.The finish area was pretty but chaotic, with runners forced to queue at stalls to put their goody bags together themselves, and dip their commemorative mugs into buckets for post-race water. Add to this the £1 fee for checking bags in, £10 for a massage and a

- was on the petite side: five portable loos, male and female changing areas in large tents labelled 'Hen' and 'Rooster', and a refreshments van bearing the promise 'Tasty Thymes'. But a second look revealed a well-stocked post-race fuel station, free massages

.The rest of the day passed in a procession of taping, massage, ice baths, dinner and figuring out fascinating logistical conundrums for tomorrow's adventure such as: 'Since the Barnsley Holiday Inn does not have ice machines, is there a supermarket nearby