it's complete!

The deed is done and I live to tell the tale!

If I had to choose one word to describe the experience? Excruciating! In all honestly if I had known how painful it was to be, not sure I'd have been able to see it through. Sometimes blissful ignorance is the best strategy I suppose! But now I can look back at the experience from the comfort of my desk, with nothing but some aching limbs to remind me of yesterday's challenge, so it's actually now just a sense of pride and RELIEF that prevails!

It was something of a scorcher, 23 degrees and I even managed to get sunburnt - not something you'd think to worry about in October! Other than that the conditions were pretty ideal, and there were regular water stations too to fend off dehydration. The first few miles flew by in a haze of adrenaline, but by mile 6 I was flagging - and the knowledge I wasn't even half way through did little to lift my spirits!

The course itself was absolutely stunning - I may not have been in the best position to enjoy it, but just having such beautiful surroundings was inspiring in itself. Mercifully enough it was pretty flat too which was a godsend!

I was so lucky to have friends colleagues and family there to support me. Just knowing they were in the crowds was such a lift. And pigheaded pride alone did not want them to catch me walking! But also thinking about everyone who has sponsored me in good faith, there was no way I could let them down! The realisation that my sponsorship tally will enable over 300 brand new books to go to sub-Saharan Africa is very rewarding in itself.

So a big big thank you to everyone who has supported me - financially, personally and professionally - it was a day that I will never forget!

It's official - sub one week til the Big Day!

The last few weeks have been tricky, mainly due to trying to track down my perfect pair of trainers (perish the thought of lasting the distance in shoes that are anything other than perfect!) The first pair resulted in some of the severest blisters I have ever laid eyes on. At first I attributed this to 'wearing them in' and proceded to ignore them as best I could. This of course only served to aggravate the existing wounds and saw me out of action for a week! Disastrous. Fortunately enough, I took them back and, causing something of a scene (!) was rewarded with a new pair which have proved far more successful and are ready for the onslaught that awaits.

This final week I have been told it is inadvisable to stretch yourself too much, so am only planning one short run and a couple of walks to keep me ticking over before Sunday. I look forward to reporting back once the deed is done... I like the idea of thinking of it in retrospect!