Thames Path 100 2025 - My Attempt To FINALLY Finish This 100 Miler After 3 DNFs
- craigbarden123
- May 9
- 33 min read
Updated: Jun 3
The Thames Path 100 and I have a love hate relationship.
On the one hand, it's the only race I've ever 'DNF'd' in (did not finish). 3 times to be precise. But, on the other hand, it's a fantastically organised event and these DNFs have given me lots of learning over the past 3 years (2022 - 2024).
About the Thames Path 100
The Thames Path 100 is a 100 mile ultramarathon organised by Centurion Running. Starting in Richmond, London, the route takes runners for approximately 100 miles along the Thames Path national trail before arriving at the finish line in Oxford.
The course follows the meandering route of the Thames river against it's flow and is incredibly flat and fast with the majority on well maintained trails and paths/paved pathways. Having only 1,900 feet of elevation gain, which is highly unusual when it comes to 100 mile ultramarathons (and ultramarathons in general), many consider this course a good first race to get that initial 100 mile finish in the bag.
I thought the same thing when I first took part back in 2022 alongside my brother, Jack. However, my Thames Path experience wouldn't be the smooth and plain sailing ride I'd hoped for...
Gear I used during the race
Road shoes - Mount 2 Coast R1s: Use the code 'Craig10' at checkout for a 10% discount
Trail shoes - HOKA Speedgoat 6
Backpack - Salomon Adv Skin 12 (note: They don't produce the one I used anymore but this is the closest I could find)
Watch - Garmin Forerunner 945
Flasks for water - Salomon Soft Flask 500ml
Gels - GU Energy Gels
Caffeine chews - Clif Bloks Energy Chews
Chocolate - Snickers bars (my new nutrition 'ace in the hole' for long distance
Energy bars - Science in Sport energy bars
Wireless earphones (had with me but didn't use) - TOZO A1 Wireless Earbuds
Travelsize SPF50 sunscreen - NIVEA SUN Kids Protect and care
Go Pro camera - Go Pro HERO10 (they don't sell the HERO 9 which is what I use, so I've linked the 10. God, I feel old...)
A trip down memory lane of my Thames Path DNFs and the reasons (or excuses) why I didn't finish each time
2022 DNF - In 2022, I was injured at the start of the year so couldn't train properly. Plus, with this being my first 100 mile attempt I was relatively inexperienced at such a slog of a distance. I DNF'd at Goring aid station which is mile 70.8 out of 100.
I then went on to complete my first 100 mile race later that year in August when I crossed the finish line of the North Downs Way 100. Interestingly, many consider the North Downs Way 100 to be much harder than the Thames Path 100 due to the relentless 10,000 feet of elevation gain, technical and varied trail terrain, and the fact that it takes place in the height of summer in August (the year I did it, it was like running through the dessert!).
2023 DNF - Back to the Thames Path 100, my second DNF in 2023 was the result of a very poor pacing and nutrition strategy. Whilst, at the time, I was the fittest I'd ever been having just run a sub 3 hour marathon at the Southampton Marathon, my downfall came in the form of eating only energy gels and setting off way to quick at the start (I got to the 52 ish mile point, Henley, in roughly 8 hours 35 minutes). After 70 miles, each step felt like being punched in the stomach and my quadriceps felt like they'd been set alight. Whilst I could have slogged it out and done a death march to the end, I wasn't mentally tough enough and I DNF'd at mile 79.
2024 DNF - My 2024 Thames Path 100 outing was the worst I'd ever felt and performed at during an ultra. For the first time in my life, I was experiencing severe mental health issues in the months leading up to the race which took my focus away from everything needed for successful running. My training was poor, my nutrition went down the pan, and my sleep habits turned to mush. The first five miles felt hard, and I knew I was in trouble. By mile 45, I could barely walk let alone run. I slogged it out to Henley, the half way point, and DNF'd for a third time.
My 2024 mental health struggles, starting to run again after 8 months off, and my training/approach for the Thames Path 100 2025
After my DNF in May 2024, I took part in the Three Castles 50km ultramarathon in June which I finished although this still felt very hard given I wasn't training at all.
After that, I took the next 8 months out of running to focus on resolving my mental health issues which were significantly impacting my life including my running. Not to go into details, but this entailed getting professional help from various sources and, thankfully, I was feeling much better and more myself come December 2024, at which point I did my first parkrun and started running again.
However, I was incredibly unfit and overweight. Both firsts for me in my life. With the Thames Path 100 in May the next year, did I have it in me to sign up again and put myself through the training in such a short amount of time, with no guarantee of a finish and risk another disappointing DNF? I decided it was worth a shot.
Something inside me said I should at least try, and being in a much better place mentally I booked myself a place into the race.
