Last Orders!

One of our aims as backup crew in the early days was to make it to Fort William before last orders in the pub (I have already mentioned The Hippy Chick's fondness for red wine). We only achieved it once!

The Runner's first successful race was 2000. I think the race started at 2 am that year, which meant he finished after midnight. This was too late to go to the pub. We felt the back up crew deserved a little reward at the end of a very long day.

The following year we came prepared. Knowing we wouldn't be in time for last orders we brought our own. We shared a bottle of warm bubbly after The Runner finished. Naturally he was a bit tired and not really in the mood to get merry. The atmosphere, like the bubbly, was bit flat.

The next time we came up with a plan. On arrival at Fort William, The Hippy Chick and I would check into the hotel. We would leave our bags in the room and drive up to the leisure centre. We would park the car (containing The Runner's bag of clean clothes). And here was the genius bit, we would leave the car keys and the room number with the guy on the reception desk and walk back down to the pub in time for last orders. The Runner would then drive to the hotel. It was a great plan.

On the day, we arrived at the Travel Inn at 10.20pm and checked in. We threw our bags into the room. We drove up to the leisure centre and parked as close to the door as we could. We gave the car keys to the bewildered guy at the desk (well what would you think if 2 demented women flung their car keys at you and said "We'll be in room 16!") and legged it as fast as we could back to the Travel Inn. We made it in time for last orders!

This plan worked really well for us. The only problem I hadn't foreseen was that The Runner's legs were so stiff he could barely drive. Oops! He also said it wasn't the same finishing without me being there. He had a point. I'd been there at the start, supported him throughout the day and then buggered off to the pub at the best bit. I did feel a bit guilty.

Since then, I've been at the finish every year to cheer him as he finishes. On the DVD, you'll see me kissing him at the end and then saying "Yuck!" I confess that kiss was purely for the camera. Normally I wouldn't touch him with a 10 foot barge pole after a long run. At home I make him stand in the utility room and strip (and not in a sexy way!) because he's a walking waterfall of sweat. The dogs have no problem licking him though!

Now I wait until Sunday for my celebratory G&T. It's worth the wait.