What I appreciate about the FKT platform is the broad collection of routes. Each of them offers a simple reason to step outside and start running.
For me, paradoxically, FKTs are less about comparison and more about curiosity: discovering new routes, setting a clear goal, and engaging with my own capabilities.
If sharing these runs encourages someone else to lace up their shoes and head out onto a trail, then that alone makes it worthwhile.
The Stoumont ExtraTrail Blue Route is a marked trail loop around Stoumont, approximately 13.7 km in length with about 543 m of elevation gain. The route combines forest paths with rolling terrain and a mix of runnable sections and steeper climbs and descents.
I completed the route unsupported in 1:12:13.
I parked near the church close to the start of the trail in Stoumont and began from there. Conditions were typical for a mild December morning: dry weather, but very wet ground. In many places the trail turned into deep mud, especially on the descents, where I had to slow down significantly to avoid falling. Late-autumn leaves covered parts of the trail and occasionally made it harder to see the route.
On some of the steeper uphill sections, walking was necessary to avoid slipping. The route is generally well signposted, though I briefly lost the trail in the forest due to a fallen tree and ongoing forestry work that obscured the original line. After a short detour, I was able to rejoin the route.
Overall, the trail offers many runnable sections and makes for a varied loop.