Passing through Audlem

At yesterday afternoon's Community Projects meeting – it's part of the Audlem Plan – one member, Monique Hollinshead, mentioned a recently published book about running from John o'Groats to Land's End.

As Monique has recently cycled that distance, albeit going uphill from a Land's End start, the otters at the meeting took note and paid attention.

The book, she said, was called 'Road to Endorphia' by John Donnahue and it was published last year. His run took him through Audlem which was described thus:

"I have been mostly walking today with very little running. In Audlem there is a series of fifteen locks. It's about nine in the evening when I get there, tired and dehydrated. I am really craving chocolate and pop into a canalside pub to see they can sell me any.

"No chocolate so I order a pint of fresh orange and 3 packets of plain crisps. I find a table out of the way of all the young people busy turning alcohol into stupidity and plug in my iPhone for a recharge.

"I finish my crisps which of course aren't enough. The table hasn't been cleared from an earlier meal and on a plate in front of me are four of the biggest, fattest chips I have ever seen. I mean, these are big chips, wedges really, and they are just going to waste. Before I know it I am chip pilfering. They are beautiful. I shiver in a delicious cold potato ecstasy."

An unusual meal in an unamed Audlem pub – but the clue is in the photo – but well worthy of note on such a long-distance run. And occasionally it's good to read how others see us!

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