Day 8 - Bitten!

My hopes for sleep last night, were not realised! I was awake half the night itching all over following being bitten really badly by Scottish Midgies. I was told that they are really bad here. I prepared with midgey spray, but these little buggers are hardy and apparently bite through things they aren't supposed to like! Me and Pam are getting attacked, I'm guessing we taste nice! Cat, on the other hand only has one bite so far! 🤣

So following a restless night, I was up at 6.30am, and at the starting point for 8. I knew the start was going to be difficult. We had looked at the maps all evening. There was only one road I could do! It was going to be a little kick up at the start (how Cat explained it!). Then a nasty downhill. So I prepped myself the best I could. But within seconds I was at the 'kickup' which was a really steep climb on a huge camber. It wouldn't have been possible yesterday on the rain. So I'm glad I stopped when I did. It was really tough, but short. Then it was straight into a very large, steep hill. I got a few km up and felt a nasty twinge in my chest! I stopped, and realised I've pulled my pecs! Both of them. It's what can happen if you don't warm up properly before doing hard stuff. I should have turned back before the 1st hill and had a good warm up, but we were on a very busy road, half way up a hill. So I'd have had to ask to get back in the car, drive down the hill, just to wheel a bit, and then go back to the start point! That wasn't going to happen. Plus, I didn't know the hill was so close. But on the plus side, it's just a strain, and although sore, I managed to keep wheeling alright. 💪

After the big up hill, was a massive down hill. Wow, that was steep. I was hanging on for dear life. I have never been down a hill that steep before. I burnt through 2 pairs of gloves. They were so hot that when I changed them, they filled the car with a smell of burnt rubber! My wheelchair has no breaks. So I basically use my hands to break. On a hill like that, it's so tough. My forearms were burning, my hands were cramping and burning, and I was terrified. I couldn't lose control even for a moment, or the outcome would have been catastrophic. So I hung on. I managed to stop myself from going over 6kmph. Which is the point of no return on a steep decline. If I went faster, I may not regain control. So I just has to hand on. 🙏😫

Eventually, approximately 10km later, I reached the bottom of the hill. I was so relieved. It was just as hard as going up some big hills, and more terrifying!

After that, we went past the lovely B&B we stayed in. Then through the town on the far side of Loch Ness. It was then onto fast roads. 60 mph roads. Safety was the main concern there. So I kept in constant contact with the support car. I was in contact with them moat of the day. It was sa main arterial route with a lot of busses, coaches, and lorries who were all going to want to overtake me. So we had to be careful.

The day was another very tough one for me. Lots of steep climbs and cambers again. Some down hills, which were nice, but they were then taken up by immediate up hills.

The scenery was amazing. Loch Ness is just massive. It's like wheeling past an ocean. There were so many little waterfalls down the cliff side. It was a very cloudy day. I wonder how spectacular the view would be in the sun? I was not going to fund out though, as half way through the day, the rain started again, and it was pretty hard. Fortunately it only lasted for about half an hour and then went. But for that time I was totally soaked! 🤣

The day carried on much the same as the beginning. Ups and downs of hills and then all of a sudden, I felt a very familiar pain. My stump began to spasm and the pain increased to 10 /10. My CRPS was kicking off into a spectacular flare. Basically this feels like my stump is on fire. No joke! Then on top was the neuroms, which were firing non stop. This was basically like being stabbed over and over! Every time I exerted any effort, the pain came (so all the time!). There was nothing I could do, other than to keep wheeling, and shouting out in pain! Luckily no one could hear me! I hope!

The flare never let up. It carried on all day, and night. It has eased a bit now. It is 23:00 right now and I have to be up very early again!

I wheeled through a lovely village. I think it was Loch Ness? The people were amazing. They were clapping and cheering as I went through. I'm not sure how they found out about the event? As far as I know, it's not even in the media here. But they were amazing. Really kind and super supportive. It really spurred me on. I wheeled right through this amazing place. I knew I didn't have much longer to go. Then I got the bad news. The road ahead was so busy, that it was too dangerous to stop when I needed to. So I ended up wheeling 43.5km. So only 1.5km longer than necessary. But when your in that much pain, it's really tough!

When I finished for the day, we drove to the B&B. A beautiful farm in the middle of nowhere. 3 lovely houses all together. We are in a beautiful house together. It is really lovely inside. Very farm house. Quite small, but more that enough room for us 3.

The other complication today is medication. I had to have my bowel meds again. I didn't have these until 5.30pm. We started a bit late! So I couldn't eat my tea until 22.15pm. Which us when the meds decided to work. I can't eat when its working or it doesn't work properly and the nausea is worse. So I had to wait. I hate eating that late. And especially that late when I've trained so hard. I need fuel to recover properly so that tomorrow, I have the energy needed to complete the day. Now I'm not sure that I will?

Tomorrow should be fun though. We are at our 1st rugby club after my marathon. I'm hoping for less hills! Always hoping for that! 🤣 But despite the difficulties, it was another good day.

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