My journey back to fitness was long, difficult and full of trials and tribulations. It's fair to say that I took my fitness before for granted. Prior to my 8 months break from running, I'd been running consistently for about 8 years and the longest I'd taken out during that time was a 1 month break here or there to let injuries heal. It's fair to say that after my first parkrun back, I knew I was in for a long ride.
Here's a summary of my journey back to fitness and my training for the Thames Path 100 2025
Fixed my lifestyle (diet, sleep) - It's fair to say that my diet and sleep during my time off had been neglected. Processed foods being the staple of my diet, not getting enough of the various nutrients/minerals, staying up late and waking up early, all played a part in my declined fitness. If I was to expect my body to perform to the running standard it once did, I needed to start taking care of it. The analogy I like to use is a sports car. If you put rubbish, low grade fuel into a sports car, it's not going to perform anywhere near its maximum potential.
So, I started eating a varied diet high in protein and healthy carbohydrates, eating salad in every meal without exception, prioritising good sleep habits, and completely eliminating alcohol. They say 'you are what you eat', and I now fully believe this. The immediate difference eating a healthy and balanced diet made to my general wellbeing was huge, and I started to feel properly fuelled enough to start training again.
Walking - At the start of my rebuilding fitness journey, walking was by far the most important thing I did. Considering that my first parkrun in December, running at a 10 minute mile pace, was enough to make me absolutely zonked immediately after and clutch the stair banister for support getting up and down the next day, I knew running immediately as the main source of fitness was out of the question.
So, I opted for walking. Walking differs from running in that it's lower impact, you always have one foot on the ground, and it demands less from the cardiovascular and muscular systems. It was just what I needed to achieve volume at a low intensity to gradually rebuild the fitness.
I made a video about how walking helped me, it's here if you'd like to check it out.
How Walking Helped Save My Running
Table showing the number of monthly miles walked and logged on Strava
November | December | January | February | March | April |
35 | 83.3 | 237.9 | 268.5 | 265.3 | 248.2 |
Initially, I started out with smaller walks at a relaxed pace around the local neighbourhood and area. Once the legs started to get stronger and I could feel progress being made, I upped the walking mileage significantly.
Whilst the above figures may look extreme in terms of the volume from January onwards, I always listened to my body and never hesitated to cut a walk short if I was concerned about injury.
Slow and steady wins the race - I'm a long term believer of the 80/20 principle. This is a tried and tested method which is used by endurance athletes in all sports whereby you do 80% of your training at a low heart rate at a relaxed intensity, and 20% of your training at high heart rate, bigger intensity. This is what I used to follow when I was faster and fitter, before the 8 month break. However, given my decimated physical fitness I opted for more of a 99% easy and 1% hard approach, and that's exactly what I did for all of my training (walking and running) up to race day. It made the running fun, took away pressure, sped up recovery time between runs, and minimised the risk of injury.
I made a video about how running slow helped me to enjoy running again. It's here if you'd like to check it out:
How Running Slow Helped Me Enjoy Running Again Increased weekly mileage - As my fitness increased, I felt my ability to run further for longer improve so I upped the weekly mileage as time went on. Mid February, I clumsily stubbed my little toe so bad on my bedframe that I may as well have dropped a boulder on it. It took me out of proper running and walking for about a week and a half. Interestingly, after this 'lull', I returned to running with a force and knocked out a 57 mile running week, then a 79 mile week the next, and my minimum weekly mileage for the next 6 weeks stayed at 70 miles with a couple of 100 plus weeks (more than I'd ever achieved in the past). I surprised myself by my ability to maintain such high volumes for such an extended training block, and I largely attribute this to doing all of my runs slow and relaxed (as mentioned above).
Patience - I knew it would be a hard process rebuilding my fitness from scratch, but I didn't know it would be that hard. I consciously decided at the start of the rebuilding journey that I'd put all my past running achievements and ego aside, and I accepted that this was a brand new era of running for me. This helped as it allowed me to relax, it took the pressure off, and it allowed me to enjoy the process of the rebuilding journey rather than being relentlessly focused on the outcome (running the Thames Path 100).
Table showing my monthly running miles logged on Strava
November | December | January | February | March | April |
8.1 | 28.1 | 66.8 | 93.5 | 236 | 356.9 |
Note about diversions and the non-preciseness of the 100 mile distance for the 2025 edition of the Thames Path 100
The Thames Path 100 is officially listed as 100 miles though, with all ultra events and as is the nature of the sport, it often isn't the case that this distance is exact. The Thames Path 100 2025 was no exception.
The race organisers at Centurion Running made is very clear to us runners via a pre-race webinar, in the briefing, and in two email mailouts, that the course would be longer this year due to unavoidable diversions.
