Running London to Paris: What Running 380km Taught Me About Life
In November 2021, my husband and I embarked on our longest adventure yet: running from Trafalgar Square in London to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I’ve always been passionate about trail running, but even more so about pushing my boundaries through new experiences. When I learned that the All Blacks, my nation's rugby team, would be playing France, it felt like the perfect excuse to test my limits.
Inspired, I planned a challenge that went far beyond anything I had attempted before. Our route initially followed the Avenue Verte, typically a cycling path, before we ventured onto trails discovered through my favourite adventure-planning app, Komoot.
While I’ll delve into the actual adventure in future articles, for now, I want to share the 8 key lessons I learned from this incredible journey.
1. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
In life, preparation is key. Whether tackling a big project or a personal challenge, putting in the work beforehand makes the journey smoother and, ultimately, more enjoyable.
Before undertaking this run, I had already completed two ultramarathons (50km and 75km), which taught me valuable lessons about fuelling my body, selecting the right gear, and understanding my physical limits. Training not only helped me avoid injury but also gave me the confidence that this adventure, while challenging, was achievable.
However, these races provided me with aid stations along the way, so I could run with relatively little gear. In preparation for this challenge, I spent hours looking over maps, picking the right course, and began to practice running with the 5kg of gear I’d be carrying. This allowed me to ensure that I could find places to stop and refuel, and also trained my body to handle the extra weight over long distances. Ultimately, this is what led me to success – without preparation, running this distance just wouldn’t have been possible.
2. Even with preparation, things can go awry
Even with the best preparation, unexpected issues can still arise. Life has a way of throwing curveballs at you when you least expect them.
On the second day of our adventure, I started to develop a sniffly nose and a slight sore throat. Over the following days, my symptoms worsened into what felt like the worst cold I’d ever experienced. No amount of preparation could have prevented that.
However, the groundwork I had laid through my training allowed me to keep going despite the discomfort. My body was already accustomed to long distances and the physical strain of carrying gear, which meant I could focus on managing the cold rather than struggling with the basics. Proper fuelling, pacing, and mental resilience—all things I had worked on during training—helped me push and keep the adventure on track.
3. Set Goals you Care About
Having goals that you are passionate about and that you, personally, find motivating is a real key for success. If a goal doesn’t really speak to you, it will be easy to give up at the first hurdle.
Running from London to Paris was deeply motivating for me. I wasn’t just running for the sake of it—I was running to see my country’s rugby team, the All Blacks, play against my husband’s team. It was an adventure I had designed myself—a challenge set by me, for me. On top of that, we had plans to meet up with his family in Paris, and their support became an additional source of encouragement throughout the journey.
When the going got tough, my shoulders got tight, and my feet got sore, these personal motivations helped me push through.
4. Use short, mid and long-term goals to keep on track
While a long-term goal can be motivating, it was through splitting tasks down into short and mid-term, that I was able to succeed. From the start of my adventure, the long-term goal – getting to Paris – was always in my mind. But to make it manageable, I also set smaller, more immediate goals.
My short-term goals were simple, like reaching the next town for a drink or snack. Slightly larger goals involved completing each day’s segment—getting from one hotel to the next, or making it to the ferry in time to cross the English Channel.
I also had mid-term goals that gave the adventure structure. I divided the run into three parts: four days of running followed by a rest, three days of running followed by another rest, and then two final days to reach Paris.
By splitting the 380km journey into these smaller, more achievable sections, I was able to stay focused and motivated without feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the task.
5. Bad moods will melt away into good ones if you just keep moving
Any ultra runner can tell you that during long runs, your moods tend to cycle—you might feel strong and positive one moment, only to feel frustrated and low the next. Running to Paris taught me that it’s not about avoiding these mood swings, but how you respond to them.
When a bad mood hit, I didn’t dwell on it. Instead, I acknowledged how I was feeling and kept moving forward. Before long, my mood would shift, and I’d find myself uplifted again, appreciating the beautiful surroundings and the sense of progress. The simple act of moving—both physically and mentally—allowed negative emotions to pass.
6. Even the basics of life can feel like luxuries
In day-to-day life, it’s easy to forget just how lucky we have it. We take for granted the comfort of a soft bed, the luxury of a hot shower, or the satisfaction of a warm meal. And it’s for this reason, that I really value pushing myself.
When running across England and France, the simple thing suddenly felt like real luxuries. Putting on dry socks at the end of a long day, having access to a flushable toilet, or stopping for a quick snack felt like moments worth celebrating. These are all things that feel very boring and uninteresting In day-to-day life.
But in running these distances, I was able to strip my life down to its basics, and it revealed to me, just how lucky I really am. Running long distances reminds me to appreciate these simple things, making me more mindful of what I have, not just in the moment, but when I get back to everyday life.
7. You can get by with less than you think
When planning this run, I remember telling some friends that I was going to run from London to Paris with my husband, unsupported, and with just 5kg on my back.
One of my friends was convinced I would NEED a support crew, with a van, following us along the journey. It sounded extreme to them, and to be fair, it probably would’ve sounded that way to me too, before I got into running ultra distances.
Here’s the thing – you can actually get by in life with a lot less than you think. We were lucky, in that we stayed in hotels, and were never too far away from civilisation. That meant, we didn’t have to pack camping gear, and could just focus on the bare essentials – the clothes on our backs, extra undies and socks, and a change of clothes for the end of the day.
That doesn’t mean we didn’t allow for small comforts. For instance, I packed a pair of lightweight boat shoes, so I wouldn’t have to wear my wet, muddy trail shoes around town after a long day of running. But even those small luxuries were carefully chosen to keep our packs light and our progress steady.
This experience reinforced something important: you can get by with a lot less than you think, and sometimes, shedding the excess allows you to focus on what really matters—both in running and in life. When you’re forced to pare things down, you realise how little you actually need to thrive.
Ultimately, running to Paris taught me far more than just the physical endurance it takes to run long distances. It taught me resilience, the importance of preparation, and the ability to adapt when things don’t go as planned. It reminded me to appreciate the simple things, and that you can often get by with less than you think.
Above all, it reinforced a mindset I now carry with me everywhere – keep moving forward, no matter what, and the rewards will follow.