Glen Ogle 33 Race Report

Race: Glen Ogle 33 mile race

Team RunRunner David Taylor finishing Glen Ogle 33-mile race in Scotland.
Team RunRunner David Taylor finishing Glen Ogle 33-mile race in Scotland.

Runner: Team RunRun Coach David Taylor

Race Date: 11/02/2024

Location: Killin, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Result: 5 hours and 15 minutes (including a 35 minute 50K PB en route!)

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

1. Race feel: Friendly events team and well-organized.

2. Scenery: Gorgeous sights throughout (even when the weather wasn’t playing ball!)

3. Beginner friendly: Glen Ogle 33 would be a great first ultra or for someone trying to push quite hard. There is some elevation, but not what you’d call ‘hilly’.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

For my liking, there was a little bit too much tarmac as I have been used to running a lot more trails. At the same time, the tarmac and lack of technical trails probably makes this race really good for people as their first ultra.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
The squirrel (or beaver) that helps you cross the road on the way to pick up your drop bag is pretty unique (and weird)! With the event being around Halloween, there are always a few folk that are fully dressed up, making for a fun and memorable atmosphere.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

Having transitioned to running much longer races, I liked the shorter duration (only” 33 miles!) and actually enjoyed being challenged by some speed work! While there was still 3000ft of climbing, it was much flatter and more runnable than I’m used to. As it was my last ‘official’ race of the year, I decided to try and go at it as hard as I could, which included running all of the first (four-mile) hill!

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
  1. Even if it is colder, ensure your hydration is still on point. I probably didn’t take quite enough, which may have led to some cramping.
  2. Tempo work is important to do in training! Very runnable races (just like this) might have you running at relatively high intensities for quite a long time: you need to train for this!
  3. Go for it! I wanted to push hard, and while I probably pushed even harder than that, resulting in some cramping later, it meant that I now know exactly where I am at and what I need to work on next. I recommend using this experience and you performance as data for understanding what you can then improve on.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

1. Speed and tempo work are important when training for shorter ultras.
2. Keep up hydration as if it were a warm day; the extra effort on race day makes fluid loss greater.
3. Strength work is also important; stronger muscles means less relative strain on them.
4. Hill work is ace in training, making any hill in races easy (well, easier)!

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

Shoe choice is important! The Glen Ogle 33 race course favors more of a road shoe than a trail shoe. In fact, a lot of the people did wear road shoes, while I went for a super cushioned trail shoe.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Very! The course makes its way up a glen with lots of colorful autumn leaves. The photos tell the story. This is of course unless the weather closes in, which it very well could at this time of the year.

Some of the very runnable trails throughout Glen Ogle 33.
Some of the very runnable trails throughout Glen Ogle 33.
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Hard to answer – but I would say not really. The elevation is moderate (about 3000 ft) and most of the course is quite runnable with no technical terrain. That said, for a first ultra it is in the “tough enough” bracket!

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Glen Ogle 33 is very well organized by Rocket Events. They put on a lot of events in Scotland: it’s not their first rodeo!

David Taylor before racing the Glen Ogle 33.
David Taylor before racing the Glen Ogle 33.
Competition – Is there a strong field?

The field has a big mix of running abilities, but at the sharp end it looked pretty competitive with the first finisher finishing the 33-mile course in 3 hours and 36 minutes. The final finisher ran just under 9 hours, while the rest of the ~300 racers crossed the finish in between.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

I didn’t enter Glen Ogle 33 till a couple of months before the event and there were still plenty of spaces remaining. The race is withing driving distance of both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and there is quite a lot of accommodation available nearby.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

There were 5 aid stations in total with one of them including a drop bag at around the halfway point.

Weather and typical race conditions

It was cool, between 7-11 degrees Celsius (45-52 degrees Fahrenheit) and dry for my race = pretty much perfect conditions. That said, for future years it could be much different – it’s November in Scotland after all!

David Taylor smiling his way through the 33-mile race.
David Taylor smiling his way through the 33-mile race.
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?

There was only a fairly basic kit list. Only thing I’d recommend would be wearing the most comfortable shoes that you can (rather than an especially grippy and hard core trail shoe) as there is a decent amount of tarmac throughout Glen Ogle 33.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Unfortunately, not really. Spectators can catch up with you around the halfway point and at the end.

How’s the Swag?

Pretty good! Finishers received a t-shirt, finishers medal and a goody bag with juice, chips, sweets and the very awesome Rockets Events beer!

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5/5 for a relatively short, beginner-friendly, well organized ultra!

Team RunRun Coach David Taylor is based in Glasgow, UK. He specializes in trails and ultras for both beginner and intermediate runners, whether you’re just bumping up in distance or looking to improve your next trail race,