These diversions had been the result of essential repair works on River Thames structures like bridges and walkways undergoing repairs and maintenance. We were advised that the course would be approximately 102.19 miles, though I expected my final distance to be slightly longer.
In addition to the diversions, a wrong turn here, running wide on a path there, walking around in an aid station mid-race, all add up, so I knew I'd likely be looking at 103-105 miles realistically. This was absolutely fine and I prepared myself for this mentally, and I appreciated the upfrontness (if that's even a word) about the diversions and additional length by Centurion Running before the race.
Journey to the start line (the boring yet necessary logistics)
An important part of any race is the logistics of getting there smoothly and feeling rested, relaxed and ready once on the start line.
Being based in Maidstone, Kent, I took a train up to London Victoria station the day before and headed onto the overground to Kew Gardens to check myself into a Travelodge. Being one stop on the nearest tube station to Richmond, this was an affordable and convenient option for a solo traveller and runner.
The night before, I did a 'recce' of the journey I'd take the next morning from the Travelodge to the Kew Gardens tube station, to Richmond, before heading down to Race HQ at the Old Town Hall just on the Richmond Waterfront.
It was a glorious evening with highs throughout the day having reached 28 degrees, and Londoners and tourists were out in full force having meals and drinks along the riverside. A stark contrast to the 100 miles I'd be voluntarily putting myself through the next day!
Satisfied with my scouting expedition and feeling mentally assured of the journey I'd take, I headed back to my hotel room for a luxurious dinner of two Tesco meal deals (you can't eat enough before an ultra!) and fell asleep at 8pm. I surprised myself at this, as I usually have nerves which interfere with my sleep the night before a race so I was ecstatic to get a whopping 9 hours sleep.
I woke up, had two cups of porridge (all about that race carbohydrate game!), applied anti-chafing products to the sensitive areas, slapped on three thick layers of sunscreen, put on my running gear, and checked out before heading down to the start line.
At race HQ, I joined 299 other runners in collecting my bib number and having a tracking device strapped to my running pack. There was an excitement yet nervousness in the air as runners chilled out on the steps of the waterfront promenade hoping for some form of calm before the storm.
Wanting a moment to myself, I headed to a local cafe and had a coffee with a sandwich (yes, more food!). As I sat in that empty cafe, waiting for the inevitable '3, 2, 1...' countdown of the race start, doubts started to enter my head.
Was I fit enough? Would I DNF for a 4th time? Had I really overcome my mental health issues for the mental toughness required for a 100 mile race? Had I taken on too big a challenge after 8 months out of running too quickly? Would ANOTHER DNF cause me more disappointment and grief? Why was I putting myself through this again, after the past 3 years of DNFs?
I cast the doubts aside and said I could do this. I'd been through a lot in the past year mental health wise and the fact that I'd entered and rocked up to the start line of the Thames Path 100 again was something I took a shred of pride in at that moment, which felt like a small win in itself. But, the time for patting myself on the back would have to wait. I had 100 miles to run first.
9am drew closer (the start time) so I headed to the waterfront with the 299 other runners, listened to the race director's briefing, and before I knew it the race had started. I was in Richmond and by the end of 24 hours I had hoped to be in Oxford, a journey to be made entirely on foot (by car it takes just 1 hour and 30 minutes with a clear run).
Note: In my commentary of the race below, I chunk it into distances between aid stations. There's 12 aid stations on the Thames Path 100 route, and it makes the most sense in my simplistic brain to summarise my experience this way.
Race start: Richmond Waterfront to Walton on Thames, 0 miles to 10.5 miles
Possibly the 'nicest' leg in terms of underfoot conditions, the first 10.5 miles is almost entirely made up of well maintained paved paths which allowed me to break into a steady rhythm without focusing too much on my footwork.
Wearing my Mount to Coast R1 road shoes, I quickly established a relaxed rhythm and average roughly a 9.30 minute per mile pace. Passing a local parkrun along the way, myself and the 299 other starters were in quite a tight group and trundled steadily along the Thames Path.
We passed urban areas, restaurants and riverside bars, and the temperature started to heat up as the sun creeped out of the clouds. I got to Walton on Thames in 1 hour 54 minutes.
At the aid station, I filled my bottles up with my pre-determined race fluids strategy for the early stages. Tailwind in one bottle for electrolytes, water in one purely for hydration, and coca-cola in a third bottle which I carried by hand. I quickly downed the coca-cola and put the 500ml flask into my pack as I exited the station.
At this point, I was feeling good. I had been periodically monitoring my heartrate on my Garmin sportswatch to ensure that cardiovascular efforts weren't spiking in the crucial early stages. Determined to learn from my past DNFs, where my performance data showed a concerningly high zone 3 - 4 average in the first half of the race, I made a conscious effort to keep my heart rate in a relaxed zone 2 which I felt would greatly benefit the future Craig come miles 80-100.
