Marcothon 2012

Having run the Marcothon every year since its inception, I was truly honoured and excited when Debbie and Marco asked me to design the Marcothon logo this year, then I panicked and was crapping myself when my mind went blank!! I wanted it simple but also something we could use as a calendar. I also wanted to be able to put 2012 into the logo as well for the finishing logo something like the london 2012 olympics had. Simple was the key. Nothing more simple than a stick man. and his arms and head could form 20 and his hat could for 12 or 13 etc for future years! So the stickman became the logo and the calendar, the latter with ticks for each completed day. Well that was done at the start of November and I thought ages away! Not so, before I know it my 4th Marcothon had begun! There was even a website this year themarcothon.com but most if not everyone hung out on the facebook page.

 


Marcothon Summary Highlights
The first day was planned to be a parkrun but because [true to normal marcothon tradition] the weather was so bad with ice and snow Pollok park run was cancelled.  Andrew and I were driving there when we got the news so we turned back and headed up to Mugdock with yaktrax, the dogs and Donna for day 1.














Day 2 Wobbly Williams Half Marathon. Ran out of energy mile 9 as I didn't carboload the night before as I usually do for long runs and dragged myself last few miles! Yaktrax most certainly needed, the whole route was covered in solid ice! www.wobblywilliams.com

Day 8 Maragirls run - Helen and I doing the Marcothon! Helen and I stuck to the road as Helen didn't have her yaktrax yet. Personally I was grateful as my tired legs were feeling it now.  I always feel the first ten days get consistently harder then start to get used to it after that and settle into it.


Day 12 - someone mentioned a 12 mile challenge for this day but i felt 12k would be plenty so i planned my run to finish at my workplace at 12.12 and jogged to a parking metre to record the time. so 12km finishing at 12.12. on 12.12.12! Not that I am obsessive or anything...  I did continue on into town after that and then got train home so totalled 10 miles that day and felt ok at the end so maybe i could have doen the 12 miles but best not to push it so early!


Day 19 - I lost my running buddy hubby andrew to injury! Having done some mega 21m 24s at the parkrun he got a tear in calf muscle so that was him out the game!! Since he hadn't raced for 7 years and had only jogged along with me in the passed few years he kinda shocked himself and me that he had it in him for such speed without any speed training!  He'll be back out when better trying to beat that time!

Day 24 - Maragirl run Xmas eve Helen Aoife and I still IN the Marcothon! Awee marcothon 25minute minimum then back to Julie's for surprise birthday cake for Donna and Aoife! All the Maragirls on the cake and a wee poem to go with it!

[the wee Maragirl models I made from Sculpey clay so we all had keepsakes]

It was a snowy xmas eve and perfect for a social run
When the maragirls got together for an early morning run
A jaunt along the Clyde was planned just 5 miles or so to chat
Then back for laughs and sweets at maragirl Julie’s flat

They weren’t prepared for an adventure but that’s surely what they got
As they spotted a gingerbread man running, while out on their social trot
Athletic Aoife said “I’m hungry anyone else fancy a bite of that wee man?”
And Hurricane Helen agreed, so after that biscuit -the chase then began!

Boy that gingerbread man was fast and feart and took off like a whippet
But the maragirls were hungry and picked up the pace chasing that tasty biscuit
Vasquez and sidekick Den got really near, one on either side, so they upped their game to overtake
Realizing their tactics the gingerbread man swore!
And shocked the lovers to a standstill with such profanity from a spicy bake!

