Day 3 has been another tough one. No surprise there then!!
29.5miles of mud... An awful lot of mud! After catching a bus back to Oxford (to yesterday's finishing point) we started running at about 9.30, heading out of Oxford. It was interesting to run past all the different university boat houses, and see people rowing on the river. Initially the path was good, but before long it became muddy and treacherous. It's hard to stay upright when your legs are so sore!
At about 9miles/16km we decided to stop for coffee and cake; rather than one big stop two short ones seemed more preferable. I was massaging my arches when a man had the cheek to suggest my feet were smelly! As Pippa pointed out afterwards, he should smell my armpits!! My socks were clean on today, my top definitely wasn't!
Back to running and the path was definitely less muddy. We continued to struggle on. I was feeling painful and wondering again why I was doing this. I walked a kilometre at 22km, and again at about 30km. We thankfully had our second break at about 34km (sorry to flit between miles and km, I work in km, Pippa in miles). Heading back out again, we were all too aware of fast-approaching darkness and we neared the end. We felt rather hard-done by when the lights we thought were the end turned out not to be. Cruel!
The last 2km in the dark were tough! But we made it in Goring, 29.5miles in about 6hr30. Hard work with the muddy conditions, and being day 3. Yesterday the map had over-estimated the mileage by 2miles; unfortunately that wasn't the case today!
So that's 84miles done, and 100 to go. Tomorrow is slightly shorter at 24-25miles.
Pippa has left now to go back to work, but will be returning on Thursday evening to run the final day with us. Fortunately a fresh dose of positivity has arrived in the form of Bee, so hopefully the next few days will continue to sail by!
It's interesting watching the Thames grow, and seeing all the different birds on and around the river. I really want to go for a swim but not sure that's a good idea! I'd only end up even muddier and cold.
That's all for now; thanks for the messages of support; they do help!
And again, if you want to sponsor me to help raise money for Orchid you can at www.virginmoneygiving.com/nikkisommers. Sorry to keep banging on about it, but it's a great cause! And I'd love to reach the £3000 mark!
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