As you might have guessed, I have decided to give the Thames Source Quest (TSQ) a second attempt. I will try to run the whole length of the Thames Path (184 miles / 294 km) non-stop, solo, and unsupported. I will start from the Thames Barrier in East London on the 1st July and hope to reach the source in the Cotswolds on the 3rd July. Non-stop means that I am not planning to sleep on the way, although this might happen accidentally :) . Unsupported means that I will not pick up any food or drinks from human sources on the way. In practice, I will carry all the food required for the entire event from the start, and will drink purified water collected from the Thames river itself.

I hope to be better prepared than last year, both physically and mentally. As planned, a few changes have applied, including:
  • This is my only major event this year.
  • I will take it a bit easier on the target time. If I need 60 hours, so be it!
  • MSR Sweetwater purifier (pump-based microfilter + chlorine) and two Camelbak Tritan 750mL in a hope to increase my water consumption, but heavier in the bag.
  • Less food (3 kg for 11,000 KCal), as I don't think I can eat more than 5,000 KCal/day whilst running anyway.
I will however not start much earlier in the year than for the previous attempt, but this was necessary to ensure a decent training.

This year, I have decided to raise money for WaterAid. It seems a fairly obvious choice. Whilst I will be fortunate enough to carry a purification system that will (hopefully) provide me with safe water from the Thames, "one in eight of the world's population does not have access to [clean water]. This, and lack of safe sanitation, result in over two million people dying from water-related diseases every year." Please consider donating at this page. Donators might want to place a guess on the time I will take to complete, and the distance covered if I don't finish. Small prize for the closest guess. Thank you!

The planned scheduled is based on a 50 hours finish time, as opposed to 48 hours last year.

Ultra ready for take two.