Kim Collison smashes 43yr old FKT Lakes District record with a bit of help from CurraNZ

Chasing a Legend: How I Broke Joss Naylor’s 43-Year-Old 26 Lakes, Meres and Waters Record.

This running challenge is simple in concept but brutal in execution; visit all 26 Lakes, Meres, and Waters of the Lake District in one continuous route. The route is 157km with 6,700m of ascent, and a performance in 1983 has defined the challenge for a generation. That year, the legend Joss Naylor flew around the course in 19 hours and 14 minutes. For over four decades, that time has stood as the record and on Monday, May 4th, 2026, I decided it was time to see if I could better it.

At 5:00 am, under a cool and still sky, I set off from Loweswater. As the morning fog burned away into a stunning Spring Day, my confidence grew. By the time I reached Coniston Water I was only five minutes down on the record splits and by Windermere, the halfway point, I was exactly on schedule.

Endurance at this level is as much about managing the "lows" as enjoying the "highs". As the temperature climbed in the early afternoon a quick dip in Skeggles Water provided a much-needed reset and refresh. I continued to move ahead of the record splits, now with a 15-minute advantage.

One of the most emotional moments came at Haweswater Reservoir. In this remote landscape, I was met by my Mum, who had travelled out to provide her support and legendary carrot cake, and it was the mental boost I needed to tackle the penultimate big climb over High Street.

By the time I was leaving Ullswater and heading up Sticks Pass I had managed to stretch my advantage to 38 minutes, but the fatigue was finally starting to take effect. A silent reward for the day’s effort was the most spectacular sunset, before heading into the dark and the final 26km. 

This last section is mostly on road and became a "battle of the mind." Tiredness and nausea fought for dominance, trying to convince me to slow down. I relied on the motivation of support runners and my previous experience to keep my legs turning, even when they wanted to quit.

After touching the penultimate lake, the nausea finally subsided and replaced by the realization that I was going to make history. Surprisingly the final gradual road climb toward the finish at Overwater was pure joy. Crossing the line in 18 hours, 50 minutes, and 34 seconds, I hadn't just completed the challenge, I had finally lowered a benchmark that had stood since 1983.

On the day I wasn't alone, with solo support from Josh Wade on the first leg, to the crowd of eleven (including nine year old Ada) who joined me for the last couple of km, I spent the day with people making this all possible. The preparation and execution of this sort of challenge starts months before the day, not only training the body but focusing on nutrition and recovery. A "big smile day" achieved—made possible by an incredible support team and the performance edge of CurraNZ before and during the journey.