Route: Capital Ring (London, UK)

Hi Matthew. Thank you for all the details, it’s been really helpful in my planning (and inspirational!). I’m giving this a go in a couple of weeks time, so will let you know how I get on. 

Great attempt Superstorr - fantastic time! I’m trying this next month, hoping cooler weather may help! What part did you find most challenging?

Hi Peter,

If you click on my time above on the FKT listing there's a link to more detail and a race report at the bottom if that helps.

The closures I experienced were Clissold park, Abney park Cemetery, Highgate Woods and the path above Cherry Tree Wood after East Finchley tube.

Given you're starting the opposite side from me if you go for an early start you'll experience quite different park closures to me I think.

If you go anticlockwise you'll likely find Richmond Park closed which would mean a substantial detour.

I recce'd the last 15 miles which I knew i'd be doing in the dark so I could figure out where i'd have to detour & also what it was like in certain bits with a headtorch in the dark. I'd suggest doing that depending on which way you decide to go to make sure you know the closures and good detours for that last bit. Also helps to have done the last stretch so you know what to expect when you're exhausted near the end! 

If you do go clockwise and start early you'll be in the dark beyond Gallions Reach round to the Woolwich tunnel which might feel quite isolated at night. Worth a recce to get familiar with this - not sure if they close the path over the lock gates at night here.

Happy to advise further if I can help. Feel free to email me at superstorr@hotmail.com

Cheers

David

Good luck! - interested to see how you go. Well worth a recce even though it's signposted well.

Amazing time David & Darren, read your race report - glad you got lucky with the warden at Abney Park.

Well done on the FKT!

I completed this on Friday 16th July 2021 (at more of a walk than a run) in 21 hours and 56 mins. I admire everyone who has done this route, some of the times listed on here are incredible!

Here is my Garmin activity: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/7138074487

And I wrote a report in case anyone is interested for future reference:

The ring tries to wear you down, but you have to wear it on your finger like the little bugger that it is. The ring is a living, evolving route that changes weekly. You never know what it will throw at you. Closures and diversions are part of the game.

At 5.45am on the 16th July 2021, I was sat in the Uber on my way to my starting point at one of the sign posts a few yards before Hendon Park (section 11 of the Capital Ring). This was probably one of the most nervous moments in my life, as I knew what was ahead for the next 24 hours. Setting off at precisely 6.13am, I knew that I had planned this meticulously to avoid all park closures, with only the Richmond Lock Footbridge due to be closed, requiring me to cross the Thames at Twickenham Bridge instead. I also knew that all drinking fountains were turned off due to Covid precautions, so I planned to fill up my soft flasks and reservoir at particular pubs and cafes and with bottled water bought at shops.

I knew from emailing the Highgate Wood Team that the gates would be opened at 7am rather than the 7.30am stated online, and I was relieved to find this to be correct as I arrived at the woods at around 7.10am. I was resisting the urge to run as I travelled through sections 11 and 12. I had done half of the route the week before and ran quite hard in intervals, ending up burning out at Crystal Place, so I planned to walk at 4mph for as long as possible and maybe try to run near the end. At Stoke Newington I had 2 friends that joined me for moral support up until Beckton District Park. I stopped for my first water re-fill during this part, with a tap by the Old Ford Locks on the River Lee (it was locked in a box, but if you know the trick you can turn it on by reaching underneath the box), just before the turn off onto the Greenway. The Greenway was one of the most boring parts, just a long stretch of straight tarmac path with no change in scenery for miles. Coming out of Beckton District Park towards Gallions Reach, I could feel the heat starting to ramp up, and I knew this was only going to get harder. I stopped at the Gallyon bar for another re-fill. I knew from my recce the previous week and from the latest guides from the Inner London Ramblers that part of the route at Gallions Reach was closed for construction work, so I had to take my first diversion here. I was gutted as I knew that the view out over the Thames at the most easterly point of the route is fantastic and I would miss this due to the diversion. My dad joined me at Woolwich south foot tunnel, and we moved forward. At around 35 miles, just before Crystal Palace, I started to suffer really badly with what felt like a stress fracture in my foot. I knew that I wasn't even at half-way yet and I was really struggling mentally, so I was extremely close to quitting. What kept me going was the thought that if I did quit, I would suffer hugely with regret and anxiety at not finishing the route and I knew I would end up forcing myself to complete it at a later date. But I just could not face doing the first half again for the fourth time (due to already walking it in sections, doing my 40-mile practice and then attempting the real thing) and this fear was what kept me driving forward. I also bought some painkillers and more bottled water to decanter into my flasks and reservoir and cracked on, and all felt well again.

