So I set off earlier than previously planned for my penultimate day. From Cardiff down to this final day i had made up extra mileage per day to allow me to have a shorter distance on this day. How glad i was for that. My body was on the edge, and i felt very nervous that it was going to fail me. I was also feeling a whole range of emotions, which were tipping me all over the place. I set off with my body creaking and groaning, protesting but still somehow coming through for me. Further injury war a possibility due to my body that was stretched agonisingly taught and twisted, threatening to split and tear at any moment. Penzance is soon left and im running-shuffling whilst in a bubble. I am often hunched over the wheelchair trying to eleviate in some way the various aches and pains. It doesn’t work. In doing so i see the familiar face of ‘Bessie’ smiling up at me and i feel sad. A bit like the film ‘Castaway’. I reminisce of the previous days and am often overcome with emotions, Wave after wave. Hayley is driving behind me and i try to hide my emotions. Its been incredibly hard for both of us. Far more than we ever could of perceived. It has been an extreme challenge and adventure to say the least. I reflect, from my original concept to this last day, how it has been such a humbling and heart warming experience to of met soo many wonderful kind and caring people.
I am elated to be finishing. I am also feeling numb, sad and so on. Many thoughts tumble through me as i cross the finish line. I don’t even notice the ‘Finish line’ that is clearly displayed at John O’Groats. I cant believe ive finished! One of the most surreal moments of my life.
I think to myself, “I can and I DID”
It was nearly not so. I recall on day two how i got badly injured. How for the following two days i had the worst time wrestling with the mental battle of arriving to the point of “carry on or ACTUALLY giving up ” It was soo close to “giving up”.
I am so glad i decided to dig deep and focus on the “I can and I will”. A gritted teethed mantra delivered step after agonising step day after day for three weeks and to semi normality from London onwards. (Three weeks post finishing and i am still in pain and i happily still accept the possibility of long term damage but i will fight to get fully better)
It is funny, my first run in three weeks post challenge was only 500 meters to my car and i pulled my hamstrings on my other leg. How the mighty fall haahaa. There i was thinking i was fit-ish and battle hardened.