Day 26 - Marathon 26 - 17th April 2013

Day 26 17th April 2013, Frome to Bristol Royal Infirmary

Eventually to bed with washing done and almost dry, hottest bathroom radiator in the world! Dad and me in one room tonight, dad making the odd rhino snore following another torch winding up session! Up at 4:30, things and a few pains on my mind plus the snoring got to me! On and off sleep and up at 6:30. Right calf low down is this mornings problem on my journey to the loo! Hope it eases with my warm up walk to breakfast. Weather not looking too good, overcast and very windy. Had a FB message from a family I have met on this journey. He wanted to explain to me how much Teenage Cancer Trust means to him and all his family and also thanking me for trying to highlight the Charity and raise funds. I can't do much but hopefully this is reaching people that would not have heard of them before, hopefully donate and maybe do something themselves. Hot shower taken, lovely and powerful. Now going to clean the van up as we have 4 more passengers today and then to breakfast. Van half done, we are more messy than I thought! Breakfast consumed and enjoyed which makes a change, porridge, full bowl, 3 toast, a bowl of fruit and a lovely pot of tea. Dad complained his had bits in it then realised it was not tea bags! All good van finished off and back to our room. Prep done, kit on, van packed and gentle stretch complete, right lower calf still a problem! Now waiting for the Clifton boys to arrive. Dad a bit worried he will have 3 passengers, I think more worried they will see how many sweets he eats not his navigation skills! 9:30 they arrived looking keen but talking worried! Plan set out of who runs which leg, the boys had a quick coffee and fig biscuits, we settled up and checked out. Thanks Woolley Grange, lovely place, very family focused and very homely. Anyone going to Longleat, I recommend this place as a great base. 20 minutes drive to the start in Frome, Anthony Carty tweaked the route to avoid a nasty duel carriageway, can't beat local knowledge, quick start video and photo taken, needed a last minute pit stop so hopped over the wall into a fire station, sorry about that, now we ware good to go! Now 10:45 I set off on leg 1 with Robby looking at a 50 to 53 minute 10k. The first kilometre was down a steep hill into the town centre, very pretty, at 4"32/k pace, the 2nd kilometre was up hill out of the centre at 4"30/k pace as I need to work at hills! Long one short we reached 5k in 21"40 and Robby was ruined! We worked together well on lovely country lanes to get to a more sensible pace and reached 10k in 52"42. Robby passed the baton at 10.5k to Ed quite relieved, thanks Robby, sorry about the hills. Ed and I bobbed along quite nicely at between 4"45 and 4"55 pace taking in all the great scenery and unfortunately the odd lorry as we had left the country lanes and were now on busy A roads. Up and down a few hills feeling ok apart from my right calf/achilles! We dropped into a lovely valley and Ed kept talking about a hill coming up called Brassknocker! Did not know if it was a wind up and if not, it can't be that bad! It was true and that bad, very steep, winding and long. Head down arms pumping and a good tough push. The other lads had found a good vantage point 3/4 of the way up, cheered us on smiling a bit too much, glad it was not their leg and hopefully taking some good photos. Hill done me and Ed re grouped a little way after the top and enjoyed the long steady descent into Bath, the wonderful views and the handover of the baton to Anthony Malcolm at half way. Thanks Ed, 52 min 10k, not bad considering your hill! All good, Bath has a one way system so we could not follow the van! No problem AM knows the town so we will meet the other side. We got lost instantly! No great shakes though, a small dog leg diversion, I am sure taken to show me more of the wonderful town! and we were back on track. Not too hilly for this leg, a good rhythm found, however my calf was getting worse!!! We pushed quite hard against a strong head wind and busy traffic but again through great countryside. AM feeling it at the 7k point but keen to keep going as a 10k PB was looming! 3k seemed to take a while but PB achieved 48"10 I think? Now looking desperately for the van as his wheels had started to fall off! I comforted him saying that round the next corner is about 10.5k so they will be there, it was not! We eventually spotted the van and change over complete with AM doing 11.2k. All good I was joined by Anthony Carty and Ed. My calf was now not working that well and AC won't mind me saying that he is the least fast of the group. Happy to slow down and nurse myself to the finish whilst having a good chat unless we were going up hill that is! Anthony was laughing as we started, he explained he was alone in the van with dad and could hear him keep saying "thank you dear"? After a while he was about to ask who he was talking to then realised it was the sat nav! After every instruction dad would say "thank you dear"! Dad has explained to me before that she is much better than the lady in his sat nav but that is because this lady cost more! We enjoyed that for a while then another hill came that kept us quiet! Long one short, AM joined us with about 5k to go, Robby joined us with about a kilometre to go, dad parked up and went to the hospital having really enjoyed the company. We all ran in together and completed marathon 26 in a very steady 3'39"26 just before the hospital and on to the finish and the welcoming party. Very nice to be greeted by the Clifton Asset Management team along with Laura from Teenage Cancer Trust and a BBC camera man! All good but best of all there was a Costa Coffee van at the entrance to the Hospital, could not have planned it better if I tried! Finish video taken along with a good few photos, a quick chat with everyone then in the van and off to find some food. No hospital visit this time but as I have said before the units are unfortunately very busy! Lovely Paninni consumed and half hour spent then off to Clifton's office to drop the lads and head off to our bed for the night in Chepstoe! Thanks again to Anthony Carty, who by the way also did a 10k PB, and Clifton's for their company today and 2nd shirt sponsorship. Very appreciated. Now in the room after our meal in the Zest Brasserie at the lovely Marriott St Piere, did a radio interview over the phone earlier so hopefully getting the message out as much as possible, and now icing my calf and achilles, very worried! Thanks again to Nick and Essential, your support is fantastic. Well, another day done, 26 down 4 to go! Dad now asleep so on with the washing!!