Edinburgh to Stevenage 28/06/08 ~ 13/07/08Latest update:
Hi to everyone at the Portobello running club.
My name is Carole Whittingham and I am the national secretary for the organisation CADD,( campaign against drinking and driving)
I would like to offer everyone at the Portobello running club my very sincere thanks for the donation of £100 which I received via Robert Henderson last week.
As you already know Robert completed his run from Edinburgh to Stevenage recently in memory of his beloved brother Shaun. We lost our son Steven under similar circumstances to Shaun, so my family also know the devastation that drinking and driving brings.
My husband and myself had the pleasure of meeting Robert and Karen at Thirsk where they stopped after their 6th day. We then met up again with them both last weekend at the presentation of even more donations they have raised for CADD.
It is mainly due to people like yourselves that we are able to continue our work not just supporting victims, which is vital, but also campaigning for changes in the law which we know will make our roads safer for everyone. This will not bring our loved ones back to us, but will stop other families having to face the devastation and loss that Shaun’s extended family have to face on a daily basis.
God bless you all and keep up the good work!
Kindest regards
Carole Whittingham
Rab's Journey
Firstly I’d like to thank all the Porty runners who came to my fund raiser in April, everyone who donated money towards raising money for CADD’s (campaign against drinking and driving) and all the good luck wishes and support I received leading up to my run.Special thanks to my mental/mentor partner Karen Young who is the only woman/person I know who was fit enough, brave enough and mental enough to cycle the whole way with me. Grateful thanks to Douglas Young for coming to the start and taking a photo of me and some of my young supporters from Castlebrae Community High School. 8 students ran to Dalkeith High Street with us on day one.
Day 1 Saturday 28th June Comonwealth Pool to Lauder High street, 28 miles
Karen my pal Keith, Ian Campbell (HBT) and the students set off at 8.50am Graeme Henry met us on our way to Soutra Hill and ran back to Lauder where he’d parked his car. Ian left us at Dalkeith as he had a race the next day.I Enjoyed the company on day one but Graham and Keith were too fast for me on the last 5 miles as I didn’t want to empty my energy reserves on day one. Arrived in Lauder at 2.45pmDay 2 Sunday 29th Lauder to Jedburgh, 21 miles
Couldn’t run for 1st 30 minutes because a tweak in my groin that had been niggling me since Edinburgh to North Berwick was really sore. I started to panic at the thought of being injured after just one day. Ibuprofin really works as does extra groin stretches. St Boswells was beautiful as we gathered momentum into Jedburgh where we arrived soaking wet around 3pm. Brian and Val Leask at the Allerton House wouldn’t take anything for our overnight stay so we sponsored Brian who is running the great north run for a cancer charity later this year.
One good turn deserves another.
Day 3 Monday 30th June Jedburgh to Otterburn 26 miles
More hills today than the 7 Hills of Edinburgh race. The A68 is such a hilly route and Carter Bar was a hell of an effort but well worth it. It was easier jogging up the hills than Cycling and Karen did amazing to get up all the hills with about 18 to 20 kilos of gear on the panniers. Undulating roads make the miles seem longer when on a 16 day journey run and Otterburn and a pint of John Smiths couldn’t come quick enough. Arrived about 2.45pm.Day 4 Tuesday 1st July. I left about 6.45am as this was to be my longest day 35 miles of hilly roads to Castleside.
