FKT: Paul Fernandez - The Writers' Way (United Kingdom) - 2021-04-24

I decided to try to run this out and back, definitely to try to beat the out and back unsupported time, maybe the one-way time on the way back, but that would be a big ask, after running the 13 miles out first. So I started at Jane Austen's old front gate and headed off. The first coupe of miles through Alton needed some close navigation and I had to back-track slightly in a couple of places. From then on, the navigation was simpler and there were only three places where I had to really look around and check I was going the right way. About 80 minutes in, I realised that running back fast was going to be an option, so I eased off a bit. I fuelled as much as I could before the turn around, and got some water from a stream, reaching it in 2:01, the race back was now on. I managed to get half way back without the map, just memory, then had to glance at my map and watch a few times to check that I was still on route. I was trying to beat the 1:29 time back, as was making good head way until 75 minutes in. Then rough ground and fatigue slowed me down and I got back to the start after another 1 hour 37 minutes. So 3:37:50 in total, taking 88 minutes off of the existing FKT. Maybe one day I will go back to do just one way...