Off along the path and under the bridges he ran, for a biscuit, with such grace
so the Edinburger Marathon entrants put their training to test and picked up the pace
FiFi Fixit was next to fall, under bandages and strapping as they came undone
Do-little tried a 6 min mile but stopped when she realised her garmin was on upside down
Expedition Donna tore ahead to try to get him, but collapsed in a heap when her camelback dried up
Clairabella kept going and nearly caught him, till she was overcome with nausea at the sight of a discarded box from pizza hut

Coach Neet still ran holding her lopsided tits, come on girls she shouted let’s do some neetshits
but after the reps she came to an abrupt puffing halt as soon as her workout on her garmin had stopped

But this tasty confectionary was now in trouble cause yoga Noodle was on her roller skates
But ginger bread man threw off his jelly buttons and down noodle went, her sticky wheels met their fates!

outside fitness fanatics took over and GI Jules and Marathon Ali did some leaps
but gingerbread man threw back some icing and the pair landed in sticky heaps

goldirocks was in the winning now with a gingerbread man to catch
but she came to a traumatic halt when she noticed her shoes didn’t match!

Rocky Leane kept on the chase, dreaming of using his crumbs as a base
He saw food in her eyes and totally freaked and over the squinty bridge he leaped

But Ali-mara wasn’t a runner, and on skype to Dr Distance down under
They concocted a crafty plan to capture the giant gingerbread man
Dr Distance surmised he needed sedated and advised alimara to hire a boat
In the boat was a tub filled with mulled wine and on the clyde she did float

And as the gingerbread man leaped off the bridge with precise timing he dropped
Into the mulled wine on the boat, with a giant splash he plopped!

The maragirls shouted out in glee, a team maragirl effort that was truly
As they all headed back in the boat with a drunken biscuit en route to julie’s

At last they sat down to celebrate the birthdays of Athletic Aoife and Expedition Donna
With birthday cake, mulled wine and hungry maragirls -That giant gingerbread man was now a total gonner!

 — 

Day 25 - xmas dress up fun - prompted lots of toots and cheers from drivers and pedestrians alike!  Would love to dress up every day!!


Day 27 new friends Karen and Alan and furry friends [photo karen connal]. Met Alan and Karen at Mugdock for a wee run with their dogs. Maya my pup wouldn't let my Kira out the door to come with me today!


Day 30 mugdock with kira and ala, karen and furry friends [photo alan lindsay]. Today Kira came too and she absolutely loved it!


Day 31 Lock 27 [photos fraser connal]. The get together for final run with the local [and not so local] marcothoners. I had the pleasure of running with Jura, one of Karen's 3 dogs. Karen had Tiree and her son Scott had Finn. Her other son Fraser took excellent photos of the whole event!


Facebook commentary became addictive almost immediately waiting to see the daily pictures, poems, and experiences folk were posting. I used to read google news in the morning with breakfast but this was now replaced with the Marcothon facebook page. I found I was checking it every time I saw a posting while working at the computer or on my phone if out! It was unputdownable! New virtual friends were made, some of which became flesh for social runs - Alan and Karen and their wonderful respective furry friends.

I won't bore you with my daily experiences but in summary the weather did get unusually milder for december and while we rejoiced at being able to put away the kahtoolas and yaktrax it did rain miserably just about every day that we were soon wishing it would snow again!!  My foot hurt on and off but eventually I could run without strapping and brufen and ignore the niggles completely. Then about a week into it I got [i think] a mild dose of noro. Nausea all the time for days, then a borderline fever and splitting headache then the runs!  I ran through it! It helped take my mind off it. After a day or 2 of the runs it cleared up.  It was interesting reading about everyone else's bouts of it too and how bad it was to either take them out the game or watch them run through it.  Some were so bad they'd puke, get out bed and run then go back to bed!  That's commitment for you! I don't think mine was that bad as I only felt nauseous but never puked. Though the skidding day the run had to be between runs so I ran 1 mile loops near my house - just in case!!

Then on day 19 Andrew, who was doing the Marcothon too, did the parkrun and tore something doing a silly 21min 24sec run with no speed training! So that was him out of it. I was on my own now.  I ran with Kira on and off although Maya hated being left to go for walks on her own with Andrew. She'll enjoy it next year!

Respect to Dr Distance Maragirl Sara Lochrie [right] who ran through agonisingly inflamed achilles tendon. She wouldn't give up! And she had been running for 8 days before Marcothon had even started!!

