Thank you NLN, you managed to allow me to experience the true essence of the event without me having to move too far from a centrally heated radiator. Which is good, because although feeling better than last week, I'm still not back to 100%. Having survived for a couple of days on ginger nut biscuits (not just an old wives' tale, they do work) I'm only just back to what I would consider normal food.

So I've decided that with much regret, that I'm not going to do the Amble on Saturday. A 25m run in the current weather conditions is not what the Doctor would order for aiding recovery. I'm surmising this as I haven't seen him to ask, thought he'd have seen enough sick people this winter without me adding to the list. I will, however, still come down on Saturday to see you all off (again!).

TF