David Parrish, a 35-year-old ultra-marathon champion from Dumfries, has died while running in the Highlands. Parrish was attempting to beat the record for the fastest completion of the Cape Wrath trail, a 234 mile (376km) route from Fort William to Cape Wrath.
The former Royal Marine was discovered in the remote mountainous area of Kintail in the north-west Highlands on Saturday. Police Scotland stated that he was found at about 22:25. According to Police Scotland, there are no suspicious circumstances and his next of kin are aware.
Fundraising for Scottish Mountain Rescue
Parrish was running the Cape Wrath Trail to fundraise for Scottish Mountain Rescue in memory of his close friend, Luke Ireland. Ireland, a 20-year-old Royal Marine from Monifeith, died while running in the mountains of Glen Cova in Angus in November 2014.
Parrish wrote on his fundraising page that mountain rescue team volunteers searched tirelessly for Luke and are available ”365 days a year to respond to emergencies in the mountains and remote areas of Scotland”. Thousands of pounds have been raised on the charity page, with many tributes made to the runner.
An Experienced Ultra-Marathon Runner
Parrish won the Cape Wrath Trail race in 2023, despite only running competitively for a few years. The trail, which covers Lochaber, Knoydart, Applecross and Torridon, is considered one of the most challenging routes in the UK.
- Parrish was a member of the Dumfries Running Club, where he was club champion in 2022.
- He began running in his late teens before building up to racing in his early 20s, taking part in a series of local 5km and 10km races.
- After leaving the service, he began competing in Parkruns and walked the Cape Wrath Trail in 2021.
He later joined the marines and previously spoke of using running as a way of decompressing from the demands of the job.
Tributes to Parrish
No Limits Photography photographed Parrish on his way to winning the 2023 Cape Wrath ultra. The company’s owners, Harriet D’Alessio and Christiaan Le Roux, paid tribute to him.
They said, “David has always been such a joyful person and an inspirational ultra marathon athlete to spend time with. The world and the sport will be a far lesser place without him.”
Parrish was an experienced ultra-marathon runner.