I ran across Europe from the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Douro River in Porto, Portugal, to the Bosphorus Strait at Cankurtaran, Istanbul, Turkey. The route totaled 2,858.6 miles (4,611 km) and was completed in 103 days, 6 hours, 56 minutes.
Every mile of the route was covered on foot. When lodging required us to stay ahead or behind the stopping point, I “staked out” my previous finish location each morning and resumed from that exact spot, ensuring a continuous traverse.
I was primarily solo, though several friends joined me for individual days along the way.
For resupply, I carried only what was needed for each day. My partner Christina crewed me throughout, meeting me on the road with food, water, and gear. In more remote stretches, I muled extra supplies when needed. I also purchased food at cafés, bakeries, and markets along the way.
Water came from bottles carried in my hydration pack and refilled through crew, purchased in shops, or sourced from safe public fountains (especially common along Caminho routes).
Each night we stayed in inns, hotels, or hostels — no camping.
There were two brief non-foot sections: a short ferry crossing of the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro (to bypass an impassable tunnel), and the Kipoi–Ipsala border bridge into Turkey, which required a vehicle transfer. In both cases, I resumed immediately from the exact point of exit.
The run was a day-by-day progression across the continent, ending at the gateway of Asia on the Bosphorus.
Comments
That is an absolutely epic accomplishment!
Huge congratulations on running across Europe—that takes incredible strength, willpower, and dedication. What a monumental achievement! I ran from Bordeaux to Barcelona and that was far enough!