New friends made were Karen and Alan and their doggies.  We met up a couple of times at Mugdock for runs. I took Kira one of the days and she loved it! Though it took us both a long warm shower to thaw after it!  Karen does cairncross and gave me loads of advice on harnesses and I will be investing in the right gear.  So before I knew it the end was here. The last day was a run with fellow Marcothoners at Lock 27.  Karen's son Scott ran with one of Karen's dogs, Karen had one and I had one! Fraser [Karen's son] took excellent photos of the event. Alan ran with his dog Islay and ended up doing 8 miles! Alan would post hilarious daily photos of Islay and the number of the day - the last photo of Islay she was sleeping soundly in her basket!

John Munro wrote words to go with the Do run run song [original by the Ronettes] which became the Marcothon anthem Do run run Da Marcothon. And Alan kept reposting this part all over facebook. Hilarious! Noanie [Sam] added a final verse to it too!  I did hope we would all sing a rendition on the last day but it was pissing down and i don't think anyone wanted to stand around singing in the pissing rain!


John Munro 28 December

[with sincere apologies to the Ronettes and to anyone else who ends up with this tune in their head for the rest of the day.....
]

It started on the first and my legs were fresh

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

Somebody told me that it was only 3 miles

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

Yeah, my legs are strong

Yes, my clothes they pong

And when I run I moan

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

I'm out the door at seven and I look so fine

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

Kitted out in hi-viz my clothes do shine

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

Yeah, she caught my eye

Debs, oh my, oh my

And when I shuffle round

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

I'm running in the wind and the rain and snow

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

Legs like lead but out I go

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

Yeah, my legs are strong

Yes, my clothes they pong

And when I run I moan

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

I spend all day on facebook with my Marco friends

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

cheering and cajoling till the runs are done

Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

Yeah, my legs are strong

Yes, my clothes they pong

And when I run I moan


Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon

Added verse Sam Heffron Day 30:

Yeah, I just can't be arsed
Yeah, I'd like to give tonight a pass
Canny cause I know you lot would kick my ass
Da do run-run-run, da Marcothon


I made a Marcothon version of the olympic torch to ceremonially open the last run. I left space at the top for a headtorch as I thought that would make an appropriate "torch" but I couldn't find mine to place it into it! Alan had it at Morrison's after the run and someone asked if they could buy it off him!

In all it was the best year yet! More participants than ever. Folk from around the world. People running through illness, injury, and family commitments and constraints to get their run done. Folk doing the minimum to mega miles! Seriously respect to Robert Soutar doing 26 miles a day instead of 26 mins as I was doing most days!  Folk running up and down hotel corridors or round their garage or in front of their house - commitment was strong this Marcothon.
I will so miss my fellow marcothoners although I am now delighted to have a few new friends from it. And I will look forward to the next Marcothon as usual!

                           [photo fraser connal]

And now it is over I am looking forward to a wee rest. I know tomorrow I will think hey I fancy a run, and feel like something is missing if I don't but then it is a busy day so it is unlikely that feeling will last very long!  And then the marathon training begins! So it is back to Garscube Harriers next week!  Edinburgh marathon 2013 here I come!  Along with maragirls vasquez, donna, do-little, fifi fixit and clairabella! And our maragirl support team! Now that should be fun! 2013 will be a fun year!

Happy New Year!

Speed of Light! Part 1

As I put my make up on I wondered if I should be blacking out my face too. My gear – all laid out on the bed – looked more like I was preparing for a black ops mission than a run! Ha the thought is preposterous since I can’t even rescue a spider without mishap. Great loss to my wonderful Garscube Harrriers mug as it lay in smithereens due to misplaced fear!  

