Give us a clue!

It is no exaggeration to say that hardly an hour of my waking life goes by without someone asking me   what the location of the next run is. There have been many guesses and some people have been close to the exact location recently.

The announcement of the location of the 2016 run in aid of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children's Foundation will be made during the week commencing the 13th of October. I visited a venue in Newcastle this week and I'm hoping to get the go-ahead next week to use it to announce the details of the 2016 run. The media, my sponsors, the charities and various key people will be present at the event. Inevitably, the exact details of the announcement will hit the internet, TV and papers soon thereafter. It's a very exciting time indeed.

For a bit of fun and to help the countdown to the announcement go a little quicker I've started putting picture based clues on the Run Geordie Run Facebook page. A new image will appear every day at 8pm. A guess can be left in the comments section of any daily image. Now here's the good news - A correct guess will be rewarded with a brand new Run Geordie Run 2016 t-shirt. If, in the unlikely event of a tie, a winner will be drawn at random by a representative of the 2 charities. Here's what you need to do to be eligible for entering the competition:

• Leave your guess in the comments section of the daily picture clue.
• LIKE and SHARE that day's daily picture clue.
• You are allowed only 1 guess per daily picture clue.
• You must LIKE the Run Geordie Run Facebook Page when the competition closes at 8pm on the 16th of October.

So a few simple rules should see one clever winner with the new Run Geordie Run 2016 t-shirt. So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to the Run Geordie Run Facebook Page and have a go.

First major milestone passed on the road to 2016

The kinds of trans continental runs that I participate in carry a high degree of danger and risk. To date, I've ran through some of the most dangerously challenging and inhospitable places on the planet. The Mojave Desert, Death Valley, various US Interstate Roads, The Rocky Mountains and The Nullarbor to name but a few.

I've ran at all times of the day and night in all kinds of conditions from 50 Celsius down to minus 9 Celsius in torrential monsoons, sweltering record temperatures and amidst spectacular thunder storms. Flies, stray dogs, spiders, snakes, huge road trains, drug dealers, gangs and armed members of the general public; The support team and I have had to endure a great deal during the runs across the USA and Australia.  

Together with whatever support team I've had with me, we've always had a good stab at mitigating each risk as it's presented to us on during the long trans continental journeys. To date, we've not had a single casualty or been involved in a major incident. I really do say with a huge hint of relief that, I'm very pleased with that record.

My next major run, to be held during the British Summer of 2016, will undoubtedly see the support team and I be presented with more of the previously encountered risks and, in certain areas, some of an entirely new and unfamiliar nature. It is my honest belief, however, that with the same meticulous approach that has served us well in the past, we will be able to maintain our good record of delivering a successful run without major incident.

It goes without saying that there will be huge amounts of physical and mental exhaustion and the possibility of further damage to my feet. In the same token, these are incredible journeys and for every blister there is a tale of human endurance to be told. This is very much the reader/viewer/listener/social media follower's  journey as it is mine.  I think the general public buy in to it with such amazing generosity and a lot of feedback I've received over the years suggests that many people really do feel a part of the run.

I'm very protective of my brand and so are the 2 charities that I raise funds for of theirs. I'd never  want to put the charities in a position that they don't want to be in. My fundraising events, whatever the level of risk, must never show The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation or The Children's Foundation in a bad light.

Today saw the first major milestone of talking through the details of the 2016 run with the 2 charities and attempting to demonstrate the risks involved and how I intend to mitigate those risks. I must admit, that it wasn't as straightforward as I thought and I found myself having to answer some very good searching questions. The exact details of the route, the current and anticipated state of my feet, support logistics and my mental welfare (I should point out that was relating back to the final traumatic weeks in Australia. I'm not actually going mad!) were all brought up. I could mention a few other things but that would let the cat out of the bag as to where I'm running next.

We talked for over an hour and I'm very relieved that both The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children's Foundation are the 2 charities that I'll continuing to raise funds for until 2016.

I was very pleased with the reaction of both charities. There is no doubt in my mind that the general public are going to be blown away when they hear what is in store for 2016. It's going to be another incredible journey that I intend to share as frank and as fully as I can with whoever cares to watch, listen or read.

I'll close this blog post reminding everyone how incredibly proud I am to represent such worthwhile, well ran charities that make a genuine difference to life in the North East of England. It's not a responsibility that I take for granted and I feel very lucky to do what I do and share that experience with 1000s of other people.

I'm 100% convinced that, while it's going to take an unprecedented amount of effort, it's all going to come together nicely in 2016 as I attempt to raise at least another £50,000 for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children's Foundation. More than ever before, I'm up for the challenge that lies ahead.

CherryActive supporting the 2016 run

There were many factors which led to the successful outcome of my journey across the USA and Australia. One of them was a recovery drink originally recommended to me by Northumbria University in 2011. As I was training in extreme temperatures on a treadmill in the Uni's environmental chamber it was a chance conversation that led me to learn about the product. I soon made contact with the product manufacturer and the rest, as they say, is history.

