Trip Report - Self-Supported FKT – Thames Path
Start time: 06.50am, 26/06/23
Finish time: 18.43pm, 06/06/23
Day 1: 86.42km, 13 hrs 30 mins 45 secs, start of Thames Path (source of the Thames) to North Oxford
On day one, after an overnight stay at the Travelodge in Cirencester, I took an early morning taxi to the Thames Head Pub. From there I slowly walked to the start of the Thames Path at the source of the River Thames, a quiet location in an otherwise unremarkable farmer’s field. There is a pile of stones and a fingerpost sign to mark the start of the trail. After my final preparations, I hit start on my Garmin watch at 06.50am and set off on my run. Weather conditions were pretty perfect - dry, still and sunny – although the heat during the middle of the day proved to sap my energy a little. As with the rest of the trip, I was travelling solo and self-supported, with no support crew. My kit was very lightweight and minimalist, with everything carried in a 5L inov-8 running vest. I wore running kit and carried Leki trail running poles. In terms of food, I simply re-supplied at the numerous villages and towns en route. I achieved a decent pace during the morning, running almost continuously through the Cotswold Water Park, innumerable agricultural fields and some lovely Cotswolds villages. At Wolvercote, to the north of Oxford, I veered off the Thames Path to my overnight accommodation at the Oxford Peartree Travelodge, completing a double marathon by the end of the day.
Day 2: 75.02km, 13 hrs 12 mins 15 secs, North Oxford to Reading
I set off at 06.36am from North Oxford after a good night’s sleep, but my legs felt tired from the previous day. I fast-hiked for a couple of hours and then picked up my pace (as shown by the orange and red colouring of my Garmin route trace) between Kennington and Culham. I stopped for lunch at the McDonald’s on Oxford Rd, Benson, Wallingford at 1.37pm (I had been eating very healthily up to this point, but I suddenly craved a burger and couldn’t resist!). Just after lunch, a footpath closure at Benson Lock meant I had to follow the official detour via Wallingford Bridge. The afternoon went smoothly, with me mixing up the pace between fast-hiking and pulses of running depending on how my body felt. I made it to my overnight accommodation – the EasyHotel in Reading at 20.04pm, after re-supplying at a nearby Aldi supermarket.
Day 3: 76.65km, 12 hrs 50 mins 34 secs, Reading to Chertsey
My legs felt better today and I achieved a faster overall speed (10.03/min per km compared to 10.34/min on the previous day). I set off at 06.38am and achieved my target pace to Henley-on-Thames, where I passed the ongoing Henley Royal Regatta rowing competition. Temple Bridge was officially closed by the Environment Agency so I followed the waymarked footpath diversion. I detoured slightly into Marlow to the Sainsbury’s Local to pick up a meal deal for lunch. The afternoon went perfectly to plan. I enjoyed the riverside trails alongside Maidenhead, Windsor, Eton and Staines on Thames before making it to the Travelodge in Chertsey. I re-supplied again at an Aldi supermarket near my hotel.
Day 4: 72.85km, 12 hrs 14 mins 56 secs, Chertsey to Thames Barrier (End of Thames Path)
I hit the trail at 06.28am, knowing that this was last day and hoping to get in under the 3 days and 12 hours mark. I made good progress in the morning between Chertsey and Brentford, but by the afternoon – in the section between Brentford and Canary Wharf – my pace slowed. I felt tired and was particularly struggling with the soles of my feet. Now in Central London the constant tarmac/concrete trails were pretty unforgiving and I felt general fatigue was getting the better of me. But an adrenaline boost, as I now knew the end was in sight, kicked in and I was able to run for the final section to make it under my target time.
* Post-run - After finishing I walked to spend a night in the Travelodge in Woolwich. The following morning I took the tube from Woolwich to Euston (via Tottenham Court Road) and took a train back home to Cumbria.