A five minute tale of three not-particularly-fast runners hitting the trails for an FKT attempt and coming back with a whole lot more than just a not-very fast record.
Watch now: FKT on the Avon Valley Path
Someone always has to be the catalyst for adventures. And the best adventures I’ve had always start with a casual “Do you fancy…” and before you know it, you’re in a field somewhere, 18 miles deep into a big long run.
Last Monday was definitely one of those. And @jamescarnegiephotography was the catalyst. “Do you fancy coming on a little Fastest Known Time adventure from Salisbury to Christchurch?”
The Whatsapp landed on Wednesday. Five days later I was jumping a train to Salisbury to run 37 miles along the Avon Valley Path with James and @running_bucky.
We allegedly went in search of an FKT but really we what we were really after was some escape, stories, adventure and ice cream. And we found it all.
We knew we could take our time and still beat the previous 11 hour FKT. So we chucked the legs in cruise control and ambled through corn fields, little villages and a tiny bit of the New Forest.
There was no pressure at all. And I’m beginning to love not racing. I mean I still love racing but I’m also seeing there’s an awful lot of joy to be found when you cut away all the fuss of start lines, aid stations, cut offs and chasing/being chased on course. The buzz at the end is just as good. The sense of achievement is as strong. There’s just no medal to stick in a drawer when you get home.
And the best bit, that if three not particularly fast runners can hit the trails and come back with a record (albeit a not-very fast one) then so can you.
Massive thanks for James for getting me in on this one. And to Matt for opening my eyes to the compatibility of ice cream and ultra running.
Can’t wait to repeat the experience somewhere else there’s some low-hanging FKT fruit.
Now watch this: Solo ultra in the New Forest
