Lanark's Mark Yule delighted at ultra marathon place

35-year-old Mark Yule was second in the West Highland Way Race – a 95-mile ultra marathon.

Mark only started running three years ago, making the achievement all the more impressive.

He said: “My brother always did marathons, but I was a smoker back then, But when I quit smoking I entered a half marathon, then a full marathon and then I jumped straight to a ultra marathon.

“It was a good buzz.”

He admits that he did not expect to finish in second place, and would have been happy to finish anywhere in the top 10.

He entered last year’s West Highland Way Race, but after 20 miles suffered a hamstring injury, resulting in a time of 25 hours and 15 minutes. This year, injury free, he completed the race in a time of 16 hours and 57 minutes.

He added: “I didn’t think I would get a time of under 17 hours. It was a great feeling and a buzz.”

The West Highland Way race is one of the highest altitude races in Scotland, as well as longest, at 14,000 ft.

It starts at Milngavie and ends in Fort Wialliam. It first took place in 1985, and since then has developed a good reputation – attracting runners from all over the world. Rob Sinclair came first with a time of 13:41.