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I have now completed the 'Bath Half' and it was a really fantastic occasion! I got to the Runners' Village at around 9.30 a.m. and it was ABSOLUTELY FREEZING!!  A stunning cloudless Sunday morning, but really really cold. Once we got into the huge queue to start (15,000 people trying to squeeze through a small underpass to get to the road where the starting line was situated!) it was a good half an hour of communal shivering (my teeth were literally chattering!) before they actually started the race, and another 5 minutes before we got to cross the start line. I have never been so eager to start running in my life - I was just desperate to warm up!! It was a matter of dodging people and trying not to trip up as we ran down some fairly narrow roads for the first few miles, but soon people began to spread out and the roads broadened too, and it became easier to run. It was stunning to see Bath on such a bright day, beneath a blue sky, with thousands of us running through the streets and beside the river. Spectators were lining the route throughout, and playing great music to keep us all going! As I came to the final mile, and attempted to put on a spurt of speed, I was entertained by a very tall man in front of me, dressed as Michael Jackson, doing all sorts of exotic 'dance moves' as he ran, much to the delight of the crowd! And he helpfully distracted me from thinking about how tired I was getting! I really enjoyed the run (well, most of it!), and I beat my time from my only other half marathon (Bristol last September - a sort of 'dry run' for this one, so that I could be sure I had it in  me to complete 13.2miles!). My time was 1:42:32 and I came 2067th out of around 11,000 runners, so I am really pleased.  Have a look at the video above, of me attempting a sprint finish! I'm the one with the neon pink jacket flapping round my waist!

Big THANK YOUs to everyone who's sponsored me, and to anyone who hasn't, it's not too late! Here are the details of the two charities I want to support:

One is the NET Patient Foundation. My friend Andrew Geach was co-founder of it, and worked incredibly hard setting it up and supporting other patients whilst also fighting his disease (a little-known cancer called a neuro-endocrine tumour). He always had a smile, and a twinkle in his eye, and he was an inspiration to everyone around him.

The other is Charlie's Charity, which is currently being set up in his memory by my friend Jane, Charlie's mother. Charlie too was very much loved by all who knew him; he was an amazing young sportsman, and a loyal and generous friend, brother and son. The charity aims to support local young people and clubs and societies in their sporting endeavours.

As Charlie's Charity is still in the stages of being set up, I can't give you a link to it on this page, but if you would like to donate to it, please contact me on abigail.gayer@btinternet.com for details.

 

 

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So please dig deep and donate now.