The body of GB international mountain runner Chris Smith (43) from Haywards Heath, Sussex was sadly found at 11:50am yesterday (30 October) in the Scottish Highlands, following an extensive search by Police Scotland, Coastguard and Scottish Mountain Rescue volunteers of the remote areas surrounding Invervar, near Aberfeldy in Perth and Kinross. 

Chris Smith was on holiday with his wife, Lindsay, and their sons Cameron and Alastair when he set off for a training run around 3:00pm on Tuesday (27 October). He had been planning to complete an 11-mile route with 1,450m of ascent that included four Munros – mountain tops in excess of 3,000 feet high – namely Meall nan Aighean, Carn Mairg, Meall Garbh and Carn Gorm – and he was expected back by 5:00pm.

A statement from UK Athletics reads: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Chris Smith, the Great Britain and Northern Ireland international mountain runner. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. Smith starred in several GB & NI mountain running teams over the last decade, and his performances contributed to four team medals at world and European championships”.

The statement continues: “His highest placing at a World Championships came on home soil at the 2015 edition in Betsw-y-Coed, Wales, where he finished 10th overall, and third Briton, which led to the senior men’s team grabbing the world bronze medal. He was also part of British senior men’s teams which won two silvers and a bronze medal at the European Mountain Running Championships in 2013, 2015 and 2016”.

Smith was born in Aberdeenshire but settled in Sussex and was a much-loved member of Thames Valley Harriers and Haywards Heath Harriers. He first showed athletics promise in 2000, competing for Aberdeen AAC, when he went under two minutes for 800m and four minutes for 1500m. However, it was his 8th place in the 2011 Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships at Llanberis that set him on the path towards international glory.

Smith ran 2:29:56 at London in 2010 in his only recorded marathon result and his best times include 14:45.96 for 5000m; 30:52 for 10K and 1:09:46 for half marathon. He also enjoyed parkruns, with a best time of 15:06 at Worthing in 2017, and on New Year's Day this year he ran 16:29 at Stormont and 17:18 at Ormeau parkruns in Belfast for a remarkable double. 

A GoFundMe page set up by fellow international athlete Marc Scott has already reached its aim of raising £5,000 for the work of Scottish Mountain Rescue but further donations towards the vital work of their 850 volunteers can be made here

Image is taken from Chris Smith's own profile on Power of 10 here