In the car with three of our parishioners we made our way to Manchester with a mixture of excitement, nerves, and our own private thoughts and goals that we wanted to achieve. We had a team of ten running altogether. Setting off at 10.15am were John and Kim Imseson, Andrew Cookson, Mark Stinchon, Matt Coppock and myself. Setting off at 11.00 were Paul Stinchon, Mike Hadfield, Ann Mannion and Janet King. It was great to have such a good team together under the banner of Holy Saviour Parish which was so well supported by the parishioners. So many people had wished us well before the race now we just had to do it!

On the way to the start line we called in at the Charity Village in what used to be called the G-Mex Centre. Here there were lots of different charities setting up support stalls for people who were running in aid of a particular charity. Having raised money in the past for the Alzheimer's' Society I was glad to see them represented as well as many other very important causes. This set the scene for the day: thousands of people running for millions of other people. No wonder this is such a special and moving event for all who are involved in it in any way.

At the CAFOD stall we were greeted and looked after by Catherine and Helen who had the nightmare task of trying to co-ordinate applications for the sixty five runners taking part for CAFOD. There were to be a hundred people due to run but thirty five had dropped out after the deadline. I am sure they all had genuine reasons but it must have been very frustrating for the CAFOD organizers but they certainly didn't let it show. My heart sank when I introduced myself and one of the organizers said 'Oh you have an asterisk after your name so we have to interview you after the race.' Just what I needed!

The six of us due to set off at 10.15am made our way to the starting area about an hour before, trying to balance water stops with toilet stops. When we arrived on Portland Street there were thousands upon thousands, twenty eight thousand altogether apparently of people there. Some aerobics instructors on a large scaffold led a mass warm up which I think was meant to be easy but I found it harder than the race itself as it involved multi tasking in a way I'm not used to. I think more people bumped into each during the warm up than the race itself but it was good to stretch!

I looked at my watch and though progressively: I would be opening up church by now; I would be setting things up on the altar and saying hello to people by now; and by the time I was thinking that I would normally be outside on the steps greeting people for Mass it was time to begin.

I set the timer on my watch, switched my iPod on to Taizé chants and I was away. The first kilometre was slow as people tried to find space to run and I knew as I checked my watch at the one kilometre marker I would have to pick up the pace. I did this almost too much in the second kilometre but then settled down to try and reach my target: under fifty minutes. For the first few kilometres I could see Matt a way ahead but then I lost track of him as we made our way to Old Trafford with some people shouting 'Chelsea' as we went round the ground (which was a touch insensitive the day after the FA cup).

Throughout the rest of the race, as well as trying to keep to less than five minutes a kilometre I was struck by the number and variety of people running for different charities and in particular with people who were running in memory of somebody who had died. Whenever I overtook someone there was no sense of doing better rather a hope that they would keep going too. And there were plenty who overtook me and that didn't worry me either. Instead I felt part of a river of human compassion that flowed through the streets of Manchester powered by the talents given to us by God being used for the good of others.

There were plenty of people in fancy dress including a Scooby Doo which I hoped my nephews wouldn't spot because if they did then they would want Uncle Chris to do it as Scooby Doo next year! As I reached the last kilometre I knew that I had six minutes left if I was to make it in less than fifty minutes and with the thought of being interviewed and having to appear in the Nelson Leader again I just about made it (my official time was 49 minutes exactly).

As I walked from the finish line the Taizé music in my ears blasted out an Alleluia and a chant praising God and I fully agreed! My family had come to support me but we had missed each other so I made my way back to the charity tent where the other runners gradually came in. It was great to see that everyone had done so well. John (who could have easily done a very fast time) had kept pace for Kim who ran for the first time; Mark and Andrew who ran for the first time both posted very good times; as did Matt who had also made it possible for us to run in the first place. Mike came in with a time he was very happy and pleasantly surprised with; Paul ran it in forty eight minutes which is great; and Janet and Ann who had never done anything like this before put in a fantastic performance and did it in good time too!

There were lots of photos and it was good to meet up with some of the members of St/ Augustine's University Chaplaincy where I had been previously and run with before. A good friend of mine who I do a lot of walking with, Fr. Robin Colpman, who was running for the first time put in a very good performance as did Fr. Christopher Dawson who I used to share a house with at St. Augustine's. Apparently the photograph of the three of us has made the back page of The Universe and the front page of the Diocesan web site!

Then it was time to be with my family who had come along to support me: my mum and dad, my sister Therese, my brother in law Tom, and my youngest nephews Ben, Jack and Deon who had been busy waving CAFOD flags! We had a celebration lunch and yes they had spotted Scooby Do and yes they did think I could run dressed like that next year. I admire their faith in their uncle. All being well I will run again and all of our team feels the same way but I think I will leave fancy dress to the experts.

A big thank you to all the runners in our team, to all who have sponsored us or supported us in any way and to the organizers at CAFOD. It really is worth being part of if you can!