The Fling> Part 4

Left Susan and Steve who was luckily on a break from his marshalling duties and ran into checkpoint to flash bits, once again bag was ready, top work to all Marshall's!

I once again ate half Muller rice and time instead of lucozade i had vodka & irn bru :o) i kept my lucozade and the Marshall's once again filled up my water bottle. It was her i bumped into Alan, very very surprised to see him. A much as he likes to always say *oh, I'm injured* he always shoots off into distance soon as he says that lol. So i actually believed him this time! I got kiss from hm and headed off into distance, once again following Catherine. A guy soon caught up with me and said to "wow, what did you have at that checkpoint, can i have some, you're so happy and smiley" I told him i was always like that but that i was loving this race. Had bit more chat with him about route (he was dutch i think?) and he was asking lots of questions about what to expect, what was on my ipod etc, maybe he was chatting me up? lol I'm crap at picking up on things like that!

not too keen on climb out of Beinglas, it's all been tarmacked over but i knew it didn't last long. Soon enough we were back on climbing up trails and hit a nice uppy downy part which i rather enjoy. Think this might be where my phone must've suddenly got signal as i got whole load txt at once. Susan must've updated fetch as i had few saying keep going, well done, and an update on footy score from the wonderful Nick, right at that point the Killers came on the pod! spooky or what? Made me smile and think of him singing at top of his voice on this very last 12 miles!

You know what, i was smiling a LOT. I got past cottage where there crowd of supporters clapping and cheering, they shouted that is was wonderful to see such smiley face seeing I'd been out for all those hours! I thanked them and headed off up hill (again) it was round this corner that Soph had fell flat on her face on last training run. Simon couldn't beleive how much she was laughing even though she really hurt herself! nutjob that she is. :)

Got to underpass and through there to find Dumfries lot having a picnic and cuppa tea lol :o) I've met Marian few times now and knew she'd soon catch me and kick my ass, which of course she did! I headed off up that horrid steep climb from there then along to cow poo station. Catherine was bit horrified to see all those cows blocking path, i took this pic and lots of folk have used it since, look at that cow staring me out as if to say" oi, geroff ma land"

through the mud, lets call it mud.. ;) and onwards and upwards, and upwards. God knows why people say conic hill is worse part, the hills are endless and very steep here. Climbing up towards Hendo's picnic table is sore even walking.Had to keep stopping to try and breathe! Got to *that* picnic table to find a mother & son, he was taking her pic and i stopped to take one too but she offered to take one of me. I am still smiling! She said to me "how far are you going?" "tyndrum, i said" " oh, that's not too bad, i thought you were going to bridge of orchy!" she said. She then asked where I'd ran from and when i said Milngavie she nearly fell off said picnic table and rolled down (very steep) hill hahaha

With that thought running through her head i waved a cheery goodbye and set off through the amazing forest. It was at this stage somewhere that Jen had came bounding past me & Susan last yr grinning from ear to ear, and here i was doing same thing. Passing few blokes and at peace with myself. I love the spring red carpet feeling here but soon it was rocky and more difficult. I was still bounding down though and i soon came a cropper and tripped over a teeny wee stone and went flying through air, landed then slid down hill a bit. I knew my hands were bleeding, my knee and elbow were sore and i didn't think i could push myself back up so i just lay there whimpering a bit. Knight in shining armour came flying down hill and gently lifted me up and brushed me down. :o) I look like i've got stigmata, i know Nick was prayng for me but i think he took it a step too far! ;) few days later bruise on my elbow looks pretty spectaculour and knee much same

I should have asked his name but i was too shaken.Bless him. Rest of downhills were taken with considerable care as it knocked my confidence a bit and my knee was really hurty! 49 miles into race and manage to fall. I think it must've been karma though as looking back through pics from Feb it was almost same place i took pics of Simon as he fell into gully trying to avoid the ice. lol! Karma indeed.

Got to bottom of forest, across busy road and past stable block which also make me smile thinking of last time we were there.I was pretty thirsty here and out of water, it was here i spotted Paul (yet again!) Vicky's lovely hubby who's been amazing support to her throughout day. it was great getting updates on Vicky whenever i saw him as i knew she'd had rough time at D33, was happy to find out she was still acing it. Catherine had also run dry and Paul gallantly filled us both up with water, what an utter star. thank you so much.

Up through towards the wigwams and as i approached i saw someone taking pics, he looked somewhat familiar. It was only Jules! Wow, what you doing her i said? I'm here to run n with you he said. I nearly cried there and then. He ran on to shop to get me more lucozade and i kept n running. He soon caught me though, i warned him not to hassle me into running when i walked or I'd poke his eyes oot ;) He told me to stop talking hahaha

At least from this point on i actually have pics of me in the race now! 3 poxy miles to go, just 3 miles. Wonderful. I still walked the uppy bits and ran the downy bits which on a normal day wouldn't feel *that* up r down but after 50 mental hilly miles it did!

Through the gates, round the corner and we could hear the sound of pipers. I told Jules i was about to cry, he told me to keep running and shut up, bt in a nice way, cause it's Jules, you know. I *had* to stop at piper and get pic. i could see the finish line but what the heck. Then i took off running with all i had in me, across the line and sobbing like a baby.

I'd done it. I'm actually crying writing this.

11hours, 5mins and 33 secs. Beyond my wildest dreams.