Mel's Marathon

She might not get a medal for completing her night-time runs, but the rewards were actually way better!

- JULIE DAWN BAKER

When she'd agreed to run this marathon, Mel hadn't expected it to end like this. Jogging along the seafront. Alone. In the dark. Thirsty. All a bit of an anti-climax.

She had always known there'd be no spectators lining the route, no cheering crowds at the finish line, but she'd expected a little more interest from Mark and the kids. After all, they were the ones who'd persuaded her to take on this marathon as her New Year's resolution.

However, fifteen-year-old Josh had been busy with a project - presumably, a costume for his drama course because last night her son had turned the linen cupboard upside down looking for an old sheet. And when Mel left the house tonight, she guessed seventeen-year-old Ivy had been roped in to help as the two of them were rummaging through the sewing basket.

Even Mark, who usually offered to run with her, only gave a cursory wave, and called, "Have fun!" without taking his eyes off Emmerdale - a programme he never watched!

Mel couldn't help feeling miffed that her husband was cosy indoors watching TV while she was out pounding the pavements. It was Mark who'd brought up the subject of New Year's resolutions during the family's New Year's day dinner, declaring he was going to run the Brighton Marathon.

I'm proud of you, son." Mark's dad, Ken, I had beamed at his family gathered around the table.

Ken had suffered a heart attack last summer. Thank goodness, he'd recovered well, but heart disease ran in their family, so it had been a wake-up call for Mark who'd joined the leisure centre and started running. He'd lost ten pounds and was fitter than he'd been for years.

Flushed with success and spurred on by wanting to do something meaningful for the British Heart Foundation, Mark had decided to run the Brighton Marathon.

"You signed up for the marathon last November, so it doesn't really count as a New Year's resolution," Mel had protested.