CHRIS THOMPSON
UK athlete and elite 5k-marathon runner.
Chris Thompson is one of Britain’s most known long distance runners. From having won silver at the 2010 European Athletics Championships to multiple victories across 5km and 10km - and even running in the 2012 London Olympics. He also has the third fastest 10km time of any British runner in history (27:27.36), and in 2017, has the London Marathon and World Championships in his sights. We talked to the humble Chris about his favorite running route on home soil, which took us to the heart of London itself.
What is your home run?
Bushy Park, Teddington. It's around 6 miles around the edge of the park and perfect for any running session. The route has a mixture of road, gravel path and grass great for mixing up terrain under foot.
What do you love about it?
It has free roaming deer which adds to the characters of the park. It also has a rich history with it being the garden in which Henry VIII used to play as it resides next to Hampton court palace - His holiday home. I have run many miles in the park and many Olympic runners - and even a few Olympic medallists - have trained there. If you ever run in the park yourself you'll never be far away from an Olympic standard athlete.
What does it mean to you?
Whenever I travel away I know I'll be coming back home here to reset my mind and body. Testing my fitness and making new gains.
It's the place I go to train hard and get fit - it's like my outdoor office.
What’s one tip for someone who wants to run it?
There is a small coffee trailer in the open car park that most people use, however there is another cafe hidden away in one of the sectioned off gardens in the middle of the park. It is great to park your car and run around the park from there and be able to finish off with a warm cup of tea in the cafe - especially if it's cold. The gardens are well kept and lovely to walk around if you still have the energy after the run. Well worth effort to look and find it!
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