Week 2 disappeared in the blink of an eye, France, Belgium and Holland. We travel through the seamless boundaries of these countries, with the only way of knowing that we have changed country is by the fact that my phone needs to be reset. The countryside has been lovely with lots of small villages and towns past through in just a few strides all with there own little charms.

You wonder as you run along what the locals think of you, do they have any idea what we are doing? I spend a lot of my time gazing over the landscape between these villages looking at what is being grown, some days its line after line of corn and then another peas and beans. The boundaries of these fields also change, some areas with hedge rows and lines of trees to seamless fields with the odd drainage channel to define a boundary. The place that really stands out has to be Holland, every tree for miles has a square top with all the lower branches trimmed neatly to give a regimental feel to them. All over Holland you get this feeling of must have control over nature. My one message for Holland is leave those trees alone and enjoy their beauty in there true form. This control also reared its head in Amsterdam where I was chased down the street by a police man giving me a lecture about not crossing the road at a red light? No cars for miles and you are expected to stand at the side of the road till a light tells you that you can walk? No thank you.

Holland was also the place where we lost our first runner, Jason, he had just joined us two days earlier and had fitted into the team really well. He managed to break his leg by going over on his ankle twice in the space of 5 minutes, I just can’t imagine how he feels. It was really nice to get to know him in the short time he was with us and we hope that we might meet up again in the States.

So far the weather has been perfect for running: not too windy or hot, no rain has fallen on team mellow yellow since the run started two weeks ago, but I’m sure that will change. The mood in our van is very nice; everyone is laid back and just goes with the flow. We have managed to eat really well so far, mainly because we have been on the day shift, that might also change once the evening shift begins. Next stop Germany and the night shift from 9.00pm to 3.00am.

My daughter's birthday is on 15th June, it will be hard not being there, as is every day, not being able to see them all.

Paul (team mellow yellow)