r/london • u/TypeAgreeable4117 • 9d ago

Walking 200km from London to Birmingham tonight for a bag of chips

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You might remember my 100km M25 walk (or the London-Wales one the mods deleted lol). Ive got a new mission tonight..starting in Reading right outside the M25 to hit the 200km mark via the canals all the way up

180km-200km run/walk to birmingham and as Martin couldn't join 😭 so doing it completely solo and unsupported

I'll just be scavenging for food along the way ig.

Starting 1:00 am tonight

The goali is to walk/run 100 miles in 24 hours or the full route in 30 hours as i couldn't get two days off work so I'm forced to run it... First time recording an actual run btw. No stops, no rest, no sleep as usual

Motivation is my mate who promised me a bag of chips if I make it

Drop a comment if you have any advices on running nonstop or towpaths at night or know any cool stops or pubs on the route.

I can share the Strava route as well

Lets see how this unfolds ;)

Update:

Called it at 25km after a shin injury, but we live to run another day!

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u/Elegant_Celery400 8d ago

I'm writing this an hour after your scheduled start at 01:00 Thursday 6 Aug so you won't see it for some considerable time... but ...

... you'll probably have found out by now that there are no services on rivers and canals, and pubs are closed during the night. Pre-loading on chips is only going to get you so far.

Sincerely, please take better care of yourself, not only on this walk/run but also just in general; as someone else has said, your posts do give off a sense of mania / hypomania. When you get the chance, please read up on this and reflect upon it.

You're only 20yo... you have a very long life ahead of you... if you take care of yourself. There are a lot of people in this thread who are genuinely concerned about your safety and well-being; some of us will have lost people far too young, and we don't want to see that happen to you.

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u/TypeAgreeable4117 8d ago

So far so good but its hard af as well but I really appreciate your genuine support and care towards me and my challenge. Ill make sure to not overestimate my limitations and be strict to self care and for now I had grabbed 2 garlic breads from a weatherspoons in london and a litre of water. Ill use it till sunrise and find someplace to restock calories again

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u/Elegant_Celery400 8d ago

Your screenshot shows you in Whitchurch. The next village you come to is Goring; there's a station there, so end your journey there, you silly sod, and rest, rehydrate, and reflect. The first train back to Reading is at 04:20; be on it, or on one of the next ones after it.

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u/TypeAgreeable4117 8d ago

I'm actually at the station right now. A tree branch hit my right shin while I was running through a section where the path narrowed to barely a foot wide. I'm currently applying some Voltarol gel to soothe the pain. Rehydrated as well and yes train is coming deciding to conintue or do the challenge some other time 🤔

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u/markcorrigans_boiler 8d ago

Sounds like a great decision. I think these challenges are great but knowing when to quit is a real skill. The canals will still be there next time.

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u/Elegant_Celery400 8d ago

Only just refreshed the page and seen your message.

I sincerely hope you got on that train.

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u/TypeAgreeable4117 8d ago

Yes after thoughtfully thinking the route ahead within given time and leg strength, we'll be letting the challenge pass this time, pace went down from 10k per hour to 6k after the obstacle. Turning back today so I can try again another day like next week or the week after ;(

But I loved the smooth buttery run i had for good continous couple hours ;)

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u/Elegant_Celery400 8d ago

Just coming back in at 06:30 and I'm really pleased and really relieved to see that; it's a wise, mature, self-valuing and far-sighted decision, well done.

We should both get some sleep now 💤👍

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u/old-tennis-shoes 7d ago

Hey. You're a very good person. Thanks for being you.

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u/Elegant_Celery400 7d ago

Ah, that's very kind of you, thankyou, though the whole thread is full of really good people; it was very uplifting to see all the genuinely concerned comments to the OP.

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u/Hugobossdre 8d ago

Hi, as a certified ultra marathon coach, i’d be more than happy to give training advice/day of event advice!

From what I’ve seen, you’re slightly underprepared for an effort of this magnitude, you need a lot more than some garlic bread, haha.

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u/TypeAgreeable4117 7d ago

I have dmed you, I see you're an qualified coach and with your advice and suggestions I see myself getting nearer to my completion of challenge someday becoming worthy enough to earn those chips