The product in question is CherryActive and it gives me immense pleasure to announce that they will be supporting the campaign for my 2016 run.

The following sums up my experience and knowledge of CherryActive:

• 30ml of CherryActive diluted in water (just like cordial) taken after exercise will minimise or, in the majority of cases, completely eradicate the muscular soreness that would be expected to follow during the following days.
• CherryActive is made purely from Montmorency Cherries. There is nothing else added. 
• 30ml of CherryActive will assist in getting a better night's sleep.
• It's a versatile product and can be used in smoothies and many other recipes.
• It comes in various forms; Bottles that, once opened, must be kept refrigerated for subsequent use. A handy 30ml shot sachet which doesn't need to be kept in a fridge. For those that don't like the taste of cherries, it's available in capsule form. Finally, you can use the dried Montmerency cherries as a snack or use in many recipes.
• In 2005 John Carey founded CherryActive after discovering that Montmorency cherries were a natural remedy for his gout pain.

The following video was recorded just before the run across Australia and expands on the above points:

As you may be able to tell, I'm a huge fan of CherryActive. I make no apologies for sounding like a salesman on commission (which I am not by the way). The product works amazingly well and almost everyone I know has tried it, is still using it and swears by it. I even know some people who use it as a hangover cure! They shall remain nameless!

Founder of CherryActive, John Carey had the following to say this afternoon:

"CherryActive are happy to continue our support of Mark Allison, AKA Run Geordie Run, for his next grueling challenge. Here at CherryActive, we are not only blown away at Mark's achievements to date, but share his dedication and total commitment in doing something you believe in, whilst raising awareness and much-needed cash to a cause you hold so dear. 

Well done Mark, proud to work with you. 
John Carey and the CherryActive Team"

I'd like to say a huge thank you to John and the kind folks at CherryActive for their continued support.

If you would like to try CherryActive then I've arranged a 10% discount code for use on their website. The code is "RGR1" and can be used at the checkout at www.cherryactive.co.uk.

The secret is out!

The build up to the next major run, to be held in 2016 continues. Of course, I'm meeting representatives from The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children's Foundation next week to get the "sign off" on the run.  I was, however, lucky enough to meet up with former Newcastle United and England captain Alan Shearer last week to explain all about my plans.

Alan Shearer is a patron of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and was very supportive of my run across Australia. I remember the following message was sent at a time when I needed it most while running down under.

It was a surreal situation. Not only was I telling a closely guarded secret to someone, I was telling it to one of my all time Geordie heroes. 

I talked in depth about the route I'd chosen for 2016 and I think the picture below was taken just as I was saying "I didn't realise just how huge a country ******** actually is". Of course, you'll get to find out just what those asterisks are hiding in 5 weeks time! 

I could tell from his reaction that he thought my plans for 2016 and beyond were very ambitious. Having ran down the UK and across the USA and Australia does help to give these kinds of conversations credibility however.   

Alan's parting words were "That is a mad plan but best of luck.". This is just what I wanted to hear and to receive the endorsement of a patron of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation never mind a Geordie legend is getting things off to the best possible start.

Final total for the run across Australia

I'm very happy to report that the final total raised for the run across Australia in aid of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children's Foundation is £55,126.60. If you made a donation then, on behalf of the 2 charities, thank you so much for your amazing generosity. All of the messages and donations made can be viewed at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun.

Since I began fundraising in 1994, a grand total of £212,478.40 has been raised for those charities named below:

2013 - £26,001.04 (The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation)

2013 - £29,125.56 (The Children's Foundation
2011 - £50,638.91 (St Benedict's Hospice)
2011 - £55,078.89 (The Children's Foundation)
2008 - £2,601 (The Children's Foundation)
2007 - £34,108 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
2005 - £1,477 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
2004 - £1,228 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
2003 - £4,140 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
2002 - £1,560 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
2001 - £2,470 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
1999 - £1,650 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
1998 - £250 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
1997 - £1,000 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
1996 - £500 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
1995 - £250 (North of England Children's Cancer Research)
1995 - £200 (St. Benedict's Hospice)
1994 - £200 (St. Benedict's Hospice)

I find that sum of money quite staggering and I know that my parents, had they still been alive to witness my fundraising events, would have been incredibly proud.

Over the years, I've seen first hand just how much of a difference your donations make to the various charities. My Mam was a patient at St Benedict's Hospice. She saw out her final days there as she lost her battle with cancer. The palliative care that she received from the Hospice meant that she had as comfortable and dignified as possible end to her life.

I've been lucky enough to see some of the world leading cancer treatment technology funded by the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. You can read more about the ImageStream Imaging Flow Cytometer or the ultra-compact ABT Molecular Imaging Biomarker Generator as well other projects funded by the charity here.

