We ventured into Bologne last night and (daftly) got a little carried away putting our videos on YouTube (we'll add them here later!). As a result I didn't quite get as much sleep or take on as many calories as I might have and I consequently feared the worse for today's marathon. We ran north into Bologne, used the Sat Nav to navigate the 'busses only' challenge for a time and then turned north-west (towards Milan!) and followed a straight, flat road to the outskirts of Modena. The road was not as scenic as the mountainous regions we have passed through; in fact it was mostly factories, a high-speed train line and the odd field of maize! I ran all 26.2 miles today which was a great relief. I was expecting the sore leg to play up after 10 or 15 miles again which leaves me grinding out the remainder of the marathon with gritted teeth in the heat of the day. Today, however, the flat relief was most welcome and we completed the distance, with refuelling and loo-stops in 5 hours. With 2 miles to go and with every mile feeling like it was taking an eternity, the heavens opened and a cooling thunder storm ensued! This somehow got my adrenaline pumping and I was at the finish line, soaked through but smiling, in no time. Hannah, who has been just the most amazing support through all this, was sheltering from the downpour with a change of clothes in hand for me. I really cannot begin to thank her enough!
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