I recently wrote about the fun and games at this year’s Scottish Cycling, Running and Outdoors Pursuits Show 2020. It takes place on February 29 and March 1 this year. Don’t forget that early bird discounted tickets end on Friday. Now the organisers have announced a line up of some great guests, who you can catch in the show’s theatre.
SCROPS reveals top guests
Lee McConnell – Athletics
Commonwealth medallist Lee McConnell began her career as a high jumper before progressing to the 400m and 400m hurdles event. The Glasgow-born athlete has won medals at Commonwealth, European and World Championship levels, and has competed in three Olympic Games.
Since retiring in 2014, Lee continues to play an active role in the world of athletics through commentary and punditry roles, and in 2018 was inducted into the Scottish Athletics Hall of Fame.
Marc Austin – Triathlete
Marc Austin lives and trains in Glasgow and is a member of the UK Sport Lottery Funded World Class Performance Squad. Marc achieved bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and is now a full-time and self-trained triathlete.
Already a seasoned runner from a young age, he decided to take up swimming to improve his fitness levels. At the age of 11, he entered the Stirling Aquathlon and after finishing in second place, decided to pursue his interest in triathlon.
Marc’s early career was very successful and led to him winning several continental cup junior medals, as well as silver at the ITU World Championships in Hyde Park in 2013. Described by Marc himself as the “performance of his life”, he achieved Scotland’s first medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, coming second behind South Africa’s bronze medallist, Henri Schoeman.
Graeme Obree – Cyclist
Back by popular demand for the fourth year running, Obree – known as The Flying Scotsman – will once again chat candidly about his colourful and eventful career, which saw him twice break the prestigious world hour record (1993 and 1994) and become World Champion for the 4km pursuit (1993 and 1995).
He will talk about his innovative riding style, as well as the highs and lows of his renowned cycling career.
Markus Stitz – Cyclist
Markus Stitz is an adventurer, film maker and writer based in Edinburgh. His travels have taken him on a singlespeed bike around the world and to the Silk Road Mountain Race, among many other destinations.
His film, No Stone Unturned, about one of the world’s most remote biking destinations was selected for the Peebles Outdoor Film Festival in the Scottish Borders last month.
Markus is passionate about bikepacking, especially in Scotland, and he has developed a network of Bikepacking routes such as the Wild About Argyll Trail and Capital Trail. He is also working on a new network of gravel routes in Highland Perthshire. In 2016, Markus founded Bikepacking Scotland., a website to encourage people to take up bikepacking!
Cameron McNeish – Bikes and hills
Cameron McNeish is an award-winning writer and a hill-walking and cycling expert. He can also occasionally be found campervanning around Scotland.
Cameron resides in the Scottish Highlands and has written for and edited many outdoor magazines, including The Great Outdoors, Scottish Walks and Scottish Cycling.
He incorporates his passion for the outdoors, not only in his outdoor pursuits, but in his literature. Having published more than 20 books, he continues to write about all things outdoors and has even established himself as one of Britain’s leading outdoor commentators.
Paula McGuire – Inspirational
Paula McGuire isn’t your typical adventurer. She doesn’t even own a sleeping bag. In fact, Paula spent her early years hiding from life and seeking better places to hide. She eventually found her world shrinking, unable to escape the confines of her own home.
In 2012, adventure became Paula’s unique therapy and she has, ever since, terrified herself daily – all in the name of recovery.
So far, Paula’s attempts have been successful and she now plans to push her limits like never before in the hopes of battling, and eventually beating, the mental illness that has consumed many years of her life.
Paula’s book, Must Try Harder: Adventures in Anxiety, reveals her experience as a survivor of anxiety and her bid to continue to pursue adventure.
Mollie Hughes – Mount Everest (Possibility)
Based in Edinburgh, Mollie Hughes is a mountaineer and motivational speaker, who continues to push the boundaries of adventure. On January 10, 2020, she became the youngest woman in the world to single-handedly ski to the South Pole.
In 2017, she became the first English woman in the world to climb Mount Everest from both the North and South sides. These great feats in mountaineering have allowed Mollie to inspire and excite others and through her powerful talks, she teaches others to always aim high and achieve all that they can.
To book tickets for SCROPS – where you can enjoy the guest speaker events for free – see SCROPS.