Bob Hayward & Nick Baldock have now run 22 consecutive marathons out of the 34 it will take to get to John O’Groats from Land’s End and in doing so have covered over 450 miles. This is all in aid of Podge the 13 year old boy who was so badly burnt in an attack last May.

Most of us have done it, missed a road sign and gone merrily unwittingly way off track, no problem when you are in a car but when you are on foot and the support vehicle has gone the right way, oops very costly in terms of energy and time. Having stopped to admire the town of Galashiels they followed the road out of town enjoying the sun and light breeze on their backs, Ian their driver assures them there was a sign, in any case they didn’t see it. They had gone about 7 miles and were thoroughly enjoying their run, for a change. The conversation had drifted on to a previous run Nick had done 23 years before and how he at that moment had a strong sense of “dj vu”. They were on a down hill stretch with a left hand curve into a roundabout, a pub, a village shop and a few houses. “Bob, I really remember this, wow!” – The closer to the roundabout that they got the more worried Bob got. All he could see was a sign showing A72 to the left & B710 to the right and when they were supposed to be on the A7 that is rightly a little disconcerting. “Bob, trust me, I’ve been here before ... ” – Sorry Nick he just had to check. The lady in the village shop was great, shocked by what they were doing and amazed that they were on this road as it went to Glasgow and they were aiming for Edinburgh. The lady was also very generous, 5 for Podge and clear directions for the runners, only two miles to get back on the correct road! Great, just what they enjoy, more running.

Ian, the driver, enjoyed that phone call, they’ve lost their way, they’ll meet up with you somewhere on the A7, not sure where they’ll be, cause you’ve got the map. It’s hard to humble when you are nearly perfect (yeah right) but they certainly felt a little put out at that moment as Ian had “seen the sign.”

The B road they were on was a single track road so even when Ian had worked out where they were it was easier for them to run back out to the A7 and then “add the miles” on to the northerly distance they are totalling each day. Ian decided to cheer them up, so prepared a breakfast feast with eggs, beans, bacon, sausage and toast for when they finally showed up.

The run seemed longer and harder for some reason that day, a real slog, with extra wind (from them). And what did they get for their labours, another camp site for the night, with real showers and a generous land lady who gave us 20 – thank you Margaret of the Lothianbrdige Caravan Park at Newtongrange.

They ate outside that evening, picnic table, chicken in sauce, red wine to drink and the required green vegetables for nutrients plus the company of thousands of midges and flies – thank you Scotland.