An eight legged freak of nature got precariously close to my pillow this morning so I used the cup beside my bed to capture it. Covering it with paper I took it up to the front door. However my hair brushed against my neck and I irrationally imagined the monster had escaped its ceramic prison and crawled up my arm and trying to construct a massive web in my hair to hide in! I threw the mug outside with a blood curling scream slapping at my neck and terrifying the puppy so much it took many treats to coax her from her hiding spot under my dirty washing! Yeah that bad!  It was a monster - its leg-span was 4 inches and its body defo over an inch! Seriously could even see the hairs on its legs!

Anyway way off track there! My gear is all ready for Speed of Light rehearsal run in Edinburgh tonight! Layers of black clothing so all that will be seen in the dark will be the light suit we are to wear for the event – and my head torch! Yaktrax in case it is slippy – well is has been pishing down for days true to Scottish summer weather and muddy hills are only to be expected.  So I don’t need to worry about white trainers as they are already truly camouflaged in Mugdock mud from previous training runs! 

The only good thing is the forecast is for dry, cloudy but a mild 17 degrees C, which isn’t too bad!  Must admit I did have a wee bit of a panic when I saw the training video and the warnings about hill training and fitness!! The Maragirls and I fitted in a few hill runs of Khyber and Bardowie [ten hills on that run] and some more than others, to build our strength up and some even did some running in the dark [Vasquez like the true soldier she is went out onto the Mugdock hills in total darkness one midnight run and on a separate occasion Expedition Donna and GI Jules literally went on an expedition in the darkness on a Mugdock run that was meant to only be and hour or so starting at 8.30pm ended up nearly being an all-nighter with threat of sending out a search party when they didn’t return home till eleven thirty! FFS!! That is way beyond call of duty girls! I might retract that statement however after I get to tonight’s rehearsal run!

I was relieved when the latest info came in stating that our expected pace is 10-12min miles downhill and 20-22 mins/ mile for the steep uphill sections! EASY! I hope! However there is some light [as in the luminous type] choreography so that should be interesting on the slippy hills of Arthur's seat in the pitch dark lit only by the light from our suits. Look out for the stray light zipping off down the hill on its ass! That’ll be me! I do hope NOT!

The final run is on the 31^st August and will be a momentous day for me as I cease employment as a lecturer to become a student again and also a full time professional photographer! Scary biscuits! 

Neet Neilson - Olympic Torchbearer!

Maragirl GI Jules

When Maragirl G.I. Jules said she had nominated me to be an Olympic Torchbearer I felt really honoured she thought me worthy but didn’t expect to get picked to be one of the 8000, of which only a few hundred from Scotland. It was with tears of joy that I found out I was to be a Torchbearer in Glasgow on Saturday the 9th June at 7.29am, and cannot thank Julie enough for her wonderful nomination.

Olympic Birthday Cake

Even my birthday this year was marked with Olympic symbology. My sister Marina baked me a wonderful cake with a replica me on it in full olympic regalia!  She made me a fabby birthday card too and our whole family spent the day together!

Marina and the cake! That wish came true!

All the handmade birthday cards clockwise Marina's, Aoife's cover, Aoife's inside card, Catherine Jones', Alison's lyrics, Eilish's and Scott's card. And in middle Valerie's gift for school talk.

And the Maragirls [made by Aoife] also gave me handmade Olympic themed birthday card! And I had another amazing birthday celebration!! Clairabella made wonderful cupcakes that we all ate too fast to get a photo of! The gifts were amazing [including a recording session which is something I have always wanted - and anyone that has heard me sing will know how monumental a gift this is!] and the "gift ceremony" culminated in a rendition of of Tiger Feet rewritten by Alison with everyone singing it to me in the back garden [including MIA Maragirl Donna on speakerphone]!

My Birthday celebrations with the Maragirls!

Being a Torchbearer on the day was an experience I will NEVER forget.  Being a "FEATURED TORCHBEARER" [and I have no idea how that happened!] I was contacted before the event for any media related events.  I had the excellent opportunity to meet with other Torchbearers on these occasions.  Firstly with 100 Days To Go, I was invited to Edinburgh to jump with joy [and I certainly did!] to mark this momentous moment in time.  I went with Maragirl Expedition Donna and, both of us laughing hysterically, she helped pin me into a gigantic suit so I didn't look daft in photos.  This was my first taste of celebdom - I could get used to this! We were even featured with Rose Anderson!

