"Leave it a week". . . . I don't think so!

No, I have definitely been bitten.  I thought when I read about the 'running bug' that it would be about finding running easy, loving every mile, not being able to wait to get out in the wind and the rain but it's not about that at all.  It's more about setting yourself a goal and not stopping until you've achieved it.  My book said, "your aim, when you run your first marathon should be 'to finish' and only that, how ever you get there, how ever long it takes, you just finish, if you start to put conditions on that goal then you set yourself up for disappointment and how can you be disappointed when you have just completed your first marathon".  That was my goal but in my head I wanted to 'run' it, to me the marathon is a run, not a walk, so if I'm absolutely honest, I am just a tiny bit disappointed .  It's ok though because the first one is such a huge learning curve and maybe an 18 month plan was in reality more realistic and maybe I'm actually only part of my way up the mountain.  In a way I'm quite happy about that, it would be a bit sad if this were the end of my little adventure.


There are a huge number of people who have helped me get to this point and I think it's about time that I mentioned them and said thank you.

I have said it before but if it hadn't been for my beautiful Madi I would never have stepped outside the door in my tights!.  I would so love to stand on the start alongside her next year.

My boys, Adam and Charlie, where would I have been without your 'hilariously funny' little quips!

My amazing, long suffering husband who must be so sick of 'my journey' I know he has goals of his own that he has put on hold for me, well it's his turn now (for a couple of months at least - then he'll be back on that bike!).

To Mum and Dad who raised so much money for Jan and I, it was wonderful that you were both able to get to London on Marathon Day - even if you didn't see me go by - next year I'll slow down a bit!.

To everyone who sponsored me, raising money for the hospice in memory of Malcolm was what this was really all about and I will be grateful to you all for ever.  I don't have an exact total but I think it will finally be around £1,400.00 which is fantastic.

Finally, thank you to everyone out there who called me or messaged me with good luck and well done messages, to local people who had a laugh or a few words with us as we went past on our long runs, to all my wonderful friends at discord who offered support.  To everyone who told me that I had inspired them, I can't tell you how that spurred me on and to all the people in London on Sunday who stayed on the streets in the hail to will us round.  It has just amazed me how much you can achieve when you feel so many people routing for you, it is a power all of it's own and it seemed that every time I was ready to give up someone would say something that would keep me going.  My book talked about running angels, people who come along just at the right moment and help you through, well I met so many angels along the way and it has truly restored my faith in human nature, there are far more good guys out there than bad.

"Shoot for the moon, 

Even if you miss it you will land among the stars"

Les Brown