About me

I’m the husband to an incredible wife and the proud father of 2 beautiful girls. We live in Mallaig on the West coast of the Scottish Highlands in Lochaber, where I am a Harvest Technitian in Mallaig Harvest Station – MOWI. In whatever time is left I run, explore, look after our childred, house and the garden growing vegetables.

Ashley, me, Freya and Maiya at the Banavie train station. Mallaig to Banavie Train Station Route (Loch Morar, Loch Arkaig, Caledonian Canal)

Before long distance challenges, FKTs

I grew up in Piła/Poland which is located at the North of Greater Poland Voivodship/district. Graduated The Higher School of Vacancies in Piła receiving my Bachelors Degree in English Studies becoming an English teacher. On my uni years I started to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. A little bit too much. I gained weight almost reaching 100kg at my peak worst. I left Poland and came to the Scottish Highlands in November 2013 to change my whole life.

First time I started running along the concreat path along the Fort William bypass on the 13th December 2013. I remember like it was yesterday trying to catch my breath, struggling to breathe and feeling a lot of pain in my oungs and body. That day I quit smoking and haven’t smoked since! I didn’t give up and joined Lochaber Athletic Club in March 2014 for extra motivation. I minimised my alcohol intake then and now I only drink a pint on a special occasion! Probably one every 1 to 3 months. My weight dropped down from 95kg to 63kg since then. I never been a sports person, I played the odd football or voleyball with my friends at school.

2017 Lochaber Athletic Club Winter League prize giving, me on the right.

How I got started in endurance sports

It was exactly on the 24.05.2016. I was doing a road support with a friend Helen from Fort William on a Ramsay Round attempt. Ramsay Round is a 24h mountain challenge in Scotland. You have 24h to climb 24 mountains, run the distance of 95km with 8800m of elevation on very hard technical terrain. Only a few completed.

From that day I started supporting other conteders to the Ramsayst title and my distance slowly grew.

I was surrounded by people doing crazy long runs, in a way it was inevitable. I really wanted to better myself and see how far I can go.

In January 2020 I competed in a 24h race in Tyndrum where I achieved a milestone. Running past the magical 100km mark! I ran a total 119km. I didn’t complete the full 24h. I bailed out after 17h 45min. My body couldn’t take it any more.

In 2018 I tried to completed Charlie Ramsay Round but i didnt even got to the end of 1st leg.

I came back for a second go at the Charlie Ramsay Round on the 08.08.2020. After battling the heat I completed it in 23h 17min 11s. I became the 189th finisher of the Ramsay Round and 1st Polish runner to ever complete it.

It went on from there and it still goes pretty darn good!

My second Ramsay Round Support. Ben Rowling and Adnan Khan in 2017

How I became a Harvest Technitian

Living on the West Coast of Scotland in a small fishing village with mountains as my back garden is a dream come true. I worked in the Forestry for 3 and a half years. It involved a lot of driving, spending long hours in the car getting to the job. So when a place came available in MOWI Salmon Harvest Station here in Mallaig I didn’t hesitate and applied for the post with a success of getting the job.

I became a Harvest Technitian. I didn’t want to stop there. I always try to climb up the ladder and see how high I can get. After a year I got trained up to be a Machine Minder, looking after the machines processing the fish that runs through the factory. Automatically I gained more responsibilities and trust keeping an eye on every process going on the harvest floor. 4 years later I got promoted to Harvest Supervisior which is my latest position at work.

I am not forgetting about the basic skills and respinsibilities I learned in my early years in the factory. I still have to do all of that! After 6 years I know the factory inside out. I am able to do every single job required from me to a high standard which I am really proud of. Every day at work starts from working on the little jobs that add up making it all a success.

This job reminds me every day that little things added up over time make big things happen just like in training.

I still remember the first 2km I ran along the Fort William bypass fighting for every single step and breath. Even now running 100km+ distances. Remember the basics, remember where we have been before we got to this point.