Come with me for a stroll

[amagran]

As 500 balloons were let into the dark gloomy sky, all with a tag with the name of a loved one no longer here, 600 enthusiastic people all wearing blue t shirts, silly glasses and glow sticks set off up the hill to the sound of " what did you do today to make you feel proud "

It was a humbling experience and I'm so glad I did it. Old young, some babies in prams and quite a few canine members wearing glow sticks on their collars walked determinedly towards the goal of raising sponsor money, getting a medal, but more importantly getting back for the bacon sarny before it all went.

cars passing the procession would honk, cheer, or clap encouraging us on. Then after 15 minutes, it started to rain. Up came the hoods, After I fought my way into my poncho, at one time my head sticking through the sleeve and the hood hanging sideways, all without stopping, and the rest in my party stopped laughing, we had done 1.4 miles and we were passing our house, all 5 of us nipped in for a wee, and I abandoned the poncho and borrowed Richards mac.Rowen my grandaughter filled her pockets from my biscuit barrel and off we went again. It didnt take long to catch up with the crowd then we were at the 3 mile check in point. Porta loos with a queue in front of each one, I thought I would wait till the next lot. At the three mile point many people, especially the older and families with children, turned one way to return, the rest of us went up to add another 4 miles to the tally, that was the point of no return.

We walked up a longggggggggggggggg straight incline with rain belting down into our faces, the hood of the mac kept slipping over one eye, my glasses needed wipers and it was then I discovered that Richards mac was only showerproof. As the rain trickled down my neck, I thought what the hell and threw off the hood so I could see. I was wet through to the skin, t shirt everything, and so couldn't get any wetter, so head up and dribbled forward.

At the 7 mile point tere were more porta loos, so in I popped. What can I say, I had trained my bladder so well I couldn't go, trying to force a wee out I heard my grandaughter say, "what you doing in there grandma, the loo is rocking"

So off we went again.At the 8 mile point I have to admit I was starting to flag, my feet were fine, but I ached from hip to ankle, then I thought of the people who live with pain day in day out, my pain would go, so go on I did.

At the last mile I actually started to feel better, even speeded up, and we entered the galpharm stadium to collect our rewards. A sign said that already £75000 had been raised, marvellous. The stewards who booked us out were still there to book us in , and clapped each and every walker. The atmosphere was terrific.

I am so proud of my son, grandaughter, daughter and her friend, we had a wonderful night, and after walking the last mile to get home, we fell into bed at 5 am.