Hill running pioneer Eddie Campbell

Eddie Campbell was a pioneer of the hill running scene in Scotland. He was an instantly recognisable figure, with his white hair and bushy beard. Eddie ran 44 consecutive Ben Nevis races, a record still untouched almost 30 years later. When the 1980 race was cancelled due to poor weather Eddie ran an unofficial race for those like himself who couldn’t bear to let the 1st Saturday in September go by without running the race.

Below are quotes from two of Eddie’s friends upon his passing:

Roger Boswell “It was Eddie’s idea to do the Lochaber Marathon, Lochaber Half Marathon, Glasgow to Fort William Relay, Fort William to Inverness Relay, Four Tops Race, Aonach Mor Race, Peat Track Clockwise, Peat Track Anti-Clockwise, Lairig Ghru Race – all these while I have been around Fort William.”

Leen Volwerk wrote the following in 1997, the year after Eddie passed away. “Eddie will not be running the Ben Race this year; nor did he run it last year. It will take many of us a long time to get used to the idea of a Ben Race without Eddie. His death is a watershed in the history of the race: we have now entered the post-Eddie era. No one comes close to matching his distinguished record in the Ben Race: first three times; in the top ten ten times; started and finished forty-four times; a continuous presence in the race from 1951 and 1995. He was as much a part of the race as the mountain itself. Eddie, always a striking figure in his later years, as befitted one who was different from the ordinary man, was a legend for his Ben Nevis exploits but there was a lot more to the man. He was inspirational to a host of runners both in Lochaber and in the wider world. Some top-class runners relied on Eddie’s guidance when they attempted record-breaking runs on the Ben or other Lochaber mountains. His drive and resourcefulness led to a lot of new races entering the race calendar as a memorial to his energy and enthusiasm. We owe a lot to Eddie. Essentially a modest man, he was still quietly confident of the work of his own achievements. This was what gave him the serenity and dignity which characterised him. All of us who knew him felt privileged to do so. He had presence. In a sense, he still has.”

Below are quotes from Duncan Macpherson, son of Kathleen Connochie (the first woman to complete the Ben Nevis hill race in 1955): "Eddie remains a legendary figure, especially in Fort William, and had countless friends. When the Ben Nevis race restarted after the war, in 1951, he finished second, but went on to win three times and lead Lochaber to the team title on several occasions. Eddie completed this arduous event 44 times; and, counting training runs, reckoned he had reached the top of Britain’s highest mountain on 1200 occasions. Eddie was also a keen road runner, taking part in umpteen Scottish Marathon Club races, often linked to Highland Games, all over Scotland. He finished the 1955 Scottish Marathon championship, under the first-class standard time. Eddie won the 1958 North of Scotland Cross-Country title and finished second in the Goatfell event and third in the Cairngorm race. In later years, Eddie initiated many events: Lochaber Marathon and Half Marathon, Glasgow to Fort William Relay, Fort William to Inverness Relay, Aonach Mor and Lairig Ghru races; and, in his own inimitable fashion, often presented all the prizes.

"Eddie was the first recipient of the Connochie Plaque for completing 21 Ben Nevis Races. He set the bar high for all other athletes to aspire to. Today 100 athletes have followed Eddie and achieved 21 Ben Nevis Races and proudly display their Connochie Plaque, led by a man and athlete who continues to inspire so many runners today."

Contributed by Katie Dougan, Coast story gatherer and granddaughter of Eddie Campbell

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