A friend then joined me at Crystal Palace as my dad departed and my spirits were high, as I felt pain-free and knew that I had reached the half-way point - the tip of the psychological pyramid where it will all be downhill from there down the other side of this fictional pyramid. It felt like I made really good time to get round to Balham, where my friend left and I continued solo to Wimbledon Park to meet another friend. The next point I can remember was the end of Richmond Park going down the steep hill on the dusty path/grass and finding it extremely tough to keep my stability and balance. Things got worse just after we crossed the Thames at Twickenham Bridge (due to Richmond Lock Footbridge being closed for the night) as I felt hugely fatigued and became emotional about ridiculous things. I checked my phone and saw so many supportive messages from people following my vlog on my Instagram story, and this gave me a massive boost, so again I pumped my arms and marched on.  By this point, I was celebrating every time my Garmin pinged with another mile completed. It was also getting dark at this point and by the time we reached Syon Park it was almost pitch black, but there was some moonlight. Another friend joined me on the canal by Hanwell as the previous friend left, just before the turn right towards the Wharncliffe Viaduct. Then, as a complete surprise, my friend and his partner turned up out of nowhere to wish me luck! They had been following me on Glympse and lived close to the route, and this was an amazing buzz for me. They joined for a short bit until somewhere in Brent Valley Park. Luckily I had a headtorch at this stage because the moon became covered by clouds and it was extremely difficult to follow the signs for the route. I also had my Garmin watch with a GPS file of the route so I was trying to navigate with that as well. I became nervous about the giant Horsenden Hill which was coming up, however when we arrived, I managed to have the energy to skip up the steps and keep a good pace to the top of it. There was a group of people gathered up there which was a bit concerning considering the time of night but they just seemed to be innocent people speaking in French.

Coming out of Harrow School, I suffered a huge psychological blow as the entrance to Ducker Footpath was physically blocked off with felled trees and a sign saying 'footpath closed'. I was so close to the end and this was the first unplanned diversion. I had to look on my phone and re-route, which added a small amount of distance, but it could have been worse I suppose.

There were some really sketchy areas in the darkness, particularly through Fryent Country Park which is arguably the most rural and remote part of the route. Visibility here was absolutely zero outside the light of the headtorch and this was the location of two murders last summer. But all we saw were a couple of suspicious cars in the car park. Without my best mate with me, I think I would have bottled it here. The grass was also pretty long and was covered in dew as this was the early hours of the morning, so my feet became soaking and I developed an awful blister underfoot. But I was thankful that I had stayed dry until this final last slog. Navigation here was the most difficult as the signage is hard to find in daylight, let alone pitch black, and the paths aren't the clearest.  Going through Brent Reservoir was also not enjoyable, as my headtorch died and I had to use my phone torch. Again, there was no moonlight and the area is not the most pleasant, although it felt like daylight was starting to return as I reached about halfway through the reservoir path. I was nervous about dodgy characters along this part, but luckily the only people we came across were a couple of teenagers sat by the end of the path watching videos on their phone. I knew at this point I just had to follow the route across the A5, the train tracks, the M1 and the underpass under the A41. I was running pathetically in 100m bursts, but the fracture in my foot was too painful to run any longer. The distance from crossing the M1 to the A41 felt so much longer than I recalled, it felt never-ending for a short period. But, of course, and as with all things in life, it did end. I came out the other side of the A41 with a run up the underpass ramp, walked into the side road and when I was on Cheyne Walk I knew that this really was the final sprint finish. I mustered up all my energy to run downhill down the road to touch the same signpost I tapped 21 hours, 56 minutes and 38 seconds earlier.

My gear was a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro watch, Salomon Active Skin 8 hydration vest with an added 2litre reservoir, Stance Run Crew Staple socks and Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34 trainers.

I'd like to thank my knee surgeon Mr Miles and my physio Mr Amin. Without those two there's no way I'd be able to take this on after having an ACL reconstruction 11 months ago. Further thanks go to CrossFit Harrow who have helped me build my strength and fitness back up, which has done wonders for me on this challenge. I'd also like to thank Mandy Cheung, Alice Graham, my dad Billy, Sam Vaux, Tom Dagley, James Lawrence, Alice Beecroft and Tommy Yeomans for joining me on the way. These are the true heroes who kept me going when I was in some really bad places. Particular thanks to James, joining for the night section in pitch black darkness along canals, secluded paths, Fryent Country Park and Brent Reservoir where I would not have had the bravery to keep going solo. I'm also gonna shout out my dad who did nearly 20 miles at a fantastic pace at the age of 61 and with 2 knee dislocations under his belt!