It can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of the pack and throw your pacing strategy in the bin at the start of a race. Whilst this may be fine for a half marathon or marathon, or shorter ultra marathon, I knew from experience this would only knacker me out quickly and cause physical and mental misery later on. I was running my own race and I was happy to not get pulled along with any external current in the first stretch.
Things seemed to be going well!
Walton on Thames to Wraysbury, 10.6 miles to 22 miles
This stretch continues along the river, passing through Shepperton and Staines. The quiet countryside paths, moving through wooded sections and passing some historic bridges, was a nice progression for my race.
I kept an occasional eye darting to my watch to keep my HR in check and felt I maintained a good discipline on my HR throughout this leg.
We passed people boating and paddle boarding along the Thames, people going for walks and having picnics, and plodded past some expensive looking residences. It truly felt like we'd be experiencing a day of seeing what life on the River Thames looked like.
I kept moving well and had the occasional chat with other runners. Some had recognised me from my YouTube channel, where I'd documented my lengthy three year history of DNFs over the years, and each and every one of them wished me well and said that this year would be my year for a finish.
The sense of positivity, encouragement and support from fellow runners was inspiring, and I felt privileged to be a part of such a special community.
This leg was fairly smooth and easygoing but there was a small drama. Having quickly depleted the battery on my Go Pro camera (my tool for documenting the race), I decided to change batteries whilst running. Unfortunately for me, I didn't see a pothole and a clumsy bit of footing sent me cascading to the ground and sliding forwards onto the floor like a penguin doing a belly slide.
Luckily, I had no injuries, cuts or notable damage, and I was able to quickly hoist myself up and continue along the path. Though I saw my 4th Thames Path 100 attempt flash before my eyes momentarily (dramatic, I know!), I was pleased to walk (or run!) away unscathed and just a bit muddy.
I arrived at Wraysbury aid station in a time of 3 hours and 59 minutes. I undertook the usual drill of filling up my bottles, took the opportunity to quickly use the toilet, grabbed a couple of sandwiches, and headed back out onto the road.
In my video check in, I noted how grateful I was to be taking part in the race and making a video documenting my adventure. Given the mental health journey I had been on and the fact I'd only started running again in December (5 months before race day), it all felt surreal and I had to keep metaphorically pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming!
Wraysbury to Boveney, 22.1 miles to 30.4 miles
This stretch of the river includes Eton and Winsdor, offering a picteresque view of the magnificent Windsor Castle.
I was impressed by how well-maintained the path was, which offered fairly easy running conditions, and the leg was predominantly gravel and paved surfaces. Perfect for me in my road shoes, which I decided to wear for the first 51 miles before changing them out to my Hoka Speedgoat 6 trail shoes.
Whilst the sun had gone into the clouds for the previous 2 hours or so, during this leg it emerged with a force and sent intense heat rays along the Thames. Whilst this had the nice effect of making virtually all angles of the Thames look like a Microsoft Windows screensaver, it made the going much tougher for us runners.
I took out my travel SPF50 sunscreen and slathered a layer of sunscreen on my face and arms with zero elegance, and I didn't realise until another runner told me that I looked like a snowman. There's a time and a place for doing Frozen cosplay, and running a 100 mile ultramarathon isn't the best one!
The last 5 miles of this leg flew by as I got chatting to another runner, and we shared our running experiences from the past, training routines, and our goals for the race. Like me, she had also fallen over a few miles back so it was nice to relate to someone just as clumsy as me on the Thames Path that day! A nice chat and great company in such a positive atmosphere, and I was happy to learn that she finished with an epic time.
Boveney to Cookham, 30.5 miles to 38 miles
This is where the course starts to move into more rural landscapes and trail conditions start appearing more harshly underfoot.
There's a tonne of open fields which seemingly stretch for miles as the route takes runners along the meandering twists and turns of the Thames. The terrain stays fairly flat, and though it can be incredibly muddy in wet conditions we were lucky with the dry and almost perfect race day weather.
During this leg, I kept an eye on my HR and noticed it starting to creep up to the high end of zone 2 and occasionally drifting into zone 3 so I forced myself to slow down (though I felt like I could run harder). I was pleased with this decision because, whilst I felt like I could run harder my heart rate was telling me I was pushing it a bit too hard.
I kept moving well and took the opportunity to go through my new 'on the go' nutrition tactic. Whereas, in the past, I had heavily relied on energy gels as a quick and convenient fuel source during the Thames Path 100, it had caused my downfall in 2023. Not wanting a repeat, I opted for a rotation between a Snickers Bar or Science in Sport energy bar, and then a gel, and so on.
I was getting a solid hit of calories before a liquid shot of energy gel, so I hoped that it would pay off by keeping any stomach issues at bay. This, in addition to eating sandwiches, sausage rolls and fruit at aid stations, definitely paid off in dividends later on in the race.
