Rosie's 26 marathons in 26 days.: May 2010

Dear Everybody, GREAT NEWS - £5,398 has been raised for Ty Hafan through JustGiving, and also 500 pounds has been donated to Ty Hafan by Tenby Rotary Club, and another £200 and £100 was given by Tenby Golf Club and Kidwelly Rotary Club.. Also, £3,242.22 has been raised on the JustGiving pages as you can see, for Helen and Douglas House - and it is stil coming inthanks to you all - and every penny is very badly needed. Both these charities are always going of be part of my life. They will join my other special causes that include The Prostate Cancer Charity and the Kidney Wales Foundation. I shall continue to do everything I can to help them.
Also marvellous news is that Runner's World have asked me to write an article about running the 27 marathons. This will be in the September issue, out in August- I look back on running 27 marathon in 27 days and they seem a mix of a story of True Human Magic because of the fabulous people I met and the landscapes through which I ran... but also like something out of a blockbuster epic film.. with near desasters.. and struggles and set backs that almost meant the end and failure - but ALWAYS I was helped against the odds to win through...
The last piece of good newsis that the book JUST A LITTE RUN AROUND THE WORLD has just gone into 5th edition, 36,000 copies will be in print up to now... It is especially wonderful news as it means the advance will soon have been paid back so that I can put a percentage of the royalties forever to aid the Prostate Cancer charity.
Thank you for reading the book and for hundreds of kind letters about it.I am so very, very grateful to a everybody... for so many reasons..
Most of all, I have to say that the dark days in Siberia when I thought I would never make it home are now all worth it...
Icebird and I never dreamed we'd end up running the 27 marathons in 27 days around Britain together!!! - this pic of Icebird in Iceland two years ago... and Icebird in her new cover and wonderful logos designed by Robert Thomas before the start of the 27marathons - brings it all back..
The little cart and I both got into trouble during the recent marathons... She was saved by Laddingford Engineering, welded together on TWO different occasions... and keptgoing. One exampel was that she broke so badly at Southend, that she her bottom was trailing on he ground... I was in despair.. trying to drag her and make do the vital 26.2 miles in Southend somehow, before getting to Brighton for the marathon there next day...
I kept doing the Southend miles, determined to achieve them somehow.. the 26.2 miles was the law. I did not know how to get the cart mended.. or how to get that done and reach Brghn for thenext marathon, all I knew was that if I failed in Southend, the rest of the marathons could not make it up. I kept looking at the precious Garmin... mile after slowmile.. until they added up to the 26.2!! Often frends kindly drove my car to the start of the enxt marathon while I slept in my sleeping bag in theback, but this time I was going to have to drive my little car with its trailer and Icebird put on top myself, but was afraid but after the big struggle of pullin a broen cart wa so tired I was afraid I would fall asleep at the wheel, and also had not idea how to get the cart mended in time, or how to get the energy to run the Brighton marathon. The fact I had no daygs off but HAD to run a marathon a day, was the biggest challenge, and hard thngs nearly impossible logistically if anything went wrong, as there was no slack time in which to fix it!! There was no stack time. It had been my choice! I had felt pulling my cart and having no days off would make it a bigger challenge and make moremoney for the charities.. but this time I feared I was beaten. I did not say this to myself. I said... Something good WILL HAPPEN... I'LL MAKE IT..and so I did - becaus magic happened - two wonderful, wonderful strangers on the seafront (whose names I still ahveto strugle to find on the torn off piece of paper they gave me afterwards) offered to drive my car. The kind gentleman took the wheel and his wife and son followed behind in their own car. I phoned Laddingford Engineering and Dave said they would wai for me.. so I was driven to the Laddingford Engineering Works near Maidstone.. and Dve and is team worked on cebird until nearly midnight.. The straner had left, but the sleep I 'd had in the back of the car on the way to Maidstone had given me energy - and s after Icebird was fixed against the odds in time.. I droe her off at about 1am - and after just one more hour's seep in a laby on the way - made it t Brighton with Icebird in time to run the Brighon Marathona after all.got there JUST IN TIME - and was wonderfully supported by my son James (also brilliant master of the website) who lives in Hove, and also fabulously support by Rob Thomas's sister Sarah and her husband Guy...They are extraordinary people, as my new book will tell. It turned out that I was able to run withIcebird all the way in the Brighton Marathon... and it became the little cart's proudest moment after all... People were hanging fromther balconies cheering all the runners... but especially cheering Icebird...they were shouting themselves hoarse for us...hanging from the balconies... I had tears in my eyes all the time... and all the other runners were wonderful to me. too. So generousI'll just never forget any of it..I think people thought I was namedICEBIRD too!!They were shouting ICEBIRD...ICEBIRD...ICEBIRD... I can still hear it...The is just a very rough sketch of one of the moments that could have ended it all...but ended up as one of the very special memories of the 27 days.. There's so much more to say I hope to tour the country giving talks and meeting someof you again. Meanwhile just thank you all again so very, very much..
Rosie
tel 0781 594 3786
rosiesp@blackberry.orange.co.uk

Slept most of today...feels strange to sleep in a bed again... V emotional finish.... I am grateful for a little rest now but the love of the open road..and for all those I meet along the way will never leave my heart... This will be the beginning of something else.. My family. Friends all the great people and runners have given me strength.. First step will be to get treatment for torn knee ligament.. Will be better soon. Thank you all so much for sponsoring me... Please don't stop yet, as it has helped TY Hafan and Helen House so very much. Love. Rosiexx

Three cheers for all the wonderful people who helped me all along the way. Rxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PS if anyone has photos of the finish please send them my way. Many thanks James.