With a few weeks to go I was invited along to a couple of primary schools to talk about being a Torchbearer.  Everyone made me feel very welcome and I was overwhelmed by the interest and the projects the primary school teachers and children had committed to with such amazing enthusiasm.  I think it was at this point I too realised how monumental this was and how it would be recorded in our history forever and what an honour this was. Especially after meeting Andrew Boyle, the Torchbearer who would run through Bearsden Cross. His nomination can be read here.  Thinking I would be helpful to both of us by preparing a powerpoint presentation for Andrew and I to share, I put together a talk and made 2 replica torches! One Andrew would have for the talk and would leave with this school and the other I would use that day then take to another school the following week.  Andrew was a good sport and memorised his bits of the talk and I planned to wing it through mine.  Used to teaching adult learners and 16 year old nursing students I wasn't phased by this, even when I saw we were to talk to the whole school and some of the parents who joined the assembly.  I started off the talk by running around the whole assembly hall with my replica [pretty like the real thing even if I do say so myself] torch and then touching Andrew's torch he lapped the hall too.  Finishing at the front we started the presentation, but I needn't have worried - Andrew was a natural! He had the kids eating out his hands! He asked them all the right questions and gave them ownership of the presentation. I was in awe! I felt totally inadequate in comparison and felt truly honoured to meet such a wonderful person.  Baljaffray Primary presented Andrew and I with an Olympic badge and Olympic tin of Biscuits! Balfron Primary sent me a folder with handwritten thank yous from every child in P3 and photos of the occasion - was so touching yes I was greetin again!

Andrew and I at Baljaffray Primary with our replica torches

A week before the event, I was invited to Glasgow [now 50 Days To Go till the Olympic Games] to talk about what this meant for me and for the community. All the local papers, radio stations and news channels were there. It was amazing!! Here I met Emma Blair for the first time and a couple of other young girls who were to be Torchbearers on the 8th June in Glasgow.  All had amazing stories of why they were nominated and the ages of all three of them added up to my age!  My dear friend from work Christine Kelly commented that I looked as young as the girls! Note to self: buy Christine a pair of cheap reading specs for Xmas! The next day I went to Asda and bought the 4 newspapers Herald, Daily Record, Evening Times and Daily Mail our story was in! It was also online with The Journal. Celeb status rising! 

Emma Baird [left], Me, Evanna Lynas and Gail Thomson

The package containing the street information where I would be running and the suit arrived one week before the event.  The suit was way too big for me even though it was an extra small and the literature said you were not allowed to change how it looked in any way if making alterations. Well if I left it as it was, the lovely gold writing on the trouser leg would have been obscured by the long top and the sleeves would have had to have been rolled up.  So very carefully I cut off 6 inches from the top, 4 inches from the sleeves, 4 inches from the trouser bottoms and finished them in the same manner so the alterations were not noticeable.  Now that was better!! Note to Stella: a nice gold belt would have really finished it off perfectly but accessories were not allowed! 

The Torchbearers booklet also told us that white trainers were the recommended footwear! Well this was probably the only opportunity I would have to be me so I bought white high heeled trainers off ebay - I did consider [and even bought] gold sequins braiding on the trainers but was afraid this would bring enough attention to my feet to have them banned [and ME] on the day!  The trousers were still long enough to hide them and from the front they looked like ordinary trainers. 

