Giving Back to Track - Charity Fundraiser

Hi, my name is Ellie Richardson, a former Scottish Schools 200m champion…who later turned to track cycling! Next month, with the help of a climbing buddy & the wonderful Highland Climbing Company I am taking on the Cuillin Ridge Traverse which includes 11 Munros – one for every Scottish title I’ve won! – 22 peaks in total, plus climbing, scrambling & abseiling the 12 km ridge crest! I am fundraising on behalf of a fantastic non-profit organisation called “Giving Back to Track” set up by Olympic athletes, Eilish McColgan and Michael Rimmer. Let me explain why…

I grew up in the Scottish Highlands in a very small village on the North-West coast called Badcaul. I first discovered I was “quick” during the annual Sports Day held in Aultbae for Primary Schools across the region, which included my school, Poolewe Primary. Here I discovered only one boy in my class could keep up with me in the three-legged race, so the sports day “officials” allowed us to run together, on the proviso that any points advantage gained for the school as a result of me pairing with a boy in the female race were counterbalanced by me also being his partner in the boys race. We won both. This theme continued at Gairloch Highschool, where my love for running quickly was established & at 13 years old I joined Inverness Harriers AC, the closest club with a track to where I lived (pictured here on the right aged 15).

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the geography of the Scottish Highlands, that track was 76 miles away from my house. And the 152-mile round trip (just to train!) was something my wonderful Dad undertook two-three times a week after work, because like all good parents, he & my Mum wanted to support an activity their child had shown a genuine interest in. But the travel bills were immense & at the time there was no support for young athletes from the rural Highlands & Islands areas to simply access training facilities. It’s still much the same now for many young people who find themselves in the situation I was then.

Fast forward 15 years and that “quick” 13 year old girl from that tiny village in the Highlands with no sports facilities is now able to call herself an 11 times Scottish Champion who went on to represent Scotland at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games & the Great Britain Cycling Team at the Senior European Championships (and much more!)…granted, most of these in a sport she had never even heard of back then - Track Sprint Cycling – but none of which would have ever happened had the foundations not been set during my time as a young track & field athlete in the Highlands. My journey as a young Scottish athlete also led me to musculoskeletal & Sports Physiotherapy, a profession I love, have worked in for 18 years & continue to do so.

I have wanted to fundraise for young girls from the Highlands who show an interest in athletics for some time so when I came across “Giving Back to Track” it seemed a perfect fit! This non-profit organisation aims to encourage young girls in Scotland to lead an active lifestyle and believes that no child should be priced out of athletics. They provide support to individuals who need it the most, whether that be covering the cost of track facilities, buying training kit or paying for club or travel fees. Their scholarship fund has been created to support female athletes across Scotland, aged 16-22 (U17, U20, U23 age groups) and is open to all abilities.

Eilish is delighted that we are fund raising for Giving Back to Track and has agreed to ring fence the funds raised specifically for aspiring young athletes in the rural Highlands & Islands area. Geography & escalating costs of living are putting talented & dedicated young people in the Highlands at a disadvantage. I will be donating 100% to their non-profit organisation & would be so grateful for any support you feel you can offer.

THANK YOU!

Ellie