The Day (Part Two)

Part Two

As we headed onto the New Castletown Road towards Santon there was my support driver Adam, Camera poised at the ready and snapping away, although we were only a few miles in it was good to see a familiar face in the crowds of people that line the streets.
With Santon under our belts at a nice comfortable speed we crossed the road at the Blackboards and headed up the hill, as we did this I could smell Sausages in the air! It smelt amazing, I was quite wary of what I would take at the roadside as I had a plan of sandwiches before Peel, Chips at Peel and Soup thereon after.  As we got closer I could see a man with a tray of hot sausages calling out "come on chaps have sausage"
Now I don't really know how to put this but I do like a sausage, a good quality sausage is hard to beat.
This chap just purely had sausages not in buns or bread just sausage.  As I got closer I could see that they looked of good quality so I tucked in and had a couple accompanied by a bottle of water from the stand, there were also oranges, bananas but I turned the fruit down this time.
And that's the thing "Turned it down this time!"  I was told that there would be people stood at the roadside handing out sweets, fruit, chocolate bars, water, drinks and sausage obviously!!! Not having done the Parish before or having really anything to do with it until this year I was sceptical about the amount of people between Douglas and Peel at the roadside.
I have changed my view totally of the public since Saturday, it was unbelievable how generous, kind, supportive and the sense of total community spirit on this Island which puts it apart from anywhere else, I was just overwhelmed by the support from mile one to eighty five!! There were people stood corner after corner all offering words of encouragement by either clapping, cheering or just saying "you can do it!" that was sometimes enough to keep going.
With a Band playing as we reached Malew in 3hrs 27mins it was all going well then as we headed towards Arbory my left sole started to heat up!! This got progressively more uncomfortable as we passed Arbory 3hrs 55min.  Just as I was going to phone Adam for a jacket as it had started raining and a compeed to quell this irritation I saw him driving passed, we hadnt arranged to meet until after the Sloc so I was happy he was around the area.  He stopped I dried my foot placed a compeed on it got a light rainproof jacket and continued passing a work colleagues house who had promised me a Mars when I decided to do the parish.
There were lots of people at Rushen and we got there at 4hr 35mins.
Then it was time for uphill of Ballakillowey the Sloc and the highest point of the course, we had no issues at all with this point of the course and were soon passing people left right and centre feeling strong as we hit the Round Table and the beer tent!!! This is the first time that I have declined a free beer instead I had a cup of Soup and a chicken sandwich from Simons wife who was waiting there before our descent towards Patrick.
Nothing really to report between there and Peel which we made in 7hrs 56mins.
As we were approaching Peel Adam told us that the chip shop was shut, gutted I was looking forward to Chips on the walk out of Peel.  Team Member Mark called his wife and arranged for her to make oven chips and get them out to us, We met all our support vehicles just outside Peel for a change of clothes, refilling liquid and protein bars.  The chips were Lush and thank you to Mrs N for sorting them they hit the spot.

Off to Kirk Michael we headed and the second part of the Parish for me anyway.  I took this as the real race, Douglas to Peel a mere warm up, Peel to Lezayre the race itself and Lezayre to the finish a cool down! well that's how I read it before the day!!!
All the roads from Peel to Douglas I had covered more than once in training apart from Laxey to Douglas but I kind of figured if I got to Laxey it was never going to be in doubt that I would finish it!!
As we got into Kirk Michael I could hear shouting and cheering coming from The Mitre.  There were a couple of people in front of us that I could see and as I approached the pub I could hear people shout over "Come on Amy"  I thought it was local support for a local girl, then this group shouted over to a male can called his name, coincidence maybe????
As I glanced over I noticed that the group outside the pub were all dressed as punks and had obviously been drinking for a long time one of them had a race programme.  I could then hear "Anthony give us a wave!" and "Anthony stick your fingers up!" So not to disappoint them I gave them the V's and they loved it, cheering and clapping!! This made me chuckle for ages, little things like that stick in your mind and motivate you.

Part three to follow including Ballaugh - Andreas
KRO