David Parrish, the ultra-marathon runner who tragically died last weekend, had been due to marry his partner of seven years, Jade Lau, in a few weeks’ time, it’s been revealed
The ultra-marathon runner who tragically died while attempting a gruelling 234-mile challenge in the Scottish Highlands was just weeks away from getting married.
David Parrish, 35, from Dumfries, was found dead in a remote mountainous area of Kintail last Saturday at around 10.25pm while taking on the record-breaking Cape Wrath Trail attempt.
Before he set off, Parrish and his fiancée were “putting together playlists” and writing speeches for their big day. The former Royal Marine had been aiming to set the fastest male completion time for the punishing route, which stretches from Fort William to the far north of Scotland and is widely considered one of the UK’s toughest endurance challenges.
His cause of death has not been disclosed, but Police Scotland said there were no suspicious circumstances.
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Parrish had been due to marry his partner of seven years, Jade Lau, in just three weeks’ time, the BBC reported. The couple, who lived in Glasgow, had been in the final stages of wedding preparations before his final run.
“We were putting together playlists, writing speeches,” she said. “So on receiving the news, I felt what I knew about the next couple of days, coming months, coming years, is quite scattered now.”
She added: “I’m trying to focus on the fact the world keeps moving, and I’ll try to as well.”
Lau described her late fiancée as “full of life, funny and loving” and said he was excited in the weeks up to the run.
The couple often travelled to the Highlands together in their van with their dog, Munro, sharing a love of hiking and mountain running. Parrish had even proposed to Lau during a walk in Glencoe.
He had previously completed the Cape Wrath Trail in 2023, winning the event and recording the second-fastest time on record. Despite describing himself as “knackered and broken” afterwards, he was keen to return.
Lau told BBC Scotland that she as “always cautious” about the challenges her fiancée embarked on, but she was “always very proud and confident of his abilities as well”.
“He’s done big challenges running through the night previously and done exceptionally well,” she said. “I hope he will be remembered for being a complete force of nature in spirit and ability.”
This year’s run was also tied to a powerful personal tribute. David dedicated the challenge to his close friend and fellow Royal Marine, Luke Ireland, who died aged 20 during a mountain run in 2014.
Speaking about Luke on his fundraising page, David explained how the young Marine developed hypothermia after sudden weather changes, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.
The fundraiser, which was supporting Scottish Mountain Rescue, has since continued in his memory and has raised almost £40,000, the Telegraph reported. Tributes have poured in from across the running community and beyond.
One friend said: “David leaves behind not only an extraordinary record of achievement but also a memory of how to carry great strength lightly. He’ll be missed enormously. RIP.”
Another added: “A truly exceptional person with an incredibly positive outlook on life. You will be deeply missed.”
“I am honoured to have known you and to have spent time on the trails with you,” another friend from the community said. “You were always kind, gracious and funny.”
Parrish, a member of Dumfries Running Club and club champion in 2022, began running in his teens after leaving the Royal Marines. His running club described him as “an immensely talented runner and a wonderful person who will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”