Karen saved my life with a chicken mayonnaise sandwich around 11am when she caught me up. Had lunch in beautiful Corbridge (21 miles) before an epic afternoon which saw me reach Castleside 14 miles later at 5.30pm. Karen and I were a brilliant team today and refused to allow tiredness to get the better of us. After 35 miles of hilly running under the belt nothing would stop us reaching Stevenage.Day 5 Wednesday 2nd Castleside to Darlington 28 miles
Oh no, more hills but not quite so many although Toft Hill near west Auckland on the A68 was a hell of a climb and I was high as a kite when I reached the top by 10.15am after covering 14 miles.We met Sharon Gayter (world record holder Lands End to John o' Groats 12 days 16 hours) as planned about 8 miles from Darlington. We had lunch chatted about running and she gave me a massage in her support van and I simply glided into Darlington a new man at around 3pm. Angie at the Boot and Shoe Hotel waved the accommodation charges and got 100 regulars to sign our petition.Day 6 Thursday 3rd Darlington to Thirsk 25 miles
Usual Ibuprofin intake and stretching before being able to run freely. The secret to journey running is a mixture of Mental strength, having an emotional attachment to a cause, staying hydrated (camel bag is a life saver) energy sweets (honey stinger, chewy sweets from Iso) cauld baths after every run, John Smith’s beer and Malborough Menthol fags!! Thirsk was absolutely beautiful as was Northallerton. Had fish tea with couple who run CADD followed by dinner with Sharon Gayter (chicken bhuna) after another massage and another early night.Day 7 Friday 4th july Thirsk to York 23 miles
Lovely flat country roads but traffic is murder every day and hours of concentrating to stay out the way of lorries and cars is very tiring.
Made York by lunchtime as I leave around 6.45am most mornings and tend to have four, five to ten minute rest stops.We had free coffee and cake at York Minster and a wonderful philosophical and religious conversation with a church of England paster followed by a lovely Italian meal and got bevvied in O’Neils Irish bar.
Day 8 Saturday 5th july York to Selby 16 miles .
A short day but got absolutely soaking heading towards Selby. Totally drookit but still enjoyed feeling quite mental in such horrific weather.Day 9 Sunday 6th July Selby to Doncaster 23 miles
Another early start sees me run 10 miles by around 9am. running at around 9 to 10 minute miles when on the flat and as slow as 12 to 14 minute miles when its really hilly. Met an old school and football friend Gary who lives near Doncaster (Bawtry) for a fish tea in Rothwells in Doncaster, the best fish and chips I’ve ever had. I feel like Alf Tupper. If you're male and over 40 you will know all about Alf Tupper the tough of the track.
Any similarity is purely coincidenceDay 10 Monday 7th July Doncaster to Retford. 23 miles
Traffic really busy but hills are well behind us. Arrived in Retford and our room in best western was in lovely grounds. Got a hair cut (honest) had steak pie, tatties and veg followed by a Chinese banquet. Also did another media interview - the 5th of the trip. It feels like there is real media interest in my run and CADD’s message to drivers.Day 11 Tuesday 8th July, Retford to Newark on Trent. 23 miles
I was in the zone and burning up the A1 dual carriageway towards Newark with only 7 miles to go when a police car flashed me and one of Newark’s finest said “right Sterling in the car.” I thought something had happened to Karen but “Dan” the policeman told me a number of lorry drivers had phoned the police to say there was a maniac running against the traffic on the A1 so they felt they had a duty of care to move me to the Sheffield to Newark A616 road. It’s not illegal to run facing the traffic on a dual carriageway but not advisable during busy periods!! Sandra Carr at the Grange hotel was a lovely host and didn’t charge us for the room and gave us free drinks. Karen had to attend A and E in Newark hospital as she was in a lot of pain with two different infections. She was put on antibiotics. It didn’t stop her tucking into a Chinese and a large glass of red wine.
Day 12 Wed 9th July, Retford to Grantham, 22 miles
One of the hardest days as it was only 16 miles to Grantham on the A1 but I’d given the Police my word that I’d stay off the dual carriageway. It was heart breaking after the 1st 2 miles to see the sign Grantham 14 miles when I had to run 20 on smaller but, I thought more dangerous A roads to get there. Karen’s worst day for pain as she never managed to go out to eat that night. I just plodded the whole day out knowing I was getting nearer my goal.Day 13 Thursday 10th July, Grantham to Stamford, 24 miles.
Another day of winding and more undulating but quieter roads today to stay away from A1. Just ground it out and was rejoicing with 3 miles to go when I realised I’d only 3 more days of running after today. Felt proud and emotional (as I did every day) at what I was doing.