I arrived at Cookham, filled up my bottles, before taking a gentle stroll out of the aid station with some sandwiches.
In my video check in, I reflected that I was still feeling really good yet I was getting a slight pain in my quadriceps but nothing major. I felt confident, but I made a point of not being too confident. 100 miles is a monumental distance and it should be treated with respect in my opinion. Ignoring an issue early on, going off too fast, running through discomfort too intensely, can all break a 100 mile attempt.
I shared a story about my experience on the North Downs Way 100 ultramarathon in 2022 to illustrate this point.
At mile 50 ish of that race, I got chatting to another runner who told me he had run it 3 times in the past. Naturally, I asked him for some top tips and he laughed and remarked 'tips!? you don't need tips mate, this ones easy. I'll see you at the finish line!' We both chuckled and, for a moment, I really did believe that the race might actually be easy and I'd been over preparing and worrying for no reason.
But, 20 miles ish later, I saw the same runner receiving medical attention after feeling the effects of the intense summer heat and exhaustion. At the time it was very concerning, and I was pleased to learn that the runner was OK, but in hindsight it's almost a bit comical and has Jay from the Inbetweeners vibes. This isn't to put that runner down by any means but to highlight just how a 100 mile race should not be underestimated, even if you have a track record of smashing them out of the park.
That really taught me that a 100 mile race needs to be treated with respect. You may feel absolutely right as a daisy at mile 50, but you still have another 50 miles to go. For me, having DNF'd the Thames Path 100 3 times in a row, I had been hoping to apply the principle of 'looking after myself now to feel good later', and time would tell if my strategy in the early stages would pay off.
I arrived at Cookham aid station in exactly 7 hours from the start line gun.
Cookham to Hurley, 38.1 miles to 44 miles
This section is tranquil and passes along wooded trails and through small villages. The Thames Path gets narrower here, and winds through historic sites.
The terrain underfoot definitely starts to feel more 'traily', and I was thankful that I'd soon be switching into my trail shoes with heavier lugs and thicker tread to better handle the demands of the uneven ground.
This was a relatively short leg compared to the previous legs we'd had, with just under 6 miles until Hurley the next aid station.
At the start of the leg, there were some very narrow passageways along the towpath and passersby were always very kind and would wait for you to pass and wish you well. On that note, I think 90% of the people going about their business enjoying their day on the Thames said 'well done' or 'keep going', which was fantastic for the motivation.
A funny occurrence which always seems to happen at the 100 milers I attempt, is that someone will ask you how long the race is and reel back in shock when you tell them. On this occasion, an elderly woman asked me this question and when I told her she boldly asked 'is that all!?'
I headed onto a heavily wooded trail before arriving at the next aid station, Hurley, in a time of 8 hours and 20 minutes.
At the Hurley aid station, I got chatting to a Centurion Running volunteer who had watched my 2023 attempt video and he seemed to be pleased that I was visibly eating actual solid food at the aid station rather than just energy gels. A nice guy and I hope he had a great day volunteering!
Hurley to Henley, 44.1 miles to 51 miles
Another fairly short leg, this feels like a classic riverside stretch passing through Marlow and leading into Henley-on-Thames, famous for its rowing heritage.
I ran through a few open fields and passed tonnes of sheep grazing their way along the green pickings underfoot. I felt a bit guilty as I startled one sheep who must have been confused as to why there'd been humans running along the field, disturbing their afternoon meal. Sorry to that sheep!
I plodded my way through the leg and onto the final stretch towards Henley, which feels like a never ending background green screen in a car scene of a classic film. Whilst it's a lovely stretch and very easy on the eyes, the town of Henley-on-Thames suddenly comes into view and it feels like you'll never reach it...
Luckily, I eventually did reach it and jogged across the traditional Henley bridge which was packed full of cars queuing in traffic, presumably it was nearing rush hour or very much within rush hour. To be honest, I had completely lost track of the time and was completely absorbed in the race bubble by this point.
I got to Henley (the halfway point) in a time of 9 hours and 50 minutes.
Upon arriving, I headed to the public toilets and forced myself to apply another layer of vaseline to act as an anti-chafing agent to the sensitive areas (I'll spare the details!). Whilst I didn't feel any chafing whatsoever, I decided it was better to be safe than sorry considering I'd had a nightmare in my 2023 and 2024 Thames Path 100 attempts with chafing, both due to not applying enough to start with and also due to not re-applying mid-race. A few minutes spent applying vaseline now might save me 300 minutes of discomfort later, I thought.
I then went to the main aid station area and one of the volunteers kindly located and handed me my drop bag. At the Thames Path 100, runners are permitted to have a drop bag (a bag containing anything the runner needs) at Henley and at Goring (70.8 miles) aid stations.
