This has to be the most challenging day so far, after having a brilliant
night in London (went to a great pub in Portobello road) which provided me
with a sense of normality for a few hours, I was back on the road at 1pm
the next day with my team. We had a 2hour drive to our exchange point and
this 2hour drive turned out to be a 3hour drive as we got lost. Our Map to
get to places is using the GPS on a laptop in the van. You program in
your destination and then the computer directs you where to go - somehow
the wrong location was programmed in and we ended up going to the wrong
town which was 36 miles out from where we should have been. During
situations like this you have got to keep it all in perspective and keep
saying to yourself ‘it's not the end of the world’ and this is all part of
the experience' But the stress does build up a tad!

Finally we arrived and were able to get the Show on the Road, Victor ran
first , followed by Richard, Taeko and then myself. After being in that
van since 1pm I was ready to put those running shoes on at 9pm. Taeko and
I read our water message and did the Exchange outside the Dukes Head -
10miles from Dover.

What an amazing run I had into Dover, such a beautiful spot and I soaked
up all the scenery along the way, my ipod had run out of juice and so I
was using my radio and listening to English and French stations, just as I
was entering Dover, Simon and Garfunkel started playing on the radio and I
felt like a wonderful free spirit listening to their music and finishing
at Dover beach. When you have moments like these along the way it makes it
all so worthwhile. Its also necessary to keep saying the water message at
each exchange because it reminds you of why you are doing this and its a
great way to start your run with those words echoing through your head.

Grabbed a Kebab to eat along the way , saw the White Cliffs of Dover and
boarded the 11pm ferry to Calais. It was a quick crossing and I had enough
time to do a bit of duty free shopping - some Chanel body lotion, grab a
chocolate bar to keep me awake and chat to the team doctor. He is doing a
great job making sure we are all well hydrated during our runs by stopping
every 3-4 miles to give us water.

Off the ferry and more driving to Beauvais which took us 2 hours and
finally at 4.30am we arrive at the hotel and it was straight to bed. So
really all I saw of Beauvais was the hotel room and supermarket for food
the next day and then it was on to St. Quentin another 2 hour drive. We
did manage to stop at a hotel just out of Paris for a massage but this did
mean we didn’t arrive in St. Quentin till 1am. Taeko and I kept ourselves
awake till 2am practicing her English. She owns a restaurant in Tokyo and
we were discussing the party we will have in it when we pass through
Tokyo. The reason we tried to keep ourselves up is because tomorrow we
are on the 9pm to 3am shift!!!

Slept till 12pm today and then Taeko, Richard and I went to have a bite
to eat and then look around St Quentin - our hotel is right opposite a
spectacular Basilique built in 1875 and at night its all lit up so before
we head off for our 9pm shift I am going to get a photo.

After our run tonight we drive to Antwerp in Belgium and will arrive there
about 5am!

As Victor from Guatemala would say

Buenas Noches
M