Run Britain Day 3: From Felixstowe to Clacton-on-Sea

Yesterday I made an error. I was knackered at the end of the day and decided to cut my run 3.7km short of the target finish spot at the Felixstowe foot ferry station. I completed my marathon and was knackered. Stopping where I was would mean I’d make it back to a hot bath 25 minutes earlier than if I ran all the way to the ferry terminal. ‘Besides, the ferry would be running tomorrow.’

But the choppy seas and grey skies of today had no respect for my carefully laid plans. No ferry from Felixstowe to Harwich, a good two days to run all the way around the harbour .

I am incredibly grateful to Sharon and Steve, this week’s support crew, who drove me to Felixstowe to finish the 3.7km required to tie up that bit of coastline and then drove me all the way around the Orwell estuary to the foot ferry terminal on the other side. And from there it was a simple 38.5km to finish my day in Clacton.

Today I have done the same thing. Running the marathon and no more left me about 10km short of the next ferry terminal - one that would carry me from Brightlingsea to Mersea Island. But this is a difficult bit of coastline to manage. There is no official coast path here, which means I am not sure if hopping across the Colne estuary counts. Regardless, by stopping at the marathon distance today and getting back to my hot bath as quickly as possible, I have committed to running all the way up the Colne into Colchester. And in doing so, I will be following the path set by Linzi Bell, who currently holds the record I am attempting to break. And following the same path seems fair.