In my drop bags, I had a selection of gels, Snickers bars, more salt tablets, caffeine chews, two red bulls, and most importantly, my Hoka Speedgoat 6s.
I went to work on executing my Henley halfway point plan. I topped up my bottles (one with water, the other with tailwind), guzzled my way through one of the cans of redbull in about 30 seconds, sat down and changed my shoes. As part of my shoe changing procedure, I lathered my entire feet with a thick layer of vaseline. Again, this took time but it was a sensible decision considering I only had one small blister after the race.
Henley to Reading, 51.1 miles to 58 miles
Heading out of Reading, I took a leisurely stroll armed with 5 cheese and marmite sandwiches and enjoyed them whilst chatting to another runner. He'd seen at least one of my previous videos on the Thames Path 100 and gave lots of support and encouragement that this would be my year, a much appreciated boost for the morale and I was grateful. He finished in an epic time of around 22 hours which I was pleased to see!
This section is where perhaps the biggest diversion takes place (I'm sure its a diversion, but anyone who knows any different please correct me).
We took a right at the river and headed through a village-like urban area before making our way up a steep hill onto a trail and through some woodlands.
I then worked my way through alleyways, along some roads before joining onto some fields and once more joining along the side of the River Thames. I passed fields of cows going about their business, and the path turned very trail-like underneath. The sun was well and truly setting by this point, and I knew that I'd reach the next aid station (Reading) just as the sun disappeared and it turned to night.
To my surprise and satisfaction, I was still feeling in pretty decent shape at this point mentally and physically. Though I had some soreness in my quads and I was tired, having just ran well over 50 miles, I wasn't feeling absolutely done in and knew I'd be fine to continue.
I arrived at Reading aid station in about 11 hours and 45 minutes.
Reading aid station has to be my most inefficient aid station visit in my ultra running career... I had a game plan in my head for what I needed to do, but executing it was a very different matter. My plan was to take my running backpack off and:
Change from my Maidstone Harriers running club t-shirt into a long-sleeved top, as it was getting cold on the Thames Path.
Put on my headtorch for the night conditions.
Retrieve my Go Pro 'torch' or 'light' attachment to light up my face during video check-ins in the night section.
Take out a battery pack to make a start on re-charging my watch as the battery had started to dwindle.
I got chatting to a volunteer who also had a Youtube channel and we started talking about some of our previous races that we'd done. I got to enthusiastically involved in the conversation and every time I put my running pack back on, I realised that I'd forgotten an item and took it off to retrieve it before putting it back on, realising I'd forgotten something else and so on.
In total, I took my back pack off and on at least 4 times. Ultra running is all about efficiency, and I was proving to be anything but that during this organisational meltdown!
Reading to Pangbourne, 58 miles to 66.6 miles
Heading into the night with my headtorch on, the visibility became pretty reduced and I made fewer video recordings than I had been doing during the day due to the limited views of the Thames Path trail.
People had started returning to their homes and, by this point, I had no one in front of me or behind me for a good few minutes and the Thames Path was pretty quiet, except for the occasional sound of cars in the distance.
I moved steadily through wooded trails and some rolling countryside over dirt and gravel paths, which needed some mental attention to navigate as some of it was fairly uneven. I had another Snickers bar (probably my 5th of the day up to that point) and felt grateful that my stomach was still playing ball in the starting second of part 2 of the race.
At the end of this section, I passed through what felt like field after field after field and I started to lose track of everything around me and became incredibly immersed in the simple motion of running. One foot in front of the other, consecutively, until I got to a gate (of which there were starting to be many).
Though I'd started to slow to something resembling the pace of a tortoise who'd had a few cups of coffee, I was still moving well and I ran the majority of the leg.
Eventually, I reached Pangbourne aid station in a time of 14 hours.
At Pangbourne, I took a moment to sit down and have a quick rest to wolf down yet more sandwiches. I got chatting to the volunteers and we shared a couple of very quick stories from previous races we'd done.
At Pangbourne, I ran into a volunteer I know who had watched my previous Thames Path 100 attempt videos and he reminded me of a very funny yet cringeworthy pronunciation mistake I made in my 2022 and 2023 videos.
Rather than pronouncing it the 'TEMMS' path, I referred to it (constantly) as the 'TAMES' path. Needless to say, I got a lot of comments teasing me about my pronunciation error in the videos so I was pleased that in my 2024 attempt video and this one up to that point that I'd fixed the error of my ways. It's never to late to learn how to pronounce the English language as a native speaker!
Pangbourne to Goring, 66.7 miles to 70.8 miles
This leg started pretty much on the road, before moving into a pretty technical trail section which started with a steep descent and ascent and moved through some woodland.
