Some might say I don’t need to test my endurance that much—especially people in a similar position to mine: approaching middle age (whatever that means these days), running a family business, and raising small children. 100km is a long way to run, and for most of us mere mortals, it takes serious training to even complete it.
But I had a special feeling about this race (check out race details here: London100Km
First of all, it was organised right on my doorstep here in London—super accessible. But more importantly, from the very beginning, it had this inclusive energy. David Bone, the man behind the race, is not only an endurance legend himself, but also one of the most supportive and friendly people I’ve come across in this running space. And that spirit runs through the entire race organisation. Everything and everyone is there to support you, your training, and your success on race day. I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced a race this wholeheartedly welcoming.
So I signed up. And I highly recommend you do the same.
But let’s not sugarcoat it—it’s still 100km. Whether you’re grinning or grimacing, it’s no small feat. Here’s how it went down:
I woke up super early in my West London home and headed to the race headquarters in Victoria. This was the start and finish point, and all four 25km loops would pass through here, so you could leave whatever you might need between loops. Super convenient.
Together with five other Team Stolt runners, we met at HQ just after 6am, fuelled up on coffee and bananas, and got ready to roll. At 7am, we were off. With the race map set up on our GPS watches, we headed out on the first 25km loop.
It was set to be a warm late-spring day, so I was grateful for the early start. It also meant we could run the first loop before central London filled with people. Remember, this is an urban ultra—you’re running through the city on open roads, so you’re bound to hit a few touristy bottlenecks. But in many ways, that’s the charm of this race. It’s never boring, and what a brilliant way to explore London.
The first loop headed east, and midway through we hit the first aid station at Knees Up in Hackney. The loop flew by. I felt great.
Back at HQ, we refuelled and checked in with the rest of the Team Stolt runners before heading out on loop two, which took us south to Crystal Palace. By now, London had fully woken up. Crossing Vauxhall Bridge and running through Brockwell Park was fine, but by the time we climbed Sydenham Hill and Dulwich Woods, I could feel the fatigue starting to creep in.
The team at the Crystal Palace checkpoint was world-class! I felt like we were treated like royalty. One helper offered to fill my water bottles, another rubbed sunscreen on my shoulders, and a third fed me some delicious gherkins. The vibes carried me all the way back to race HQ in Victoria.
Back at HQ again, I took my time before heading out on the third loop—ate a sandwich, changed socks, tried to reset. This was the North London loop, and regardless of tactics, this one was hard. Not necessarily because of the elevation, but mentally. This loop has some very busy sections, taking us through Marylebone, Soho, Chinatown, and Piccadilly Circus.
Midway through the loop, I walked into the Hampstead Heath aid station feeling rough. Thankfully, the volunteers were amazing once again—checking in with me properly. A few slices of watermelon and some kind words got me going again.
When I got back to HQ after that gruelling loop, I felt a lot of things—but mostly, I felt tired. Since it’s an open-road race, my partner (who wasn’t officially racing) was able to join me for the final loop for moral support. And thank goodness she did. We even managed to run most of it, which made the West London loop faster than the previous one I’d mostly walked. I know this part of the city really well, so I could visualise the route and how much was left. That helped immensely.
Just before 10pm—15 hours after I started—I crossed the finish line to the sound of cowbells and cheers. What a feeling, finishing a 100km race in this incredible city, surrounded by some of the kindest, most supportive humans I’ve ever met. I hugged everyone. I ate everything. Then I showered at HQ, changed clothes, and headed home—ready to wake up the next morning at the crack of dawn to be a dad again and take my kids to their activities. The kind of active recovery only parents know.
This race was so well organised that I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to recommend it to anyone thinking about tackling 100km. It winds through central London, so yes—you’ll dodge tourists and navigate open roads. But to me, that just adds character. And for us Londoners, it’s incredibly accessible—no travel or accommodation costs.
Thanks to such a positive experience, we’ll be back in 2026 with a full group of runners representing Team Stolt. If you want to get involved, keep an eye on your inbox—we’ll be opening registrations very soon.
Hope to see many of you out there next year.
Keijo from Team Stolt
Ps. I’m glad we developed a machine washable race vest as decent amount of salty sweat was left behind 🙂
