Kay K The Okay Runner: Doing the impossible #401challenge

Yesterday was a tough, inspiring, painful yet bloody brilliant day.

For anyone who doesn't know what the 401 challenge is, it's a fantastic chap called Ben who is running 401 marathons in 401 days. Why? Well, a couple of reasons.

Firstly, he wants to raise a quarter of a million pounds for two fantastic charities which both do great work that is close to his heart. The first is Kidscape and the other Stonewall, both charities which aim to stamp out bullying, inequality and support those affected by such things.

Secondly - and I only heard him saying this yesterday - because people said it was impossible.

So there we have it, an impressive mission and something I absolutely couldn't pass up the opportunity of being part of when he was local for the last time in the challenge yesterday. Earlier in the week I decided to abandon the idea of the 11 miles I needed for my training plan this weekend in favour of the 7.5mile loop of clumber park with Ben before he headed off for the rest of the marathon. (Any more than 7.5 miles and I'd be running away from my car, which is why I didn't just plan to join him for 11).

This all changed when I got out of my car at Clumber Park and got chatting to a lady from my running club who I'd never met before. Talking about our training schedules and how we both wanted to do a couple more than the 7.5, we decided we'd carry on with the route then double back when we'd done the extra few miles. Great plan.

However, it was impossible not to be inspired by the atmosphere once we'd got going with the first stage (the fantastic Clumber Parkrun) Helen and I hatched a plan. We'd do the 7.5 mile loop, then shift our cars around so we could rejoin the group at mile 15 (which just so happened to be at a fantastic ice cream parlour) and carry on for the next 5 miles to Walesby Camp - a place which means a heck of a lot to me and has millions of happy memories. Sorted!

Well, turns out the inspiration turned into some kind of madness and as time went on we thought we'd add an extra stop then realised we may as well just leave one car at Clumber Park and do the whole of the afternoon leg of the marathon (11.4 miles of it!!).

I'm conscious that I'm waffling on now, so I'll try and rein it in.

After a lovely few hours in the sun at Thyma Dairy, we set off on our afternoon jaunt though the north notts countryside surrounded by a fantastic bunch of runners. I've never had the pleasure of running with such a polite, friendly and motivating bunch of strangers! We all genuinely wanted each other to do well, and the support between us all was like nothing I've ever experienced - all led by this fantastic man who was on day 348 of this 'impossible' task.

I'm not going to say it was a complete pleasure, those last few miles were the hardest I've ever done. Yet we all kept smiling as we asked each other what the hell we were doing and just as I started to think my legs would never be my friend again we were at the finish, Ben and my new friend Helen's beaming faces welcoming us! When I totted up the two halves on my Tomtom I couldn't believe it when I saw I'd done 18.9 miles! A personal best by 8.9 miles and something I'd have thought impossible for me!

All in all it was a great day, and an experience I'd never forget. Please please, check out Ben's website, and, more importantly his Virgin Money page. Every little really does help!

Here are a few snaps from the day.. if I'd have known about all the photos I'd have been in the make-up bag yesterday morning!