It was at this point, at 11.50pm at night, that I received a drunk and amusing phone call from my Dad who'd just returned from the pub who gave me lots of encouragement and said he'd been tracking me all evening. Though I couldn't quite make out everything he said, and I was getting pretty knackered by this point, the encouragement was appreciated.
Eventually, I found my way out of the woods and onto a long road which headed into the village of Goring, and I found my way into Goring village hall which acts as the official mile 70.8 point. At this point, I accessed my drop bag and got another selection of goodies, I downed another Red Bull in 30 seconds (something which might be my lame party trick), and sat down on a chair.
I was very grateful to have a bowl of pasta and Bolognese brought to me by a kind and helpful volunteer and though it was a very simple and basic offering, due to the hunger it tasted absolutely glorious. Needless to say, I savoured every mouthful!
I reflected in my video check-in how, back in 2022 during my first attempt, Goring aid station was the place where I pulled the plug and DNF'd my first Thames Path 100 attempt. This time, however, I was still feeling pretty decent and that in itself gave me a huge mental boost to keep pushing on and see myself to the finish.
Goring to Wallingford, 70.9 miles to 77.5 miles
I can't actually remember massive amounts about this stretch though I do remember that this is when my feet really started to hurt. At one point, I moved through a tight and enclosed wooded trail with incredibly uneven footing underneath.
Every step on the chaotic terrain hurt my sore feet, I somehow managed to stab my foot with a sharp stick, and I got stung by a load of stinging nettles. In my video check-in, I compared it to taking a beating from mother nature and the Thames Path trail, but I still felt determined not to be beaten by the course for a 4th time.
Also, runners of previous years have had it much worse than I had it in the 2025 edition. For example, in 2023 it rained most of the day and the trail was an extreme mud fest at night which lead to an unusually high drop out rate. I reminded myself of this fact when I felt the pain underfoot and was grateful that the conditions had stayed dry.
I marched on through the night and ended up on a road which lead me through the streets of Wallingford and to the next aid station (Wallingford).
In Wallingford, I sat down and was offered a cup of coffee by a friendly volunteer which I gratefully accepted. When asked how I wanted it, I requested white with lots of milk so I could down it and go and that's exactly what I did.
At Wallingford, there were a few other runners and I could see another runner next to me who looked visibily knackered and not in a good way. It reminded me of how I was at Goring in 2022, and I empathised with the runner as I knew exactly what he was going through. Thankfully, this time, I was feeling much better and still cracking jokes in random conversations with volunteers and runners, but I didn't for a second forget that I still had a long way to go.
In fact, one of the volunteers disclosed that I had about 23 miles to go whereas on my watch I had (unofficially) clocked up 81 miles, meaning I'd be looking at roughly 104 miles.
This was no shock or surprise to me as, like I said at the start of this post, there were diversions added to the course and distances in trail running are never perfect. In my video check in, I mentioned the additional 4 miles and referred to it as 'more value for money', seeing the positive side of the coin.
Wallingford to Clifton Hampden, 77.6 miles to 85 miles
This was a pretty remote section which took me through fields, riverside paths and small villages, but first there was a pretty lengthy chunk of road running.
What I was very pleased with during the Thames Path 100 2025 is that, regardless of how knackered or tired I was, I ran virtually every single section of road and didn't walk on road surfaces at all. The way I saw it, the smooth and predictable easy going roads were a welcome break from the unpredictable, foot paining trails, so I ran (literally) with the philosophy of 'make hey whilst the sun shines.' This was no exception at this point, and I ran a good 1 - 2 miles out of Wallingford aid station at my sloth-like pace.
At the official mile 78.9 mile point, next to the Benson Waterfront Cafe, is a crew point. My brother, Jack, who had very kindly arranged to pick me up from Oxford when I hopefully finished the race, had arrived early and was waiting for me at the crew point. It was good to see a friendly and familiar face, and I quickly guzzled my way through an energy drink he gave me.
No time for waiting around for too long though. The longer I stay still during an ultra, the harder it is for me to start moving again. So, I appreciatively took a packet of chocolate rice cakes from him and took a gentle stroll back on the race course whilst tucking into them, before I carried on.
I then passed through a series of alleyways, onto another long road, before heading back onto some remote countryside trails. Over a couple of locks and yet through more fields, I eventually arrived at Clifton Hampden in a time of 19 hours 45 minutes.
Clifton Hampden to Lower Radley, 85.1 miles to 95 miles
As I started out on the trail, I immediately started powerwalking and settled into a slow run as though I'd left the aid station just 10 minutes earlier, I was already starting to feel freezing cold. One thing to bare in mind is that though it was 20 degrees during the day, things take a turn for the cold when you're right next to the River Thames and I was glad to be wearing a long-sleeved running top in addition to a jacket.
