10 in 10 DAy 8 - 5'08

Today was a much better day although it was raining pretty hard in the first half and drizzly for much of the remainder. Finally got typical Lakes weather! I'd been very very wobbly last night and this morning, so drained that anyone being nice to me finished me off and made the tears start flowing. I wasn't upset or particularly down, just extremely fragile. Thinking about the marathon was too daunting until the moment the gun went. I took the first few miles very very steady hoping not to crash straight into the wall again, every mile I didn't was a bonus. I tried to eat more today, and actually felt really full by the finish after several biscuits, a round of jam butties, some cake from Phil and some sausage and chips that Mum and Catherine had picked up in Bowness. Going back to an ordinary diet may take some readjustment..

I had Jim in my sights for a short time before he disappeared but I caught him again at Newby Bridge so I had to give him a quick moon when I went by. He passed me again shortly afterwards but by the time I got to Bowness he'd reappeared. It was quite entertaining to moon him again right on the waterfront with all the tourists around, god only knows what they thought. The final 6 miles of today were great, a real high to reflect the real low from earlier this morning. We got to the top of the bump behind Bowness and Phil was there with music blazing out of his car and a tuck shop set up. It was brilliant to see him. Jim then mooned me and managed to end up with a police car tailing him for 100m, if he'd got arrested for indecent exposure I would have felt terrible since it was all my idea! A mile later, I saw Mum and Catherine who had arrived with sausage and chips, those chips tasted superb.. With all the extra food and good humour, the last few miles were feeling much easier than they have done, and it was lovely to have the company of Patrick for a few miles too.

A finish time of 5'08 was great given yesterday's crash and, now I'm out to enjoy it and stop to make the most of the many many moments that are making this the event of a lifetime, the time is totally secondary to getting round without writing myself off and in good shape for the finish. Hopefully that's all the wobbles out of the way..

Jim Meta and Chris Heaton at the finish on Day 10