I sit on the Regional Small Grants Panel at The Children's Foundation. That panel has funded many projects in the local community over recent years. This is just the tip of the iceberg, however as the charity funds many other initiatives whose aim is the health, happiness and safety of children in the region. You can read more about that here. I know that the charity have some ambitious plans for the future and I will be learning more about that next month.   

I'll never be able to thank everyone who has donated so far in person. However, I like to think that over the years I have thanked as many people as I possibly could. The kind support shown towards my events is something that I never take for granted.

If you have supported my events and the various charities in the past, then you have done an amazingly kind thing. You really should be very proud of yourself for helping to make a real difference to the well being of people in the North East of England. Once again, thank you so much for your kind support.

What's next?

It's been 9 months since the run across Australia finished and you could say that this blog post is long overdue. I've used this time to unwind from the trauma of Australia and try to make sense of it all. What went wrong and why? What went right and why? Where do I go from here? These are questions that I ask and get asked on an almost daily basis.

I think I'm finally coming to terms with the trauma associated with the run across Australia. When I  put myself through something as difficult as that run, I found that my weaknesses were exposed and I was on the brink mentally.  I think that that those long hot Summer days down under were as close as I'll ever come to having a nervous breakdown. You just don't run across somewhere as inhospitable and desolate as Australia and get through it mentally or physically unscathed.

I'm very lucky to have an amazing support network and this proved to be the difference, in the end, between success and failure. My Australia support team (Graham, Melanie, John, Jason, Carlton, Dave, Ian and Donna) played a blinder out there in very difficult circumstances. The support didn't end there with thousands of followers and well wishers on Twitter and Facebook also playing their part. I could go on and mention Real Radio, nufc.com, BBC and ITV and The Journal as well as my sponsors. I'd be here all night if I was to mention everyone who'd played a part in the success of the run across Australia.

The run across Australia like all other events that went before it can be judged on 3 things. Did I make it from the start on the west coast of Australia to the finish on the  east coast of Australia? YES! Did I manage to engage the general public and (virtually) take them on the journey with me? YES! Finally, and most importantly, were the general public generous enough to hit the fundraising target for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children's Foundation? YES! 

The feelings and memories associated with those questions grow stronger every day. What is diminishing, I'm glad to say, is the overall trauma, feeling of paranoia and panic and the horrible remembrance of the pain I had to endure every day. It has diminished to a point where I can  genuinely say that I miss the day to day challenge that running 40 odd miles a day during the Australian Summer brings. Or the American Summer for that matter! 

I often find my mind drifting to certain sections and situations of the run across the USA and Australia. I see the many places, people, mountains, trees, lakes, deserts but mainly roads vividly and my thoughts and dreams are filled with these most incredible moments from the previous runs.

A common interview question over the last few years is "Are you obsessed with running?". The answer I've always given is along the lines of "No. If it wasn't for the fundraising aspect I wouldn't do any running". This is now only partly true. In a bizarre twist of fate, I have found that I have become very obsessed with the very thing that has caused me so much physical and mental pain and exhaustion. I'm not kidding when I say that I would like nothing more than to be able to get on a plane tomorrow to the USA or OZ and start running again from Huntington Beach, California or Cottesloe Beach, Perth. I think that I've acquired the same mindset that Forrest Gump had when, for no apparent reason, he just set off running. Of course, I have 2 very good reasons for running in the form of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children's Foundation. 

I make no apologies for writing what some may think is absolute nonsense. The desire to run extreme distances is very much there and, like I said in an interview in The Journal in January, "I'm only half way there".  

I've been fundraising for 21 years and with a lot of luck and good health I'll be able to do the same for the next 21 years (or more). I had a dream back in January about the future of my fundraising and running. All of a sudden the direction of my future events became very clear. 

I'll be revealing details of my next run, scheduled for 2016, sometime during the week commencing 13th October. Knowing how running top to bottom of the UK and across the USA and Australia captured the public's imagination, I'm very excited to talk about the 2016 run and beyond. 

I'm meeting with The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children's Foundation on the 22nd September to get their "sign off" on my plans. As per usual, there will be a high degree of difficulty and risk associated with the 2016 run. I don't for one minute want to put the charities in a position they don't want to be in so this is a very important step to be taken before any actual ones are.  It's the first major milestone for 2016 and despite what I'll be telling them, I'm confident of having their acceptance.

The next step on the journey to 2016 is to start training. I'm looking forward to getting into David Fairlamb's gym tomorrow. Dave was very quick to offer to train me again. Unfortunately, I've spent the last 9 months eating bacon sandwiches, chocolate and drinking the odd beer here and there. Dave and I have got our work cut out once again!

For reasons that will become clear after October's announcment, it is imperative that I go into the 2016 run at a much lower weight than previous events. For once, I'm confident that I'll be able to achieve this. 

