Chasing the Cutoff with Troy Eid
FROM HEROIN TO HERO: David Gillen's 250-Mile Race Across Switzerland
David Gillen’s success in completing this year’s Crossing Switzerland 400 K – a continuous 248-mile race across the entire country from Liechtenstein to Lake Lucerne, with more than 84,000’ feet of vertical ascent – is a testament to his relentless good humor, and his disciplined training in the rugged Highlands and Uplands of his native Scotland. Yet it is also the story of a once-broken man who started binge-drinking at age 12, quit school at 14, and was hooked on heroin by 21. Battling addiction while working on commercial fishing boats and offshore oil platforms, the shadows grew ever darker. In this special episode of CHASING THE CUTOFF – celebrating David Gillen’s 54th birthday. He recalls the fateful day in 2008 when walked out of an Edinburgh homeless shelter and willed himself to climb Arthur’s Seat. Looking toward the Firth of Forth from the summit of that spectacular mountain craig, which dominates the city’s skyline, he vowed sobriety, and this time it stuck. A successful career with the National Health Service followed, along with extreme mountain- and ice-climbing and, starting in 2018, technical trail- and ultra-running. David’s journey is as Scottish as they come: Pure grit, determination, and seemingly endless good cheer and compassion and respect for others. Already on his calendar for 2027: The Race Across Scotland 215-Mile Ultramarathon. Links:Crossing Switzerland 400 K Ultramarathon: https://www.crossingswitzerland.com/ National Health Service-Scotland: https://www.scot.nhs.uk/ The Race Across Scotland, directed by GBUltras: https://www.gbultras.com/ultra-great-britain/ You can learn more about Troy Eid here: Website DU LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Twitter/X You can learn more about Greenberg Traurig, LLP here: Website LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter/X
