I have run this route once before, but with a different starting point that resulted in waiting for the ferry. This time, I wanted to start and finish at the ferry quay itself in order to establish an FKT route.
I approached the run as a long training session in preparation for a longer race later this summer. The weather was decent: some rain, temperatures between 5–10°C, and fortunately very little wind.
The first 50 km went really well at a steady pace. The first 20 km include a tough climb and fast downhill running that both require some discipline before the route gradually levels out further along the fjord. I had a self-supported depot stop near my home at 23 km, and at 43 km I stopped at a grocery store in Skjolden to refill further energy supplies.
Just a few kilometers later, I started feeling pain in my right hip. An adjustment in my running technique thereafter resulted in pain in my left knee. The pace dropped significantly from there, with walking and stretching, and my only goal became making the ferry in time. :) Original goal had been to finish comfortably under 7 hours, but that schedule disappeared once the hip/knee problems started.
For anyone who enjoys long-distance road running, I can genuinely recommend this route. On a beautiful day, this is Norway at its absolute best: small idyllic fjord villages, turquoise glacier-colored water, and towering snow-covered peaks surrounding the fjord. May is an especially fantastic time to do it, with blooming flowers, fresh spring greenery, and just in time before the tourist traffic arrives.