So Diva readers.

I did it!

I completed the Nike Run to the Beat half marathon that I have been training for with the almighty Team Bangs on the Run.  I did it in 2 hours and 30 minutes and I am so happy that I got round it

I am writing this from my bed office with aching hips, back, head, body, you name it. But, for that day, that glorious Autumn day yesterday with my crew – endo did not win.

After an evening meal of gluten free pasta and yumminess at Carluccios with the team on Saturday I was well fuelled up for the day. And what a day.

The signifiance of being able to complete this run was ENORMOUS to me on so many levels.

It has been 6 years since this happened, just after running a Nike 10k in Autumn, which was a huge achievement for me at the time.

I have been training hard for this, as much as my endo and fatigue would allow, and to be able to own that 13.1 miles is just magical.

I will blog more later in the week as the photos come back from Nike and I can share more of my recovery with you, but for now here’s the highlights.

Best bits:

The meal the night before, reconvening with the ladies, realising how far we have come, and delicious chocolate and almond dessert in Carluccios….ahem.

Waking up with Scribs in Docklands to a gorgeous sunrise.

The ladies all having our pic taken at the start line 10 mins before the race began. 17,000 runners, and it’s Team Bangs walking that crowd lined street on a sunny September day to the start line with pride.

Meeting Jayne in the flesh for the first time.

Sammi and her pig tails and pom poms cheering us on – injury didn’t hold her back from supporting us able to run.

Dancing in the runners pen queue with the ladies.

Running through Greenwich park.

Seeing Candice tweeting as she ran at 8 miles.

Passing Tahira keeping it real and owning that road.

High fiving kids out to cheer us on.

The water spray at mile 9.

Seeing Michelle at mile 10 and running the last bit together.

Going over that finish line and knowing I had done it.

Strangely I wasn’t elated until after the race as I felt too damned broken at first. It took a good 3 hours for the sheer pride to re-surface after my body had forgiven me slightly for pushing it so hard. I really had to concentrate from mile 10 onwards to keep putting one foot in front of the other. My knees were starting to twinge, my hips weren’t happy and I knew if I stopped I couldn’t get going again.

The sheer determination to cross the line saw me through, and I am so grateful my endo let me do it yesterday. I am suffering today but I expected it; I need to re-stock my spoons and rest up for the next challenge.

Thanks to everyone for their support, for all the tweets, emails, texts, Facebook messages, cards, donations, and everything that went into making this possible. Thanks to Miles and our family for supporting me in doing something that I hope my daughters will be proud of too, and to Auntie Sue who had the girls overnight so Miles could be with me on the day. I missed them like mad and hope they will know that mummy wants to make them proud.

Thank you Bangs, thank you Team, I love you all and you have made my year amazing. From the overweight, underconfident, depressed endo victim I am now an empowered warrior with miles under my belt.

Thanks to Nike for all your support, and thanks to Simon Fuller for sponsoring our amazing team tees.

So for the next few days I am resting and recovering, then a nice steady run at the end of the week.

This isn’t the end. It’s not the end of Team Bangs 2, not the end of my running and not the end of my ambitions.

This is just the start.