After last year's epic failure after only 47 miles (76km), I am 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 river Thames itself.

 

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. Donators might want to place a guess on the time I will take to complete, and the distance covered if I don't finish. Simply write down your guess with your comment. Small prize for the closest guess. The planned scheduled is based on a 50 hours finish time.

 

Loads more information about this challenge on my blog: http://www.life-is-an-ultramarathon.org

 

Follow me live on Twitter @ThamesSource

 

Thank you!

Julien