The booklet also informed us that we had to turn up at the collection point wearing only the suit and carrying no belongings as the bus that dropped us off at our relay street was not the same one that would pick us up after our stint. So anything we needed to take with us had to fit into a credit card [how handy since I still had to purchase my torch and they only took Visa or cash!] sized pocket hidden inside the trousers.  Now anyone that knows me knows I like to carry lip gloss, money, iphone [won’t ever leave home without that!], credit card [obviously] and housekeys. All this was NOT going to fit in that wee pocket.  So I bought a money bag in light grey and all my essentials fitted nicely into it! I even had room for a comb - just in case!  This sat invisibly under my top.  And expecting to be cold [it is Scottish summertime after all] I also had a white long sleeved layer under my top and prayed it wouldn’t rain!

Also on order [being a runner this was essential wear] a white shock absorber sports bra which unfortunately wasn’t in stock so I had to go out and buy a normal white bra; though not now really a concern since as I was now wearing heels I intended to walk my 300 meters.  In fact I even had a trial run the day before in my shiny new trainers - it took me 2 mins 34 secs to walk at a casual pace the allocated distance so I knew I was safely within my allocated time allowance for the distance I was to cover.

We had to be at the Riverside Museum in Glasgow for 5am on the Saturday morning. After a restless sleep [afraid I might sleep in] I got up at 3.30am to start getting ready - the hair took longer than usual and the make up was a necessity if I was to be beamed to the whole world via the relay live feed!  Too early for breakfast I suited up and it wasn’t long before the taxi I had booked the evening before was sitting outside my door at 4.15am! 

Excited [and slightly nauseous with lack of sleep, lack of breakfast and a bag of nerves] I headed off, leaving my husband and son to get up and follow on down for 7am.  Now the celeb status really hit home when the taxi driver was ecstatic that he had a Torchbearer in his cab and asked to have his photo taken with me at end of journey.  He must have given me a discount too because that’s the cheapest taxi ride into town I have ever had!! On the way there just as we were about to take the correct turning to the Riverside Museum an Olympic Relay car stopped at the lights alongside us in the lane going in the wrong direction with their map out trying to find their way there.   My taxi driver would his window down and shouted repeatedly, “I’ve a Torchbearer in my car!!!”   When they eventually realised what he was saying the wound their window down to say they were lost.  He told them to follow us because “I’v got a Torchbearer in my car!” We arrived 2 minutes later and as soon as I’d paid my fare he was out the cab and taking a photo of me in my suit.  The relay team that followed us in gave me a torch to hold for the photo and they also took his photo with me and the torch! He was a happy man!

In the Riverside Museum at the registration and identification confirmation [oh aye my driving license also had to fit in that wee pouch!] I paid for my torch!  The literature had stated that although we could pay for our torch at the allocated time period before the event [which I missed] or on the day [which I was desperate to do in case they decided to remove the privilege after so many selling them on ebay], we would not receive our torch until August after they had been decommissioned. So imagine my joy when she told me that we would get it home with us that day!! This really was the icing on the cake! In fact I think it would have felt rather an anti climax if we left the event without it! And how would we ever have known if we actually got the torch we had carried on the day?

Time flew in with the admin, the briefing of how it would go from bus to relay to bus, and with some paparazzi moments of us all in ours suits.

I found out I was to be the second person to run that day and that my spot would be identifiable by a sticker on the lamppost with my number on it.  Thank God I had my phone, I texted my friends and family where to go exactly.

 I met some wonderful and inspiring people that day who would share the experience from Glasgow to Bearsden.  We would all be together on the buses until we were back at our collection point.  Everybody’s story brought tears to my eyes. Such brave, inspirational and motivating people and children; all as deserving as the next person. I was truly humbled and honoured to be grouped with these wonderful people and inspired me to do more after this is over to help others.

Paparazzi moment with Andrew Boyle at Riverside Museum

Before I knew it we were escorted to the shuttle bus [with a quick interview en route for BBC Radio Scotland with Emma Baird, the inspiring wee lassie that was to be the first runner of the day] to be dropped off at our allocated spot. 