This section felt incredibly scenic. Though I was starting to feeling pretty mullered in terms of fatigue (it was roughly 5am in the morning and I'd been awake for over 24 hours), I really enjoyed running through the rural landscapes, along the farmland trails, and it felt incredibly peaceful as the day was breaking with not a soul around except for a bunch of lunatics (myself included) who were attempting to run the penultimate stretch of a 100 mile foot race.
Eventually, I came to Culham lock carpark and, in my zombie like state, didn't even realise that my brother Jack was there (it's one of the latter crew points). In a thrilling twist of events, he'd rocked up with a McDonalds for me. Though I'd eaten what felt like my body weight in calories already during the run, I mindlessly went into autopilot and swung my hand into the McDonalds bag like it was a claw in an amusement arcade grabber machine and shoved a fistful of fries into my mouth.
Jack was laughing hysterically and I then realised how ridiculous I must have looked. But, hungry and exhausted times call for hungry and exhausted measures!
I gratefully took one of the two mayo chicken burgers he'd bought for me, and left the crew point and carried along on my way enjoying the goodness of fast food. Healthy ultrarunning nutrition at its finest!
For the next 5 miles or so, with the spirits uplifted, I took a gentle jog along the river path and more farmland trails. The sun was now well and truly emerging from the horizon, and I felt my fatigue suddenly drain away which motivated me to run more consistently with fewer stints of walking.
The latter half of this section was pretty nice on the eyes, and it was a lovely sight seeing the sun bounce onto the river surface which illuminated the fresh mist in the rapidly warming morning.
Eventually, I reached Lower Radley which is the last aid station. On my watch, I'd clocked up 100.3 miles though it's officially the 95 miles point, in a time of 22 hours and 25 minutes.
Lower Radley to Oxford, 95.1 miles to 100 miles
In my video check in leaving Lower Radley to Oxford, it started to sink in that I was more than likely to actually be looking at a finish for the Thames Path 100 2025. A race which I'd had a long and complicated history with over the past 3 years, in addition to having only started running again in December. I knew it would be a special leg indeed, so I committed myself to running as much of it as possible with minimal walking.
Starting on the last stretch of trail for the entire course, I then headed onto a gravel path which winded its way through twists and turns, over an old wooden bridge, before joining the final straight of the course.
In the short 3 mile stretch on the paved river path, I must have passed at least 50 runners enjoying an early morning run. I didn't blame them - It was looking to be yet another glorious day!
On my Strava splits, the mile I ran at mile 101 was the fastest mile I ran since mile 61 and it truly felt like there was a magnet pulling me along that final stretch of the River Thames.
Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, I saw a yellow sign with arrows pointing to the left which stated 'turn left here for the finish.' I gladly took that left turn and there it was. The finish line of the Thames Path 100 2025.
I couldn't quite believe it and I really did have to pinch myself a few times. In my video check-in, I shared my disbelief at the moment unfolding before me.
Against all odds, the 3 previous DNFs, the mental health struggles, starting to run again in December at which point I was overweight and unfit, I had done it. On my Garmin, I had accumulated 104.9 miles in my epic journey from Richmond to Oxford and I crossed the finish line in a time of 23 hours, 28 minutes and 59 seconds.
I'd done it. The Thames Path 100 one day belt buckle was finally mine.
Reflections
The Thames Path 100 2025 is by far my most proud running achievement and I'm incredibly grateful and privileged to have been able to take part and make a video documenting my experience.
It was a fantastically organised event by Centurion Running and the course marking, pre-race communications and volunteers at the aid station made it a pleasure to run. Also, it was brilliant meeting lots of friendly and positive runners out there on the course and it served as a great reminder to me that the ultra running community is a great place to spend some time.
Whilst editing the footage of my YouTube video, and reflecting on the race in general, one fact became crystal clear to me which I always knew deep down but just needed some reminding. I absolutely love running and I'm glad to be back.
Though I had lost my motivation and passion for running during my time off in 2024, the process of starting again in December and training for the Thames Path 100, and then taking part and finishing it, re-sparked my love for the sport with a passion.
To anyone out there struggling with anything, or who may struggle with something one day, which impacts your running, I hope this provides inspiration that things can and do get better and there is some form of light at the end of the tunnel.
Congratulations to everyone that finished the race on the day and to anyone that DNF'd, believe me, you will bounce back stronger than ever however that looks for you!
What a race, what an adventure, what a day. The Thames Path 100 will always be a special race for me.
A massive thank you to everyone who sent positivity, encouragement and support my way during my rebuilding journey. It's infinitely appreciated.
Thanks to my Brother Jack for crewing and driving me home from Oxford, absolute legend.
Thanks very much for reading and I wish you the very best in your running.
Craig
Running Cafe
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