It's not all about weight though. Unlike the build up to the run across Australia, I feel like I have my mental "edge" back. The experience gained in the USA and Australia are going to stand me in good stead. I have approximately 600 days before the 2016 event. I'm up for the challenge. Let the long battle for fitness commence tomorrow!

The final day! Day 82

(Sunday 5th January)

This was it.  We had finally reached the final day of the run across Australia. 23 miles to go.

Day 82 was a 3am alarm call.  Just enough time to dress Mark's feet and get him on the road. There was no room for error, our flight was scheduled later that day.

It was an incredibly dark start to the day and most certainly the earliest of the tour.  Mark was kitted out in his high vis and head torch hoping for light traffic and safe conditions until sunrise.

"The starry sky is incredible this morning. 1st mile done in complete darkness. Sunrise is 90 minutes away. #rgrdownunder"

"Legs feel really good so far. Codeine has foot pain under control. 21 miles to the #Pacific."

"If my timing is decent I should be running down #MacquarriePass just as the sun rises. This is a good script today."

"Thank you to my headline sponsor @drivebenfield for helping to get me across Australia. #enjoythejourney #rgrdownunder"

My current view #rgrdownunder 

The anticipated arrival time at Warilla Beach, Shellharbour, was 11am.  This would make it a very late evening for the UK followers; "I'll try and get this finished at a decent time for UK followers".

"Currently at 2546ft. I think my descent to the #Pacific starts now just a few miles east of #Robertson."

"18 miles to #Shellharbour…."

"Here comes the sun. Right on time. I'm the blue dot. Hello #Macquariepass."

"The view from the top of #macquariepass. That's the #pacific Ocean in the distance. #rgrdownunder"

And so the descent began..I drove ahead to check out the route, the research suggested that this wasn't going to be pleasant. 

After 12 nail biting minutes I reached an area where it was safe to pull over, not quite at the bottom of the pass.  Blind hairpin bends, fierce oncoming traffic and no sign of a hard shoulder became a harsh realisation of what Mark was attempting on foot.  As I waited mid way down the pass I observed the traffic heading towards Mark.  These drivers looked experienced on the pass and were certainly taking no prisoners.  I wonder if they had ever been faced with a pedestrian on the route.

After what seemed like an eternity later I caught a glimpse of Mark heading down the last twist to reach me at my location.  To say it was a relief to see him was a huge understatement.  

"I'm almost at the bottom of #Macquariepass. That was tough. Already battered toes forced into the front of my shoes."

"I'm almost at the bottom of #Macquariepass. That was tough. Already battered toes forced into the front of my shoes."

"12 miles done. 11 to the #Pacific Ocean."

"I was at the top of that pass an hour ago. Stunning part of the route across Australia."

The progress was fantastic and Mark had no intention of making any stops until he hit the Pacific Ocean.  Just as I pulled over with 5 miles to go I noticed that Mark had someone with him.  I presumed that it was someone who had stopped to check that Mark was ok - a common feature of the last 82 days.  How wrong could I be? Just when the glory of the finish line awaited, up pops a Geordie! Pete Smith, a friend of nufc.com, lives in Sydney and had followed the journey throughout.  As luck had it he was in the area with family and kindly offered to join Mark as support for the final stretch.

With a new friend in tow, my duties were relieved and I was sent to the finish line.  As I approached the finish line of the run across Australia I was blown away by the beauty of the area.  There had been many twists along the route and this was certainly one of the better outcomes.  A perfect setting.

The sun was shining and we had a small group of people to cheer Mark on for the final few metres.  Dani (our contact from Shellharbour) had gathered a few friends and family and my best friend, Caroline, had managed to persuade a friend, Marina, to make the journey down from Sydney.  The anticipation was immense for us waiting there at Warilla Beach, I can only imagine people back in the UK being glued to phones, laptops and PC's in the same manner.  This was really happening.  The run was almost complete.

"4 miles left. Feeling good."

"Now heading directly towards the #Pacific. No more than 1 hour left."

"Impossible to keep up with Twitter. I'm just concentrating on running as fast as I can. 3 miles to go. I can smell the #Pacific"

2 miles to go

In a moment of panic, I could see that Warilla Beach was quite a size.  How would Mark know the exact point where we were waiting for him? His mobile was in airplane mode so I couldn't get a message to him.  This could have been a disaster.  Dani's partner, Greg, set off out on the route to intercept Mark and ensure that he was directed to the correct point. Meanwhile we continued to wait until we got the signal from Greg that Mark was on his way.

We waited and we waited and we waited some more.  Then finally, Dani's phone rang.  He was on his way.

Just minutes before midnight, UK time, 11am local time, Mark made it to the Pacific Ocean.  Relief, excitement, pride and emotion all rolled into one.  He had finally made it.  2384 miles from Perth, Western Australia, to Shellharbour, New South Wales.  The dream was finally a reality.  

Mark made his last few strides down onto Warilla beach and didn't stop until his feet were soaked in the Pacific Ocean.

This was the first picture.  The finish line.  Warilla Beach, New South Wales, Australia. 

