​Deputy editor Paul Wiltshire reflects on the race................

There was less than half a mile to go.

To my right, I could see a man who appeared to be the living, breathing (just) embodiment of the answer to that age-old question: who ate all the pies?

I couldn’t let him beat me.

I summoned up all my reserves of stamina, strength and determination - only for him to start walking.

Job done.

Behind me I could hear cheers for a man dressed as an ice cream cone. Sorry, Colin Hale (I know who you are because we’ve written about you), but I couldn’t let you beat me either.

As I vaguely powered my way past the Holburne Museum, I tried to catch someone else whose progress we had been following.

Dorothy House fundraiser Emily Knight was dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and accompanied by a friend dressed as a house - complete with roof-style hat.

But her red shoes were faster than mine and I didn’t catch up with her until we’d both crossed the line.

All that effort wasn’t enough to beat my previous best time - let alone my namesake colleague here at the Chronicle - and I came in at 2.24, which was a bit pants.

But it was a great day, with conditions almost perfect.

Once again, Newbridge did us proud.

So thanks to my neighbours standing at the bottom of Chelsea Road, the various student houses booming out motivational music (as well as the one pumping out classical tunes - very Bath), the dozens of kids high-fiving, the lone guitarist and the man standing in the road urging us on with the message ‘you’ve come too far to stop now.’

I’ll see you all again next year.