18/10/2011

Day 48 Christchurch to Southampton

This was the photo that I was hoping to show you last night if it wasn't raining so much!

This part of the world we both now well so a bit of the excitement is taken out by familiarity, however, I never thought to run 52 miles of it though. As I pass from Dorset to Hampshire I have to admit that the reality of very nearly completing the challenge seems real to us for the first time.

After a good while running I came to the Solent Way and took to some off road running sandwiched between the salt marches and the sea. The only living beings were a few cows, local bird life and myself, it was glorious.

And a quick shot at Lymington yacht haven where Tricia and I spent hours looking at yacht's and marvel at there beauty, speed, style and above all, price!

                                                                                                                                     The run was getting tough and the New Forest is a big place, but even so I passed this little village called "East End" how bazaar. You can clearly see in my face the fatigue setting in. And not too long after this photo I was back in survival mode to the end.

The original plan was to end my run in Southampton, then take the ferry to Cowes where we'd stay the night and then cycle round the Isle of Wight to Fishbourne, take the ferry back to Portsmouth and finish my cycle to Brighton.

But because Billy's repair costed near £500, it put our budget very low and we decided very sadly and reluctantly to leave the Isle of Wight section and take it from Southampton to Brighton instead. So the plan is to finish at Brighton pier itself around 13:30 pm and still have enough money to live on baked beans and toast for the remainder of the month. (Ha ha!)

One happy family at the end of very long and hard day 48 and 4099 miles completed.