The post race shuffle!!

RAR!!

Evening all, off for dinner in a bit, ansum :)

Ahh the run-still in my memory, legs okay now. Been looking at the photos and videos on me phone and it makes me smile. The Cornish maltesers are shining!!

I am sooo gonna do it again!!

So after all the pool side relaxing and thermal bath swimming and tanning and pool side service of drinks we went dancing. It was so much fun and I do like the music here-very bassy! ANSUM :)

Cpl wiggle and I found a dustpan and brush as you do then when we go back to the Hilton we commando rolled across the floor hehe!!!

Last night tonight as we fly tomorrow night/Weds morn so few drinks me think although we both hungover. Lovely weather again today so been chilling by the pool.

What a trip, loving it, dont wanna come home to rain and work gggrr.

Thanks again to everyone that has sponsored me and also for the good luck wishes and the congrats and the texts etc (you know who you are).

For ma girls-I wouldnt say Ive had any epiphanys but have transitioned quite a few times-esp during the run. hmm...so where next? Been looking in Runners World but I quite fancy cycling S Africa.

Right I best geddon on with me evening and go show Addis how its done. CURAHEE!!

Lotsa love

H xx

My legs hurt....

......but it was very worthwhile!! :)

Just been chatting with an Ethiopian guy that did it and he said I did well in the altitude which is good to hear from a local.

Had lovely afternoon chilling by the pool, and had dessert brought to us, FREE, ansum beers later in town :)

RAR

H xx

I DID IT!!!

RAR....I did it, yay...oh my gawd it was awesome, really really hectic....madness...cant explain....groups shouting etc and dancing in the street, a throng of 34999 people and me, hellish....what an amazing experience...I wanna do it again (not right now-legs and glutes a bit sore)...

I have some awesome pics as does Niki and I took some video on me phone as I went round-just wait til you see it.

It was so hot tho, omg, water was low etc. So packed that difficult to run and a lot of people were walking and hard to get past. It was frustrating as I wanted to run more...my legs were there, I had it in the tank cos Ive trained hard for this.
It was funny at one point as some bloke was poking out his tin shack with a hose and people were getting cooled down so I thought "why not" and got hosed down-that helped a lot!!

I reckon I came in in the top third and was approx 1hr 40 which apparently is very respectable at this altitude-I would say that it takes away 25% of your fitness, AT LEAST!!

So at the Hilton pasta party last night had some food and a beer and then they announced that Haile Gabrielle Selaisse (cant spell it) was coming, I screamed with excitement!! Then I got to meet him and got a pic with him-how awesome is that? Im sooooooooooooooooooooo chuffed, he is amazing!! :)

Forgot a few things from before. Niki and I had to wear these scarves in the churches etc, so funny, we were doing an Angelina Jolie I think hehe. Wait til you see the pics!! RAR!!

I cant remember what the other thing is...

Anyway...my online sponsorship page is open til 21/12/10 and of course I will take other methods of payment.

I am so sad that it is over-I have to say it was my fave run Ive ever done (ok have only done 4 but hey it was AMAZING!!) Proper Africa!!

What an experience...gonna go sit by pool now.

Lotsa love

H xx

Its almost time....

.....its so hot here, been sat on me sun lounger sipping smoothies and erm smoking....
Its gonna be tough tomorrow but I know that the crowd and the other 34999 runners will carry me onwards!! YAY!! :)

Its gonna be nad too-loose goats in the road etc. Hellish yesterday en route to the mountain there was these donkeys coming down with grass on them and they looked like big puffs of fluff, Niki and I were cracked up!!

I cant believe Im in Ethiopia...madness.....its proper Africa if that makes sense. Tin shacks and the like. Whilst laying in bed this morn tho I had a thought and compared it to Asia and Asia wins...thats where my heart lies (oh and in Cornwall aswell)!!

