The Aftermath

We were at finish for around 20mins, and after chatting to to Mags and few other we decided to head back to the cottage seeing as Gavin was lying on floor sleeping by this point hahahaIt was then Susan noticed her fleece was missing, it has car key in it, ooops. Minor hitch and disaster averted when we recovered it from runner who'd come in just before me and had picked it up in her dazed and confused state. ...

I headed to door and when the fresh air hit me i suddently started to feel room spinning. Next thing i remember is waking up on mat behind screen with worried faces staring over me and Sean talking to me, although i have no clue as to what he was saying. It would appear that i fainted. Crikey.

I had to stay there for around 30mins i think an

d had to persuade Sean to let me go as i was starting to fall asleep and wouldve preferred to be in my bed instead of mat on floor. Ian took me home and put me to bed and i think i went out like a light. He was back and forth from seeing people in to coming and checking on me, poor Ian, he mustve been bloody exhausted.

I got up at 10am and hobbled downstairs, Nick had gone out for breakfast

supplies so i went for shower. Felt much better after that and was managing to get around at least. What i've forgotten to mentioned is that it was Gavin's Birthday on Saturday.For someone to give up thier weekend like that on thier birthday is something special. I'd thought ahead though and we'd got him a birthday cake and some happyG candles. I also got thank cards for all my crew. (jules,

i've still got yours) I wish i hadnt written them before i left for race but i cant put into words just how how wonderful they all were. I couldn't have wished for a better crew and thank them from bottom of my heart. You all are just bloody brilliant.


margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
So after singing Happy Birthday and getting Gav to make a wish we tucked into some cake for breakfast.Nick had bought an array of goodies from shops but i couldnt eat anything, my throat was rea

lly sore, weird. I had a crabbies instead. We headed off to prizegiving fairly early as i wanted to get seat near front so i didnt have to hobble far.  It was great to see everyone and to watch everyone in the various degrees of *walking*

Again i thought i'd be more emotional picking up my goblet, i was Happy, dont get me wrong. But i still couldnt shake off the sense of disapointment, crazy i know! I came 59th out of 113 finishers. Think there were around 40 DNF's  This makes me feel guilty about feeling disapointed, god knows it's a brave decision to pull out when you've worked so damn hard for something.

I spent a full year concentrating and training for this race, i guess it just a whole comedown thing?

My crew were all heading off after the ceremony and i was very sad to see them go, maybe celebrating with them wouldve brough out my inner happiness, which IS there. It was great to catch up with everyone though, as soon as Marco saw my leg he said "you've got Marcoitis!" He said that it looked exactly same as injury he has and to not let hospital or doctor confuse it with cellulitis. Good advice. Was so happy For Debs coming 3rd Lady, she is my inspiration,
 we headed back to cottage soon after. Ian was completely exhausted having been up since start of race practically, at least i'd had a nights sleep. Alarm was set for 6pm so we could head along and meet everyone for drinkies.

I came out shower and sat down to check a few of the many messages id got during the race. Suddenly i was overcome with emotion and just broke down. Ian was outside on phone at time and looked in window alarmed. He came in and i sobbed my heart out on his shoulder for about 10mins. Then i had to try and make myself look presentable to go meet everyone!

We got there about 8 only to find long wait for food so we headed off with Sean and his OH for a chinese, hadnt realised how hungry i was til then. Back to pub and i managed to get round and talk to everyone i think, it was lovely night and we were there til throwing out time.Muriel had given me strict instructions to keep leg elevated and Julie (of watching the trails fame) kindly kept my feet on her knees to ease the pain a bit.
 Few hardcore folk headed to station bar but Ian was knackered so we headed home. It was here i had my first champagne, out of my goblet of course.

We heaed off to bed soon after but a few hours later i was awake and in severe pain, i'd slept with pillows under my feet but i woke up in agony. I hobbled to toilet to look for painkillers but realised they were downstairs. So i went back to bed. I was up several times after that crying and hobbling around. Ian said he's call Doctor Chris for advice as soon as it was a half decent time. After speaking to Chris he advised me to go to to A&E and he'd call them to expect me.

I got seen pretty much straight away, once consultant saw me he said i was staying in. My heart sank. They wanted to rule out compartment syndrome which is quite serious as you can lose limbs, ok, very serious... they gave me 5 different tablets to take and about 20mins later i was seeing stars and talking rubbish. I wasn;t in pain though, so all was good in the world

I was taken down to ward a wee while later, still spaced out my head. Ian had to go buy jammies for me (i dont own any!) and go collect my washbag, get me magazines etc We had planned to go out with Karen & George for dinner and i was gutted!  I slept on and off for most off day and was delighted to get visit from Karen & George(&Ian) later on in afternoon.Doctor Chris also popped in to see me, he took some pics of me and was excited about getting home and seeing them on big screeen lol. I asked him if i'd end up on big screen at next talk and he said probably.
 Ian came back in the evening before heading off for dinner with K&G, i wanted to stick pillows under the covers and sneak out but i wasnt allowed.

Had rubbish sleep, waking every hour, probably down to hospital noises and weird feeling of bed being elevated mnore than anything. Consultant came to see me at 9am and said i could go home :o)
Also got visited by charge nurse who told me tales of feel running and of another nurse who is featured in feet in clouds! He was next to come and see me and was very modest about it when i asked him about it. Interesting hospital!

Ian came to pick me up around 10.30 and we had to wait on my prescription before we could go. It was releif to get out there, to not be in pain (thanks to the drugs)and to be able to walk albeit a bit slowly.

Luckily i'd booked this week off work, so i'm resting up. You'll have noticed i hadnt asked the doctors when  could run again. I'll just listen to my wee body and decide that for myself.

I have a goblet, i  bloody well earned it and i'll be back next year.

I want to thank Susan, Gavin, Nick  & Jules for just being the best support crew i could ever have hoped for, i love you all and cant wait til next year. And Ian, for putting so much into my training, for sacrificing your own running to get me to where i needed to be, I love you.