There was only a short period of time for Mark to come to terms with what he had achieved, to take some pictures and to record a brief interviewed to be shared with the UK media who were waiting with baited breath to get this footage ready for release.

Here are a few of moments that were captured as Mark had finally completed his mission of running coast to coast across Australia.

Making sure that the GPS watch was stopped.

With lifeguards Chris and Connor from Warilla/Barrack Point Club

With Greg...  

…as if the story of the run across Australia didn't have enough adventure already, we found out that Greg is a former Olympian! He represented Australia in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta! Amazing!

Once the photos etc. had all been taken the next mission was to get back to Sydney, pack, check out of the hotel and get to the airport.  This was going to be tight.  First things first though, the car needed to be unloaded, we were still carrying all of the supplies that we had transferred from the RV.  Porridge, pasta, snacks, water - the list was endless.  Dani kindly offered to take these supplies off our hands, for all of the unopened products she would take these to the local food bank - from one charity to another.  Fantastic!

A quick bite to eat for Mark, obvious choice below, and we were back on the road, this time to Sydney.

  

We sadly left Warilla Beach, a beautiful area with fresh memories made, and set off on the highway.  After 4 miles the car flashed with a warning; engine overheating, switch off.  This was not good.  We pulled over onto the hard shoulder and frantically searched for roadside assistance details.  With the call logged we were informed that it could take up to an hour for someone to reach us.  This meant an hour less to get back to Sydney and to get to the airport.  

With the engine switched off, we lost the luxury of the air con.  Typically it was a blistering hot day.  There was no way that we could sit and wait in these conditions safely.  Fortunately Caroline and  Marina weren't too far behind in their rental car and raced to reach us.  Mark took shelter in Caroline's car while we frantically tried to think of ways that we could get back to Sydney.  Time was ticking.

The roadside assistance company had sent a text saying that they were 10 minutes away, brilliant.  Only the 10 minutes turned into 40 minutes and counting… Having 2 cars now pulled in on the hard shoulder on a busy highway was a bit of a risk.  One oncoming car making the wrong move could have been fatal.  We needed to think fast about how we could get back to Sydney on time.  The only option would be to unload our bags and transfer them to Caroline's car.  Marina would very kindly wait with our rental car.

Luckily a police officer working on highway patrol had seen us and pulled over to assess the situation.  Cue the 'girl card' and the Run Geordie Run leaflet.  While Mark was inside the other car slowly coming to terms with what he had achieved us girls worked on the sob story.  The Police Officer was very understanding and tried his best to hurry along the roadside recovery (in another mad coincidence, he had family from Newcastle upon Tyne!).

After almost an hour and a half (and 2 angry phone calls later) the tow truck arrived.  While we were waiting we had agreed with the rental company that the car could be returned directly to them and that Caroline and Marina would drive us back to Sydney. A perfect plan.  Only the truck driver was having none of it.  As if it wasn't hot enough to start with, the temperature was definitely rising with this one.  Having the Police Officer with us certainly helped, tempers were starting to flare.  Another 10 minutes later and we had a resolution.  We left the tow truck to return our vehicle and we were now on the road back to Sydney, a journey that would take 90 minutes.  We were cutting it very close to make it to the airport on time.

A mad dash to pack once we made it back to our hotel and we were back on the road.  Destination: Sydney Airport.  We arrived 30 minutes before we were due to board.  Just enough time for Mark to do a couple of telephone interviews and to grab some free wifi.  As we checked the flight details, the harsh realisation of what we were about to embark on hit.  Our first destination was Dubai before travelling onwards to Newcastle.  Although it obviously wouldn't be this straight forward.  Instead of our original flight on 4th January taking us direct to Dubai, our new flight had us heading to Bangkok first.  A 17 hour flight. In economy class.  

Needless to say this was an incredibly uncomfortable flight, even more so for Mark.  His body had no time to recover from the run and his feet were extremely painful.  Add altitude and feet swelling to the equation and we had a huge problem.  Mark was in agony.  The cabin crew were able to offer some pain relief but little else.  The flight was full for the entire journey through to Dubai and there were no seats with extra leg room. 

Luck struck when a very kind lady gave up her seat next to an emergency exit.  This meant that Mark could raise his feet and try to get some sleep for a few hours.  The journey continued through to Dubai but the nightmare didn't end there.  The flight arrived late and left us only 20 minutes to board the next flight back to Newcastle.  Only we had a 10 minute taxi to the next terminal first.  We were faced with a very immobile Mark and 10 minutes to board. The ground staff didn't appear to be too helpful and showed little concern.  We weren't going to make it.  I ran to find a member of airport staff who was driving a passenger transport vehicle to ask for assistance.  They advised that as we were very close to the departure gate they could not assist.  In an Anneka Rice fashion I raced through to our gate with Mark hobbling behind.  They were still expecting a few other passengers and we still had time to board.  Relief!  The bad news was this flight was full too so once again Mark was faced with limited leg room for the next 8 hours back to Newcastle.  I approached a member of cabin crew, Ben, to let him know that Mark would need some pain relief once we took off.  Ben advised that the crew from Sydney had called ahead and updated him of the situation.  If there was anything else that he could do to help Mark just needed to ask.

