26.2 in 3:26

As Lin's Achilles has still not healed enough for her to resume training we have decided to take up a new sport together: Fencing!

We jumped in at the deep end and started with the regulation marathon distance of 26.2 (ft) - the length of fence that we needed to replace. The entry fee for this event was a bit steep, at £58.45 which we paid to Wickes Lumber for 50 2.4m lengths of 100x10mm feather edge board and 400g of 40mm galvanised nails which we delivered off the day before. But we already had the equipment needed, a tape measure, (slightly blunt) handsaw, and most importantly a pair of trusty hammers.

Being highly trained and hardened athletes we decided to cycle to the start (8.4 miles) and after taking down the remnants of  the diseased and dilapidated mess that used to separate our garden from next door's we were already shattered,  raring to go, and it was too soon for a break, so we dragged ourselves and tools and wood to the top of the garden and we were off! The course was fairly straightforward at first, apart from a tricky bit of sloping mud, so we made good progress to the 12 mile, I mean foot mark. Then we had to negotiate a sharp drop, down to the trampoline, and barely enough room to hammer nails in along side the retaining wall. It was hard work, but luckily a refreshment stop was provided by our neighbour Di who passed on some words of encouragement along with a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit. Much nicer than the energy drink and slime/gel sachet we usually consume during a marathon, Di even let us dump the old fence in her garden for burning later in the year if it ever stops raining, thanks again Di!.

After the drink stop, the old fence is in a heap in next door's garden behind

Then it was into the second half, and after a straightforward section, and with concentration and strength sagging we were faced with the challenging final 8 feet which required us to negotiate a curve in the line of fence, bending it around the last post, and behind the downspout and water butt. This nearly proved our undoing, but with the aid of a couple of lengths of old 2 by 4 we managed to bodge our way to the end and cross the line in a respectable 3 hours 26 minutes. Not a bad time, but the most impressive thing was that we finished having used every single piece of wood, with nothing to spare, how often does that happen!

Tadaaaaa!

We went back the next day to cover up the joins.