Arriving jet-lagged and exhausted from a long transatlantic flight I received a text from my team leader reminding me we were due to run the Wilmslow half marathon in 48 hours.

As the founder of Animal Support Volunteers she’s a persuasive lady, any excuses from me would have been futile. In any event good honest people had sponsored me to raise money for distressed and abandoned animals. I wasn’t about to let them down.

I arrived for the race promptly at 9 am as instructed and while my two lady team members were kitted up and ready to go our esteemed team leader was nowhere to be seen.

We started the race like a heard of stampeding bison only thinning out after the first two miles. Despite my long absence from distance running I surprised myself with a quick time through nine miles before disaster struck.

An excruciating groin strain suddenly reduced me to an ungainly jog but as my team leader (where was she?) frequently said, it was for a very good cause.

The next hour was purgatory as I staggered, hobbled and stumbled my way through the last four miles.

As the finishing line approached I began to hallucinate.

I had a vision of my team leader standing on the corner in pyjama bottoms scoffing a balm cake.

Imagine my surprise when she sprinted off in front bounding across the line like a Thomson’s gazelle while I limped home ashen-faced and lifeless.

Pain and fatigue can play tricks on the mind so I never gave the apparition another thought until the following day when I read the official results. My revered leader who had been missing at the start and absent for all but the last 200 yards of the race recorded a faster time than me.

We raised almost £2,000 and sponsorship money is still rolling in.

A lot of distressed animals will be eternally grateful.

Thank you for your amazing support (I shall always wear it).

The views expressed are Vic Barlow’s and not necessarily those of the Express