With Emma Baird [Photo: Alistair Baird]

I was handed my very own torch from the spot labelled NEET and I could see all my family and closest friends waiting for me as I stepped off the bus to cheers. Of course this started the never ending greetin' that punctuated the whole experience! Thank God I put on waterproof make-up! A sneak peek into my mirror [which also fitted into my money bag - it's a bit like the tardis that bag!- a gift from my friend Valerie as a thank you for coming to speak to Balfron's P3s which was embroidered with Torchbearer on it] told my my make-up was fine regardless of waterworks! I was confident I could cry all day now!

Runner 002 dropped off!

Hubby!

My family [Photo: Julie Thomson]

The Clements: My sister and family! [Photo: Ken Cowan]

A Metropolitan policewoman met me and stood by my side.  She was very friendly and her chatting eased my nerves.

The moment Neets' told she can't wear heels! - Kidding!
Caption credit Kirsty Croft

Maragirls!

Garscube Harriers

Everytime I looked at my friends or family I started crying [tears of joy], especially the Maragirls, Julie, Donna [who was as bad as me], Marina [also greetin'] and Andrew who was snapping away. At least I don't look as if I am girning in every photo!  I had time to have my picture taken with everyone before Emma came to “kiss” my torch.

As the convoy approached and the camera van passed I was escorted to the middle of the road where security police flanked either sides of us and the flame was handed to me from Emma.  It was extremely exciting and we felt extremely important with this responsibility!  Then it was my turn!  Asking if I could walk because I had high heels on, the policeman laughed and said” try a light jog!”  So that is how it got mentioned on the news that I was the first person to run the relay in a pair of white high heels! At this point I wished I had gone out and bought a white sports bra from somewhere else!! There's a bit of bounce on the video!

Emma passes the flame Photo: Aoife McGarrigle

Cautioned by Met: "Careful your hair doesn't catch light!" Photo Morag Casey

Photo: Aoife McGarrigle

You might think 300 metres wouldn’t take long to run especially after I had timed it walking but that couple of minutes did feel like a wonderfully long moment to shine.  Waving to the screaming crowds, trying to balance the [800 grammes] torch in one hand and avoid the cracks in the road in my high heels was the most amazing moment of my life.

Maragirls on my left [Photo: Morag Casey]

On the left my family, my closest friends [including the Maragirls] kept pace with me shooting the scene with their cameras and phones, in front the camera truck was filled with cameras streaming live on air.

Debbie leading the Harriers alongside

 And on my right my running club [Garscube Harriers] ran alongside lead by the amazing Debbie Martin Consani who, only the weekend before, WON the Grand Union Canal Race of 145 miles in 28 hours and 1 minute.

My stint over, getting back on the bus, Declan can be seen on other side!

The 300 metres were enjoyed every step of the way! Watch it here! And then it was my turn to pass the flame over to the next Torchbearer.  We “kissed” torches and I moved aside.  There was a couple of minutes to cuddle my family and friends [and cry some more] before being escorted back onto the bus. 

Photo: Julie Thomson

Photo: Fiona Campbell

And it didn’t end there!  Once on the bus, the atmosphere was electric as we cheered every torchbearer as they finished their stint and we waved to the crowds in true celeb fashion as they waved back and snapped shots of us in the passing bus.  To my delight, I discovered that as soon as you step on the bus, your torch is decommissioned in seconds and placed in a canvas bag and handed right back to you. So sitting on the bus we are all holding our prized possession - none of us were selling our torches!

Andrew Boyle at Bearsden Cross

I then passed through my hometown Bearsden and enjoyed watching Andrew Boyle run the torch through Bearsden Cross.  Having already met Andrew [a young medical student] at Baljaffray primary school I kew him to be a kind, selfless individual who had a natural gift in coaching children.  His whole Lenzie Youth Club were amongst the thousands that swarmed the streets of Bearsden.  For 8am on a Saturday morning, the turnout was one to be proud of.

