Now The Dust Has Settled

It's now just about a week on and I can finally say that I'm back in one piece, physically at least!

What a weekend that was. So many memories, that i am still recalling them even now and will probably keep doing so at various times in the future.

Firstly, well done everyone, accross the line and all finished, what an effort. Though none of us should be surprised at that. There was absolutely, NO WAY of any of us not finishing. Crawling, limping, stretchered we would have crossed that line and I can say that because at some point we all felt it, be it a hard incline, tirdeness, muscle's shutting down, legs falling to bits, whatever, there was a low point. And at that low point I personally felt humble, I felt grateful for the pain, grateful that the bloody 11 mile mark would not - no matter how long I ran - appear, because I was there to feel it. It's been a bloody long year in many respects with Ian's tragic loss, Ollie spending 4 weeks in I.C. and many other personal hardships and that made crossing the line even more important.

So I shouldn't have been surprised that I was shattered, both physically and mentally. As I slowly came to and turned towards the t shirt's all that went BANG and I wept from there to picking up my goody bag, and it felt great.

Anyhooo, a few things to finish. Running accross the Tyne (Green!) Bridge with Dan, Cabosh making it to South Shields in time for the Red Arrows, Alice, Sam and Chris toughing it out together, Maggie's infectious warmth and enthusiasm, Russell's body not breaking, The Greek running powered by Peroni, Tom being hiself and Donna's unbelievable, unbreakable spirit will stay with me forever and teach me how to be a better person.

Mr Huelin, there will now be 10 runners next year, count me in and drinking water already!

P.S. A quick thanks to the folk in Russ' flat who remorselessly took the p out of me on Sunday night, 'cause if it hadn't been me sat there with no bottom to my world.....