Day 71 Watten - John O'Groats

2 a.m. I can't sleep! For the first time on my trip, my mind won't shut down. Please, just one more dry day - is sun asking too much? I haven't got any problem with it being the only day where I have a time limit (nneed to catch the 6 p.m. ferry-bus back to Inverness) but in what order do I do everything? Signpost then photo, then passport stamp, then go to Duncansby Head or Duncansby Head first? When do I phone everyone to say that I have finished? Oh the stress of it all!! Maybe I'll just go with the flow and see what happens...

When I drew back the curtains this morning it was dry but very misty. Today's the day and I'm totally unsure how I'm going to feel when I get to the finish and how I'm going to react to the reality of what I've done. But, I have to do some running first.

I guess it's because it's the last day but I feel strangely a lot stronger than I have done for the past few weeks and I'm able to run for quite a long way (I'm talking a few miles here!) before stopping for a recovery. There were quite a few fly fishers set up on the Loch who gave me a cheery wave as I ran past. It was quite a zig-zaggy route along minor roads and past isolated houses and farms before I reached Lyth and from then on the road was dead straight. The mist was still down and with the addition of low cloud I felt I was in a bit of a bubble as I could only see around 50m in any direction and this distance didn't seem to change at all. Occasionally the mist would totally clear and it made everything so much brighter. A row of telegraph poles led the way ever onwards, still in a straight line, with the occasional hill bringing the hope of a view from the top of my destination. But, once I got to the top it was just a view of the road and telegraph poles ahead! I started to think of what I should do for my 'signpost' photo - arms in air? punching the air? casual? and ran along the road whooping and practising!

The internet connection at home was broken so Sarah kindly typed up my '2am' update for today as I thought people would be interested to know how I was feeling this morning. Quite a few friends called or sent a text wishing me luck which was really nice. I spoke to Tricia who asked 'are you there yet?'....not yet but around 6 miles to go. She appeared rather abrupt as she had 'other things to do and needed to get on'....this was one of the most important days in my life and she didn't appear to have the time to speak to me!

Anyway, eventually I was able to see the North sea at the very top of Britain and I turned eastwards to Canisbay. Quite a few car drivers smiled and waved at me as I ran past - clearly they see 'end to enders' all the time but are able to recognise that this is a momentus day for each of them so it was lovely to get the friendly acknowledgement. I still couldn't see John O'Groats because of the bad weather and disappointingly, although the Orkney Isles are only just offshore, these were shrouded in mist as well : it was a complete whiteout.

Running through Huna and seeing the almost fairy-tale, castle-like John O'Groats hotel was when the realisation of what I was about to achieve hit home and the tears started flooding down my face....try running whilst snuffling back tears!! it's hard to breath. I must have looked a right sight to others but to be honest I was too far removed from the reality at this point to even care. I was wandering all over the road and when I reached the signpost advertising JOG as the 'welcome at the end of the road' I had trouble focusing the camera because of the tears. The road had been going away from the hotel until this point but now it pointed directly to the finish line and when I got to the car-park I couldn't hold any of my emotions back and screamed with sheer joy and jubilation at what I had just achieved. Loads of people congratulated me as I made my way to the signpost. I did go with the flow as I had the photo (decided on arms outstretched with index finger showing #1!!) then got the final stamp in my passport. I couldn't actually see Duncasby Head and, with the pursuasion of John, decided that the finish line is the sign-post and I don't need to go any further!

A cyclist finished just after me and after chatting for a while he and his wife kindly offered me a brew up in their van...it was great to share the finish experience with someone else.

I was booked to return to Inverness that evening on the bus that meets the Orkney ferry. The weather had not got any better and it was actually really chilly, certainly not a temperature that befits the 5 July! I was quite keen to get into the warm bus but before I got on, Tricia got off! It was one of those moments where you're just staring at someone before the brain engages and passes the recognition signal....I'd been set up good and proper but in the most fantastic way! She'd planned her trip to meet me way back at the end of March, even before I'd set out and whilst almost everyone back home knew of the cunning plan, I had absolutely no idea. Tears flowed again! After she'd answered all the 'how / when / what' questions we got down to the serious business of celebrating my success with a glass of bubbly before getting back on board. It was really interesting to then drive back down the same route I'd run albeit it in 3 hours as opposed to the week and a bit that it had taken me to run it!

Back at the YH it was time for a quick shower and new clothes that Tricia had brought up with her....jeans were back and they still don't fit but I don't care! Unfortunately it would appear that almost all the restaurants in Inverness close at the unearthly hour of 10pm or even 9pm so we were beginning to think our celebrations were going to be shortlived. However Bella Italia came to the rescue and stayed open well past their official closing time. We had a fab meal with complimentary drinks and even a donation thrown in.

Mileage 18.26

Final total mileage was a massive 1,205.54. Against my original guess of 1,200 that's pretty close in my books!

I've done it, I've really done it.

As Forrest Gump said 'I think I'll stop running now'

And in answer to the immortal words of Heather Small 'What have you done today to make you feel proud?'....well, I've just run from Lands End to John O'Groats