Andrew after his stint

At the end of Bearsden, I asked if I could get off the bus rather than have my family come get me at the museum back in Glasgow as I was only a 5 minute walk from my home.  “No problem!” I was told and I was allowed to exit the bus, torch in hand bidding my fellow torchbearers goodbye.  As soon as I left the bus I heard, “Oh My God There’s A Torchbearer!" And I was swamped by people wanting to hear my story, touch the torch and have their photos taken with me and the torch.  It was stuff my dreams are made of!  For 40 minutes I felt like I was a true celebrity, I was certainly shining in my moment! Yes this was a wonderful day, a wonderful experience I will remember all my life! A reward for doing something good but also incentive to do even more! And all thanks to Julie for nominating me and making my wildest fantasies come true.  This will be one year I won’t forget the Olympics and what it meant to everyone I have encountered during this experience.

Reflecting on the day!

While I went home and had a fabulous day with my family and my sister's family, Clairabella went off to a wedding and Amy her daughter, still in Torch Relay spirit had an ArtAttack with the crystals [my favourite colour too] at the dinner table!

Amy's ArtAttack! Love it!

And the Maragirls....


....Well they went out for a MaraBrekkie and got up to no good!!

Hyndland Park [Photo: Donna McVey]

Photo: Donna McVey

Acknowledgements

Thank you Maragirl Julie for the nomination, making my wildest dreams come true and for being my friend. Thank you Maragirl Donna for being there to pick up the pieces during and after chemo- a true friend - and helping me get back to full strength running.
Thank you Maragirls - Joann for making me competitive again! Aoife and Sarah [Vasquez] for giving me someone to chase! Vasquez for listening to my moans and giving me an ass to chase for our NeetsHITS! Fiona for all the Bowen Treatments that kept me running when I might not have been able to if it wasn't for you! And helping me get my PB in the Wobbly Williams 5K! Helen for being there to run at my speed and for all your wonderful support. Clairabella and Sara [Dr Distance] thank you for joining our club and bringing your fabby company, humour and artistry! Yes Sara those club vests are a mission for the near future! Thank you Lorna for joining in and the laughs you bring to the group [next time though dressing up is essential]. And thank you to Alison [for the Coach Neet lyrics] and Noodle for joining us as much as you can whether it is for socials or other activities it all counts. Thanks Morag for taking photos and adding to my Olympic Album - we'll get you out with us yet!
Thanks to all the Torchbearers, especially to Andrew Boyle and Emma Blair, who made the whole event [and its lead up] very special and for being very special individuals, it was an honour meeting you.
Thanks to the Relay Team and the Relay Metropolitan Police who work extremely hard day in and day out making everyone feel as if they are the most important people on the planet. They gave us all our moment to shine selflessly.
Thanks to the media that covers the events, from the local media in the run up, to the live feed on the day and the news and reports during and following the event. It also added to the celebdom in our moment to shine.  For that little while we were VIP and that honour was appreciated. It will spurn me personally on to do more to help others, especially breast cancer patients.
Thank you to Baljaffray Primary School and Balfron Primary School P3 teachers and children for inviting me in and sharing their experience of the event with me and making my experience even more special.
Thank you Marian [Renshaw] and your hubby, Ken and Janet for coming out to see me on the day.
Thank you Garscube Harriers [Debbie, Jill, Maz, Mary, Big Stevie, Shoenagh, Ragbir, Izzy, John [Dryden], David [Heppell], Diane, Robert, Karen Mac, Emma, Dave [Conner], Craig and Morag] for coming out to run with me on this epic journey!
Thank you Marina, Dougie, Scott and Eilish for getting up dead early and coming in all the way from Moscow [Ayrshire] to be there and share the whole day with me!
Thank you to everyone who took photos and videos and shared them with me. If I missed crediting any I used please let me know.
And last but never least to Declan for fighting your teenage tendencies and getting up real early to come see yer wee mummy run wae the torch and to my ever patient husband Andrew who supports me in everything I do [no matter how bizarre] and is always there for me, love you wads! xx
From my heart, thank you everyone who has got me here, donated money to my causes, supported me through thick and thin, for being my friend, if you are reading this then you are probably one of them!