1,800 miles – then a trip to France and the Alps. Maybe one day, he’ll head for a long-distance trail in Nepal…
But no matter what Robin does next, he is already one of Lochcarron’s – and Scotland’s – highest achievers.
To make a donation, please go to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/martinmoranround.