Surprise!

Forrest had taken off to spend the weekend with Orla at Hawkswick and I'd heard that he'd suffered a few setbacks. The suspension broke on his car. At a time of mild and mostly good weather, they kept being caught by heavy rain at the wrong times and places. When Roam said he was driving out to rescue them from Kettlewell, I grabbed the opportunity to get a lift out so I could run back along the Dales Way. Like the other day, I decided to start from Strid Woods, tempted to go further but exercising caution because I'm still struggling a bit with this cold that won't go away. Plus, I was invited to join everyone for a Mother's Day lunch. I was under the impression it wouldn't be good form to be late.

I turned up pretty much on time and started chatting away with Forrest in my sweaty running gear. He kept telling me to go away and have a shower. I couldn't understand why he was so keen for me to clean myself up. It's never usually a priority. Even after I came back down and Orla flashed me her ring, I still didn't clock what had happened! I'm very slow on the uptake with these things.

He'd proposed in the mist on top of Great Whernside. And she accepted! Actually, it was no real surprise as they're so good together. We'd kind of taken it for granted that they'd tie the knot pretty soon.

I was rather proud of Forrest for continuing what may become an ongoing tradition of proposing to our women on tops of mountains. We're not at all competitive, Forrest and I, but I have to point out that I have an edge of 11,949 ft on him in that respect, not that it's about height, of course. Great Whernside is a lovely little mountain and has always been special to me. It's now become extremely special to him. He'll have a very good reason to do well in the annual race to the summit and back from Kettlewell. That's likely to become another ongoing family tradition.

Congratulations guys. We couldn't be happier for you!