So, we had just made it in time for take off and home was our final destination.  Mark took advantage of Ben's offer and ended up sitting with his feet up in the crew jump seats while snacking on food from first class.   After 26 hours from departing Sydney we finally made it back to Newcastle.  There was no other way to be greeted than by the typical North East weather!

We made it through to baggage reclaim to be greeted by a member of the airline staff.  We were lucky enough to have made our flight from Dubai but our bags hadn't! Not a massive issue for clothing, coming from summer to winter, only the house keys were in the case.  In the blind panic of packing in Sydney this had completely slipped our minds!  The airline couldn't apologise enough but having raced for the flight ourselves we knew that this would be a likely outcome.

The airline very kindly offered us a driver to take us home, that would have to be with detour first though to pick up our spare keys.  Once we had confirmed all of the necessary details for our baggage, arrivals awaited.  We had been informed that there was a small gathering of friends and media waiting to greet and congratulate Mark.  We made our way through the doors and we were finally home!

It's only appropriate that I now close the laptop and let Mark continue the story.  I'm sure that there are many more tales and pictures to follow, I doubt that I have even scratched the surface with my updates.

Thank you for taking the time to read the blog and share the journey.  It's never been ideal having someone else tell the story but I do hope that you appreciate the reasons why this had to be the case.

It's been an amazing adventure and certainly something that I'm sure none of us will forget too quickly.  A huge huge thank you to everyone who has sent messages of support and of course, the whole reason why we ended up in Australia, for the donations.  The charity fund has surpassed Mark's target of £50,000.  There were times when Mark really didn't think that this was achievable.  As of today it is £52,290.  The kind spirit and generosity of the general public has been mind blowing.  Every single penny will be very wisely spent by the two charities; The Children's Foundation and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.  Please be sure to check out their pages to read more about how this money helps.

That's all for now folks, stay tuned for more updates from Mark and of course, for news of the documentary which we hope will be available later in the year.

Donna x 

The final days! Day 81

(Saturday 4th January)

Day 81 needed to be a healthy slog of miles to ensure that Mark reached Warilla Beach at a reasonable hour on the final day.  Aside from the pressures of getting the run finished on day 82, our flight was also scheduled for later that day. No room for error!

We were fortunate enough to be treated to a motel room by one of Mark's sponsors, Chapman Ventilation.  This meant that Mark was able to get a reasonable nights sleep and prepare his body for the miles ahead.  

The day started once again on the Hume Highway, fortunately this would only be for a short period of time and Mark would soon reach the Illawarra Highway.  That said, the risks of the busy highway remained.  After 17 miles Mark had ran out of water and we struggled to find a safe meeting point.  Being on a busy highway with Mark on the opposite carriageway was proving difficult.  Thankfully an entrance to a quarry presented itself and we were able to park safely and Mark had a quick lunch break.

Mark made it onto the Illawarra Highway early afternoon but was once again greeted with the bitumen road surface and a small hard shoulder.  More negatives but an absolute positive was 39 miles remaining until Mark met with the Pacific Ocean.  

I drove past Mark on a couple of occasions towards the next meeting point.  To say that he was running well was an understatement.  The adrenalin had clearly kicked in and the run across Australia was almost complete!

"33 miles done. Feet in a lot of pain. Feel sick. Very tired. Otherwise all is great."

"I've stopped looking at my GPS watch. Not sure how far left. I think I've ran about 37 miles. Maybe more."

"I'm on my last legs now. Everything is beginning to ache. My right foot is in agony but I'm well overdue painkillers."

"I'm battling this one out to the bitter end. The #Pacific isn't too far away."

My current position. 26 miles left. The impossible dream is becoming reality.

The pace was incredible, I had to whizz ahead as dusk approached and pass Mark the high vis vest and head torch. After 13.5 hours he was still running.  This was a man on a mission.

At almost 9pm Mark reluctantly called it a day on 42 miles.  This left 23 miles to the Pacific Ocean.  As he clearly wasn't ready to give in we pulled into the roadside and discussed how Mark could safely run through the night to get to the finish line at Shellharbour.  The top and bottom of it was that this would not be safe.  Amongst the tactical discussion I took a call from Dani,  a resident of Shellharbour.  From the powers of social media we were put in touch with Dani who was to help map out the most efficient route to get to the Pacific Ocean and finally complete the run across Australia (to add to the coincidence, her Dad is originally from Gateshead!).

