John O'Groats to Lands End - Day 17 Early Afternoon

It just came on to rain. More often than not I would keep running through it but I felt like a break so I've stopped for a pot of tea at the Clovenfords Hotel, Clovenford. Not having anything to eat. The Whistle Stop breakfast, wonderful though of was, made for slow progress this morning and I'm only really getting up to speed now. I'll just have the tea then batter on along to Galashiels and Melrose.

Was getting philosophical before the rain came on.

Endurance running is a thing of the body, mind and spirit, the trinity of self. The trinity of wholeness and health. That is the revelation of running, that these three things are the same.

Run well, my brothers and sisters. Run the Road to Endorphia and hear the jingling, joyful laughter of the cosmos.

I am simply buzzing with endorphins today. What a blast.

Clovenfords Hotel has tourist music playing; a high blown, swollen, positively gouty version of the Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond. It's hilarious.

On the wall opposite is a Victorian print of musket wielding highlanders fighting in the Crimea. Outside is a big statue of Sir Walter Scott. For some reason it's all incredibly funny.

These are some good endorphins.