Next up was Corcovado Mountain where at the top of it is The Statue Of Christ The Redeemer. When I got the taxi from the Airport to my Hotel the taxi driver kept pointing to the hill and was saying Corcovado, Corcovado they are so proud of their statue and so they should be its truly amazing .There is a long spiral road taking you to the top of the hill through a forest or you can go by train I went by car. You drive through little villages to get up there which are pretty dangerous, lots of gangs and bandits. You don't really want to make eye contact with them just in case .Anyway my cab dropped me off near the top. The police would not let us go any further so we walked the rest, a very steep walk once I your near the top you jump on an outside escalator. When you get off you are at the top and the view is like nothing that I have ever seen before and don’t think I ever will .I don't know how high up you are but the planes that fly along the beach with advertising slogans behind them were flying below us don't think I need to say more. Looking at the statue the first thing you ask yourself is how on earth did they manage to get the huge stones up here, and where it is positioned it’s amazing it just doesn't fall over.

Below the statue there's a lovely little chapel inside where you go and say your prayers and light a candle. A special place to me, I said my prayers and asked the lord to look over me and my loved ones and to give me the energy to get through this race. Once I left the chapel I laid my saltire outside kissed the statue said another prayer and left. Looking off the balcony you could see all the Rio beaches inside the Maracana which is a complete circle and the race course un interrupted views. It was time to go to the greatest football stadium in the world the Maracana I had to pinch myself when I was in it .Thinking of all those great players who have played there all the history. It is not big from the outside but huge inside it is dug so many metres into the ground. I could not wait long because the Pan Am games were on.

I had to leave now it was getting late and I had to go into the city to the expo to pick up my kit. This was a bit tuff because hardly anyone could talk English but I got there in the end by pestering a lot of people. We got told not to venture to far from the Hotel at night and not to go on the beach it could be dangerous .I always went to the same little cafe about four streets behind my hotel which was a rough area .I went there for my lunch and dinner daily so they got to know me. The tables were beer barrel with cardboard onto excellent food was nice and very cheap people singing and playing the drums fantastic. When the football came on the TV the place came to a standstill they are football mad. I had an early night it was the run the next day. Got to my digs and went through my usual routine which I do everywhere I go running. Kilt, vest, trainers and so on. A friend from my pub gave me a badge from the SAS which says who dares wins I put it on my vest and went to bed and set my alarm for 3 am.

I woke up got breakfast and got ready and went to catch the marathon bus. On the bus I sat next to a guy who was Brazilian but now stays in Florida he was telling me don't be surprised if we get to the start and the race does not go ahead this has happened before, I said you’re having a laugh I have come all this way and the run might not go ahead your joking me. He said its mad here some things just don't happen it is a very corrupt place. My thoughts were Clare my wife ain’t gonna believe this. Can you imagine I’m in Brazil in Copacabana beach and there is no run. Imagine me telling Clare that. Aye right!!! All my focus on the race were now turning to will the race start. Anyway we got to the start line and the race was ok it was jumping the only thing that wasn't going to plan for them was the tanoy system it was breaking down.

Done lots of stretching and I felt good but god it was warm. Kept on telling myself just run how you feel, run how you feel don't get caught up in racing anyone. The latter of this was not to be true. I wrote my girls names on my arms which I always do Clare, Meghan and Maia to motivate me to get round the course. I was stretching and there was a Canadian guy next to me who noticed my Scottish boxing vest which I was wearing. He asked if I boxed in which I replied that I did but not anymore. We started chatting and it turned out he was a tri athlete who competed for his country. He was a bit full of himself. He was telling me to take my time because it’s warm and telling me to do this and that. Telling me he swims all these miles cycles a hundred miles then goes for a 26 mile run. I was saying to myself I am gonna run with you to see how fit you are. This was all I needed to hear. We got called to the start line. At the start the most amazing thing happened before the race everyone held hands knelt on the ground and started praying all three thousand of us, unbelievable. Once we were finished everyone stood up hugged each other and we were off. I kept following the triathlete. He was in my head I wanted to see what he was made of I will stay with him for as long as I can I was telling myself. The route was lovely as you can imagine but boring the coast was on your right hand side all the time after a couple of miles I was fed up seeing the water.

An inward breeze my I-pod I was sorted and felt great 8 km had passed and I was still on the triathletes tail, 16 km and I was still there, 24 km and guess what yes I was still there. At this point I ran past some Royal navy boys who were moored just off the coast they were killing time running the marathon on their day off they were giving me it tight for running in my kilt all in good fun. A few km after that I was side by side with the tri athlete I was counting his breaths, this is a thing you learn to do when you are a long distance runner running with people, this tells you if they are struggling and I could tell he was he was taking about three breaths to my one. I started to talk to him this is another thing which I've learned when you are tired and running it is very hard to talk you don't want to do it but if you feel good it is no problem. He wasn't very chatty. I had him in my zone now I said no more and left him behind. Every time I turned to look at him he was drifting out of sight and out of mind.

I was at the 36 km mark now and was feeling good we were running through the streets now it was stuffy. Ran through a tunnel round a corner and we were back on the beach ran up the final straight to the finish line everyone cheering what a buzz it was done. Got my medal, got photos .Another one out of the way got some gator aid in me and I sat down got myself together and I felt a little tired but ok. I jumped in a cab and headed to my hotel .I called the girls they were delighted I jumped in a shower got my shorts on and went to the beach and had a swim there were still runners passing I was glad I was finished. It was time to get my flight home .I got off the plane at Glasgow and saw my girls this is always the best part of my runs very emotional .I gave my medal to Meghan and Maia and we all had a huge cuddle. I was glad to be back Brazil is a lovely place but you have to be careful. l will go back with my girls one day. I liked it. I have to take them to the Corcovado Mountain to see the Statue Of Christ. He made me run well and looked after me.

Oh the tri athlete you are thinking well I crossed the finish line 36 minutes before him. Work out the mileage for yourself. They are fit guys they tri athletes but so are we boxers!!!!

Difficulty 6-10.

Next Down under.