In a bizarre way I thought that by running so far to Shaun’s home in Stevenage I might have been able to bring him back to life. Grantham was beautiful but Karen and I had a daft half hour when we argued about nothing and everything. A mixture of my fatigue, grief and Karen being unwell. We made our peace over a cafe latte then a fish and chip tea, pint of John Smiths, radio interview and an early night.Day 14 Friday 11th July, Stamford to Kettering 25 miles
Tough day, but with an early start we were able to have lunch on the outskirts of Kettering at 12 noon.Met a lovely older couple during the afternoon who invited us along to a Soul Night at their social club. I had to drag Karen off the dance floor at 10.30 to get back to our digs for a reasonably decent time.
Day 15 Saturday 12 July, Kettering to Bedford 24 miles
What a result I had thought this was a 30 mile day. But once I’d spent the 1st hour and 4 miles walk/ jogging to the A43 a sign said Bedford 20 miles. I was delighted and full of energy on the penultimate day of the biggest gig of my life. We were in Bedford by 12.15pm but because of a series of events which I will go into in my “Book” we didn’t eat till 2.40pm. I nearly died of malnutrition. Then we found out there was an all night rave/21st at our hotel with music thumping all night. At 11.30pm I spoke nicely to the manageress about our next days task and managed to negotiate most of our cash back and two sets of ear plugs.Day 16 Sunday 13th July Bedford to Stevenage 26 miles
The best running day I’ve ever had. Done 18 miles by 11.15am and we had an early lunch and waited in Hitchin for our Scooter convoy to take us to the finish in Lakelands Valley Park, Stevenage where Shaun worked. 25 of my late brother’s scooter club (Stevenage and Herts Scooter Alliance) Big Frosty and the gang stopped the traffic and closed all the roundabouts off and on the dual carriageway to make sure Karen and I were kept safe. I felt like an Olympic gold medal marathon winner as people waved and cheered and cars and scooters tooted their horns for the last 7 miles. I was considering at this point whether to run back up to Edinburgh !!!. I know, I’m mental.I will never forget seeing my children and Shaun’s children and the rest of my family at the finish. Every step was worth it.
Yours in running
Rab Henderson
Article on CADD website
Well Done Rab. Champion!
UncannyMore Alf Tupper here
Previously.....
Another Henry update...
On Saturday 5th July they are as far south as Selby which is 15 miles south of York. No problems except the hills on the A68 for the first part of the route.
Rab has matured from baby on first day to a man!!
La Domestique has a domestic.Just to let you know I ran on Saturday from Lauder to North Of Soutra Hill on Rab’s first day then ran back with Rab, Keith McCulloch, who was a professional footballer and Karen on the bike. Rab had to stop at Cafraemill for tea and a fag. He also popped a couple of pills as his knee was sare. Then 800m from Lauder he was dehydrayted and Chippy Young was phoned to come back with supplies. The Lochender and the boy from the Inch had a difference of opinion of whose fault it was. So funny to watch! Keith went ahead. Got into Lauder and Keith had run ahead and had 4 coke’s (the drink) on a bench. Keith then had a fag as the furthest he had run before was 7 Hills at 14 mile. He was wanting a cigar to celebrate a 28 miler. In the pub after we had a great laugh as I told Rab he was 300m from the finish when he threw teddy out of the pram. I am pleased to report all is going well and hopefully the traffic will not strike as we had a close one on the A68.
Updated Graham Henry
Rab on day 1I am running 25 miles per day for 16 days starting on Saturday the 28th June 2008 from Edinburgh and arriving in Stevenage on Sunday 13th July 16 days later.
Purpose: To raise awareness of the horrific results of drinking and driving and support CADD (campaign against drinking and driving) Many of you will know my brother Shaun was killed by a drink driver in Stevenage on 3/1/07. The driver was double the legal limit and is serving 1 year in prison. Shaun has 4 children so does the driver.
Sharon Gayter world record holder Lands End to John O' Groats is one of my sponsors. I have already received tremendous support and good wishes from many sources. This will be a massive emotionally charged and physically challenging journey for me.Many Thanks
Rab Henderson
We wish Rab all the best for this journey and hope all runs smoothly. Please send in any updates and they will be posted here. GO RAB!
Photos Douglas Young
