John O'Groats to Lands End - Day 12 Evening

Yesterday after scoffing a delicious vanilla cheesecake at the Rowardennan Hotel I continued jogging down Loch Lomondside in warm sunshine.

Arriving at Balmaha just before five I found the village shop closed. The best I could do for provisions was five Mars Bars from the Oak Inn next door.

Then up and over the challenge of Conic Hill. The last time I crossed Conic Hill was in the face of a cold wet wind-driven rain, my feet slipping and splashing over the cold soggy ground. This time was a long hot tough climb round the shoulder of the hill followed by a fun risky tumbling jog down the other side. You never climb the same hill twice.

Beyond Conic Hill it was through the forest and then past Drymen where, come eight thirty, I decided it was time to call it a day and stopped at a campsite.

I woke at four this morning to the sound of rain. I dozed on and off until nine and it never let up. It was raining all the time I was packing up and it rained from the time I got going at ten all the way down the road to Milngavie where I bought two scotch pies from a bakers shop and ate them standing in the rain. And it rained all the way down the Maryhill Road into Glasgow.

Somehow the rain had penetrated my waterproof defences by crawling over the waistband of my waterproof trousers. My trekking pants were wet. My running shorts were wet. My leggings were wet. I was wet through to the soggy marrow of my miserable bones.

I sat at a bus stop on Sauchiehall Street and became aware that the rain had stopped and the sun had come out.

The good news is that I'm now about quarter of the way to Lands End. My left foot is back to normal and my right foot is getting there. I've been going for 12 days and I've come not far short of 300 miles. That's about 25 miles a day. I projected 35 miles a day but I had to contend with two injured feet so I'm still well pleased and expect that daily average to increase.

I'm at my mum's now where I'll be taking a break for a day or two. I'll be back on the road Friday or Saturday heading further south.