I am humbled

I have no hint of disappointment or regret, but I have been humbled.

I am humbled by the dedication of my pacers. Each pacer to a man did their absolute best to get me round. I can't pick one out from the 11 who made a greater contribution because each one did their absolute best for me, including the 2 mates of pacers I had not meet before. Some of the conditions on top were horrible making navigation and herding/feeding/clothing a Clive a challenge. Stu, Steve (who I called Chris for most of leg 1, sorry), Dave, Dave, Andy, Mark, Sam, Andy, Dave, Jim, Paul, Mark, other than the weather and struggling to eat I would have not changed a thing.

I am humbled by my long time climbing partner Tim who climbed down to rope Broadstand. In the wet, both the climb and the ramp above were very tricky as the 3 of us who climbed it will testify. With only 3 minutes contact time, it would be easy to forget the extent this was above and beyond the call of duty.

I am humbled by Bryn, one of my beer drinking friend who had no clue about running, let along fell running and found the whole experience of doing the overnight road support quite curious and alien, but followed each instruction in the lengthy Clive's BGR manual to the letter with serious enthusiasm and did not get a step wrong.

I am humbled by Myra, Rowen and Andrew, who were just great in every way, despite me spending too much time with Bob for the past 3 years. What a lucky boy I am.

I am humbled by the support from people at work and encouragement from the members of the other groups who went at the same time.

I don't feel humbled by the Bob Graham Round itself. My respect for it has grown. I gave it my all, with better weather and/or a lack of stomach problems, it would have been on. For someone who inherited general purpose genetics (meaning OK at most things, but not a natural runner) I am really pleased with what I achieved and have such positive memory of what people did for me, how could I have any regret or disappointment.

I will write up a fuller report in time and some very minor lessons learned, but the tangible things that would have made a difference to the outcome that I would wish to change are the weather and my lack of ability to get calories down my neck were outside my control.

Its time for some different adventures for a bit with more family focus. Maybe I will do it again, maybe I won't, for the moment it really does not matter.