Runner Alice Baird has set a new record time of 07:36:15 for the Glasgow to Edinburgh Ultra. Her finish on Saturday October 9, 2026, in the 57-mile event was faster than the previous race record of 07:39:57 set by Sara Eydmann in 2024. Second in the female race this year was Elisabetta Ghimenton in 08:54:25. The top two places in the men’s race were Michael Deason in 6:57:33 and Samual Fox in 7:08:42.
What is the Glasgow to Edinburgh Ultra?
The annual ultra running race starts in Glasgow and heads along the River Kelvin, Sustrans Route 754, the Forth and Clyde Canal, the Union Canal and the Water of Leith to reach Edinburgh. It is a generally very flat race and, subsequently, the running pace of the front participants is speedy. Alice, 32, averaged around seven minutes 15 seconds per mile.
Alice’s build up to record run
Alice, a vet from East Lothian, sustained a calf injury earlier in the season and, as a result, had not expected to race this year. Her usual race of choice is much hillier and more likely to be on rough trails and hill paths. But when a friend of a friend had to pull out of their entry to the G2E 2026 event, Alice decided it would be a good way to participate in an end-of-summer race.
She said: “This is certainly not my normal race and I was worried about how flat it would be. I knew it would be a mental challenge, as much as a physical challenge and I tried to prepare myself for this.”
With the help of her running coach Debbie Martin-Consani, Alice focused on longer, flatter and faster running during an eight-week build up to the event.
She said: “After my injury, I have mainly been cycling this summer and then slowly getting back to running. I didn’t think I’d manage my usual hiller, off-road races but I thought it might be possible to complete a flatter race. The switch to a flatter, faster race like the G2E was a step into the unknown though.”
Record setting on G2E course
The race conditions were good with mild temperatures, only a little rain, some sunshine and a tailwind for a lot of the route.
Alice, who won the Ochils Ultra and came second in the Devil o’ the Highlands Race last year, led the women’s race from the start although in the early stages she wasn’t sure where she was placed. As the race continued, she became more aware of her first place but, even so, she was keen to run her own race and at her own pace.
She said: “I tried not to push it too fast in the earlier part of the race because I knew I’d need the reserves for later on but, still, I found myself in the lead. There is no relief in the G2E race because it doesn’t have hills, so there is not major change in pace, plus there is the mental challenge of running a long way on two canals. It sometimes felt like I was running into a tunnel because there is no major change in scenery on the canals and the towpaths look very similar. Running on a flat path that all looks the same is very hard.
“I was very grateful for the regular check points and a few places where there was a change of scenery, such as between Falkirk and Polmont where the route heads off the canal and along an old railway above and this offered great views. At this point, I had a tailwind and the sun was out.”
Another tough times came when Alice was heading into CP7, some seven miles from the finish. She said: “I knew I was in with a reasonably good chance of setting a new course record but it was tight. My legs felt like they were giving up and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to walk the rest of the race, let alone run it. I was a very hard section.
“But then when I was able to run and I finished in a new record time, I was absolutely delighted; I was surprised and delighted.”
See Glasgow to Edinburgh Ultra for details about next year’s race. Also see best Scottish ultra races.