Foolishly Mark and I thought that the pending Macquarie Pass would be an uphill followed by a twisty descent.  How wrong could we be?! Dani politely informed us that our current position was the highest point, we were all downhill from here.  Mark's mind was clearly still racing, was it possible to get down this now while he was still in his stride? Dani advised that the evening mist had set in and that it would be a dangerous move to tackle the pass in darkness. There was no way that this could be achieved in these conditions, it would have to be an early start and the run would come to an end late morning on day 82.

Dani suggested that we drive to a picnic spot not far from where we were parked.  We sensibly took her advice and drove ahead a few miles.  Here we were greeted by some policemen on a late shift conducting random breath tests.  I escaped the interrogation this time as Mark spent time asking advice as to whether approaching the pass in the dark would be advisable.  It obviously wasn't. Fortunately there was a motel right next to where we had parked so we took the opportunity to check in (for all of 5 hours!).  The final day of the run across Australia was only a blink of an eye away….

Day 80

(Friday 3^rd January)

Sleeping in the car for a second night was never going to be easy. Sleeping in the car with shooting pains in his feet was going to be even more difficult for Mark. The slightest flinch was difficult in a confined space and he was clearly in agony. Another dose of strong painkillers seemed to help ease this a little and meant that Mark woke with very little pain. As I reported on day 79, there are no surface wounds on Mark's feet. The issues are deep internal pockets of fluid and numbness, something that only rest will help to cure.

Without the RV we have no cooking facilities either. We have basic snacks (very unhealthy ones at that) and only cold water to make the porridge. There are no other options until we leave the highway and head towards bigger towns nearer to the finish line.

Aside from the pain in his feet, Mark started the day feeling very positive. Finding a sneaky sachet of Cherry Active had helped to relieve some of the aches experienced on the previous day. The meeting points were now planned to be further apart at 10 miles (or wherever I could safely park) which would push Mark that little more to make it to the car. As ever, the messages of support continued. Many were concerned about sleeping in the car overnight rather than being checked into a hotel/motel. This isn't something that we have avoided, trust me if there was a more comfortable option then we would be jumping right in. The only thing not supporting us was the logistics. As mentioned earlier, until we head closer towards bigger towns then there are no other options. One of Mark's sponsors, Chapman Ventilation (you might recognise the name from the daily weather updates) kindly offered to pay for us to stay overnight in a hotel wherever possible. Initially Mark declined, any potential monies must always go directly to the two charities. They then clarified that they would equal match the cost of the hotel meaning that The Children's Foundation and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation would still receive a donation. An incredibly generous offer. A good nights sleep makes such a huge difference to Mark's running day, and at this stage of the run we really need him on top form to reach the finish line in Shellharbour. If we could find a hotel for the evening then we would very gratefully accept the offer.

The Hume Highway was much quieter at the start of day 80, potentially less people heading out of Sydney post New Year's Eve. A great start to the day, it was cooler and cloudy meaning that the conditions were favourable, a good running surface on the hard shoulder was also a great help too:

“The road surface on the #humehighway is nice and flat concrete. It's like running on carpet. Pure luxury.”

"#humehighway getting busier. Will update later. Please tune in to @garyandlisareal on Friday morning UK time for full update."

"83 miles to the finish line. Running very strong this morning. Attacking all the climbs. #ifeeltheneed #theneedforspeed"

In the meantime I had managed to find a rest area around the 10 mile meeting point. I drove ahead knowing that Mark would be a few hours until he reached me. I used this time to work my way through a full inbox of media queries and requests for interviews with Mark. Two hours later I was just finishing a call with the BBC and Mark emailed to say that he had already passed. 10 miles before 9am and he was still going strong, incredible!

At midday Mark reached the services at a town called Goulburn. Here they had a beautiful bakery with some amazing (and naughty) food on offer. Naturally Mark chose the pie option, but to be fair there wasn't a huge selection that would help to quickly replenish the calorie deficit – needs must on this one I'm afraid!

“20 miles done. Time for a pie in #goulburn. That was one of the quickest morning sessions of the entire tour.”

Shortly after the lunch break Mark complained of feeling sick and dizzy. He was adamant that he was going to get back out on the road. I was very firm on this one and wouldn't let him back out of the car until he drank some ice cold water (hurrah for services) and had a little more time to rest. The lunch break ended up almost 2 hours, time that Mark can't afford to lose but rather that than lose concentration or consciousness. This extra time also allowed me to do a quick search on the internet to see if there would be any accommodation close to the finish point for the day. I'm pleased to confirm that there was. This would mean a comfortable bed and shower allowing Mark to relax a little and rest for more big miles ahead on day 81.

Although the day started cool, the temperature had really started to creep up by midday. It was worryingly starting to feel more like the temperatures that we experienced during the heatwave. The car was reading 39 Celsius – we hoped that it didn't get any higher.

