I had warned my fellow Racers, (ladies from my work, school Mum’s and original Gin Club Members), that I would be walking very slowly and wouldn’t be surprised if I finished towards the back of the crowd. As it turns out, I finished last! (There were ladies doing the 10km run, so we weren’t the final ones to cross the line). I felt no shame in coming last, in fact, I was very pleased to have actually finished!

Photo credits. Top and bottom left: James McClung. Bottom right: Ross Lawley

In a previous life, I was quite good at doing a 5km, (ok I was never the fastest, but I could do them with fairly little training involved), and I’ve got a fair few medals! However, after last year’s surgery on my spine, the new tumour in my hip, treatment related fatigue and the new chemo regime, this year was always going to be a lot tougher. I don’t think I appreciated how hard it would be, though. Mentally as well as physically. But after about an hour and a quarter, my walking buddies, Caroline, Rachel, Rebecca, Rachel and myself, accompanied by the cheers of the crowds, we crossed the line. I was hugged by Courtney, the CRUK Event Coordinator, and the rest of the teamies who had waited around for me to finish. I kept a lid on things until I got a hug from Ross, but that was the final straw and I was reduced to a blubbering mess, moaning about my hurty hip. (You can probably see from my face in the photo how much pain I was in.)

Once home, after a shower, I went to bed, and didn’t get up until the next morning. In years gone by, I’d have gone to a beer garden to celebrate the Race’s success, but this year, I had to bow out and the celebrations had to go on without me. Thankfully, my hip hasn’t been hurting as a consequence of the Race, so I’m pretty pleased.

The fundraising page is still open, so if anyone has any spare pennies head over here.

Jx