ONE of Scotland's greatest ever ultra marathon runners is getting a taste for business after winning a Dragons' Den-style competition in Glasgow.

Lucy Colquhoun from Peebles has represented Scotland and Great Britain all over the world.

And she has won numerous long-distance titles during a distinguished career.

But the 46-year-old is now racing towards another winning line after topping the podium at a national business start-up competition.

Fed up with the current range of sports gels and bars, Lucy has developed her own nutritional athletes' snacks.

She told us: “Food and sport are two of my main passions.

"In ultra-running, and indeed in other sports, it is vital to keep re-fuelling during races which can last all day, sometimes even several days.

"I struggled to find snacks that I wanted to eat during races - something portable, easily to digest and palatable.

"I realised I wasn’t the only one, so I decided to do something about it and Gutzi Foods was born."

Last month Lucy headed the field to land £5,000 worth of funding to help develop her products.

The New Start Scotland Exhibition in Glasgow offered entrepreneurs advice and contacts to help start their businesses.

Part of the event featured Business in a Box, involving a Dragons’ Den-style pitch for the chance to win £5,000 and a range of business start up services.

Despite the hot competition it was Lucy and her Gutzi Foods which came out on top with the judges.

Since her victory, tasting sessions have taken place over the past couple of weeks with Borders athletes and cyclists at Glentress.

And all of them, including top mountain biker Isla Short, gave the fuel foods, which come in re-sealable pouches and bars, the thumbs up.

Lucy, who recently featured on the BBC's Adventure Show when she came out of retirement to win the 35-miles Kintyre Way race, added: "What I am developing is not a sports supplement.

"It is natural food based on slow-release carbohydrates for long-lasting energy, not a quick sugar hit.

"Although our origins are in endurance sport, our products will appeal to anyone looking for a convenient, tasty, savoury snack – whether you’re in sport, on the golf course, walking the hills, travelling, or rushing between meetings all day.”

Lucy, who won a bronze medal at the World Trail Championships six years ago, will spend the rest of the winter fine-tuning her recipes, completing the all-important nutritional analysis and finalising manufacturing arrangements.

She will also spend the next few months tying up retail deals ahead of a grand Gutzi Foods launch next year.