Stopping at the services in Goulburn meant that Mark was able to take a break from running on the highway and found a route to run through the town. This presented a lot less traffic, if only for a few miles. I drove ahead to find a suitable meeting point after rejoining the highway only to find more problems. The traffic had started to increase and the highway had split into a higher and lower road. As Mark was running on the opposite carriage way to me this formed an instant barrier between us. As chance would have it a trusty truck stop appeared meaning that I could safely pull over and wait patiently for Mark to arrive.

Later in the afternoon Mark spoke once again with Gary and Lisa on the Real Radio breakfast show. If you have missed any of the interviews then you can listen again here. Gary and Lisa (and their loyal listeners) have been incredibly supportive throughout and the, now daily, calls and really do help to keep Mark's spirits high. Mark was also able to speak to ITV which, for those of you in NE England, you may have seen at some point during the evening.

Mark finished the day on 34 miles.  A good strong day of running and most certainly time for a proper sleep in a bed.  This would be vital to the big miles of day 81.  Huge thanks again to Chapman Ventilation, we were treated to a bed AND a shower – luxury!

After a quick bite to eat and treatment to Mark's feet we hit the hay ready to start a new day. 61 miles to the finish line – so very very close!

“34 miles done. 61 to the finish line. Tomorrow has got to be a massive day.”

“My right foot is in all kinds of pain. More treatment required. Oh and painkillers too!”

“Realistic outcome is now 45 miles tomorrow and 16 early on Sunday morning.”

“Or I could always repeat the last day in the USA and do 61 miles. Hmm…”

Day 79

(Thursday 2nd January - I believe that's us finally up to date!)

So, first night sleeping in the car. It was painfully uncomfortable but something that we would have to get used to.

“As sleeps go that was pretty bad. Time to hit the #humehighway again.”

Day 80 started just after 7am, it was a lot more difficult for Mark to get going after some contortionist movements to get a suitable sleeping position in the car. Mark also complained of aching, more than likely as a result of being unable to locate the Cherry Active. This product has continued to amaze Mark leaving him ache free day after day. Until now.

A fairly early start on the highway meant that the traffic was light. In addition to this positive, the running surface for Mark was great as was the wide hard shoulder that he was running on. The aim for today was to reduce the mileage to less than 100 to the finish line in Shellharbour.

“Lots of flies, lots of climbs, lots of numb areas in my feet but lots of generosity too to the 2 charities. #allgood uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun”

By 09:30 Mark reported that he had completed his first 10 miles:

“First 10 miles done. #humehighway getting busier but I feel very safe on the wide hard shoulder.”

“My feet only have another few days left in them. The area around my previously fractured ankle is quite sore too.”

“I'm going to take painkillers for the 1st time in 2 weeks just to take the edge off the pain.”

“Otherwise, I do feel strong. I've just hit what I think is the high point of the run so far at 2100 ft.”

During the last 5 weeks in Australia I have closely monitored Mark's intake of painkillers. Before I arrived I was worried that the amount he had been taking could potentially have long term consequences. Luckily with the treatment provided to his feet there has been less and less need for  these painkillers. I must stress that Mark is only taking these when the pain is severe. Mark continues to run through the standard pain in his feet that he his faced with on a daily basis.

“The climb out of #yassvalley has taken me to 2400ft. Surely it's mostly downhill from here.”

"123 miles to go"

So, the challenge of the Hume Highway continued. Mark once again faced with the dangerous oncoming traffic and me trying to find suitable parking spots to meet him. Parts of the highway have the central reservation filled with trees so it can be quite difficult to try and check the other side of the road where Mark is running. Ideally I need an area on his side so that he is not adding further risk having to cross the busy highway. As if these worries weren't enough the sound of the highway patrol sirens were enough to turn my stomach; has something happened to Mark? Have they stopped Mark to say he can't run on the highway so the run is over? When you have tonnes of time on your hands parked up in a car it's hard not to fear the worst! Thankfully neither of these occurred.

There were limited tweets and pictures for the remainder of the day.  On a road so so busy it was imperative that Mark stayed focussed on watching the oncoming traffic and being ready to make a move should he be faced with any danger.

At 19:30 Mark called it a day on 33 miles. He had complained of pain his foot for most of the day which we assumed was just the old wounds reacting after the Christmas break. To my horror this was not the case – foot watch was back! Mark's sock was filled with blood, just as much as I was filled with dread thinking about having to treat his feet again! It appeared that a new toenail (if you can even call it a toenail) had grown through looking very nasty and deformed (think of a burnt cornflake) and had aggravated the adjacent toes causing quite a nasty cut.

I cleaned Mark's feet the best I could, as much as I cursed the RV it would have been so much easier to move about in if it was still on the tour. Nevertheless we got there and I added an overnight dressing in hope that this would prevent any infection from occurring.

Aside from all of these bad things, the absolute positives were that donations were still being made and there were now only 95 miles left to the finish line at Shellharbour.

"Ah...the 5 star luxury of the car. Extra leg room on the passenger side. :)"

“Lights out here in hotel du car. You'll not find this little gem on Trip Advisor.”