I know Im gonna be very emotional tomorrow too...its such a thing to do and without bragging Im very proud of meself. I'm pleased to be raising money for the RBL and Ethiopiad.

Ooh speaking of the RBL, my taxi driver on Weds morning drinks in the Exeter RBL and invited me down to meet the war veterans-NVA I think-proper D-Day hero's...awesome..I'd love that, few beers with the ole boys, ansum :)

No commando rolls yet but plenty of comedy moments as you can imagine. Niki managed to almost get us locked out of our safe aswell....had to call the manager and the man with his box...hellish...we got it working tho PHEW :)

Argh 11 mins left on me timer.....ok boring comment but the Hilton is very nice and I will meet the other international runners tonight at the "pasta party"....

Right, offski now to go and retreive Niki from the poolside and get some water in prep for tomorrow. I am hoping to be able to update around 10am maybe UK time tomorrow......

Blimey.......

Laters

H xxx

So we are here...goats and all :)

Hi all

First off lack of time so typo's apologies. Sat in the Hilton business centre on a limited time ticket argh...

So flight was fine, Niki and I managed to almost get attacked by a load of suitcases on the moving walkway at Heathrow and screamed...then we saw pink lights and set our lil Hettie and Henry hoovers across the floor at T3 hehe ;)

No sleep on flight so zombies yesterday. Ansum thermal pool-42degrees, omg like a bath so sat on sun lounger reading WW1 book sipping smoothies, ansum :)

We almost got stuck in the lift, Niki has been attached to a seat and we sat at the wrong table at breakfast.....Niki has also almost been run over several times....despite shouts of "NIKI"!!!

So back to yesterday, sorry all over ze place but lack of time etc....

We had a wander down to Meskal square last night and got accosted by a nice young man and went for a coca cola and saw the big screen where they watch the P'ship, hellish, see them go. Last night was an early night.

Today we have been up to the Entoto mountains and the smell of the eucalyptus trees were AMAZING!! Also went to churches, museums etc and and the Merkato market. ANSUM but shopping. Got a new dress.

Had a lovely pizza for dinner tonight and a beer. Also been to the gym in the hotel and did 2K-the altitude is not too bad - bit outta breath but ok. Collected my t-shirt, bright yellow, see me coming....well maybe not in amongst 34999 other people. I am well up for the run-CURAHEE!!

hehe I kid you not goats are roaming free as we thought and donkeys. Got lotsa pics already :)

ok msg's
Bro-love you and thanks for an amazing wall post
Sy-Niki is being just as silly out here
Everyone on fb and following this-THANK YOU!!! :)
T-made your mind up yet sweeties?
PK-love you, hope you well :0
Mandz-hugs for H

Rar, over and out for now :)

Will update again 2moro probably

Lotsa love

H :)

Its almost time....

....to depart.....this time tomorrow I will be Heathrow bound to start another amazing adventure and journey!! I'm very excited and nervous all at the same time.

Thanks so much to everyone that had sponsored me:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/helenrunsethiopia

I know I wont win the run but its the taking part, is the money raised and the personal pride that count! RAR!! :)

Its gonna be mad running with 34,999 other people. There are only 200 international runners so I will mainly be running with Ethiopians. What an experience!! I hope the altitude wont make it too hard. Its certainly not a run to get a best time in-I will afterall be at half the height of Everest base camp-the highest capital city in Africa!! CURAHEE!!

My next update will hopefully be from Addis Ababa, yeah man :)

Thanks for all the good wishes by the way, it certainly spurs me on.

Finally a BIG thank-you to Niki for coming with me and being such a star!! Loves you xx

H x

Its getting close.....

......well it certainly is, we fly 1 week tomorrow. The flight times have changed slightly. I will be meeting Cpl Wiggle at Heathrow-yikes, comedy scetch no doubt heehee ;)

So all is cool I think, all booked, still trying to book the your tho...ccaaammmaann Tony!!

Update again soon

H x