4 hr 49mins. Consistency is key.

Happy Easter everyone. Trust you're all replete after a splendid feed. We're not, yet.

So what you need to know - another faultless effort from the boy. Helped possibly by the fact that he didn't get an Easter egg. I should have asked Sophie if he expects one but I am comforted by the fact that he has already eaten the Easter bunny's weight in Snickers.

These are nervous days in way. One is tempted to think we're really on the home straight but there are 17 full marathons left. That's an awful lot of running for Hugh and therefore discipline must be maintained. Perhaps the sort of thing a little respected headmaster might say faced with a spirited boy, and let's face it, Hugh knows what he's doing by now. He is resisting a temptation try and push the pace too much even with the visiting runners. The last three days gives us evidence; 4 hrs 46, 47 and 49 mins. Almost Teutonic efficiency. Normally this would never do but necessary for the long haul still to come.

Another perambulation through wine country today, moving from Fronsac into the Charentes and Cognac producing area. Splendid. Gav, Emma and Jonny stayed with us for the morning before catching their flights. Jonny and Hugh choreographed and performed a runners' dance called 'Morning Vicar'. See the video which should be uploaded by tomorrow. 'Fluffer' Hills then left with instructions for us to stand with our thoughts outside a box and stare at the blue sky, thinking laterally. He worries me sometimes. We watched him leave with PR Weekly and man-bag constantly at the ready, telling me things we 'simply must' push to increase publicity (he's right of course) whilst lugging a huge bag of hair products. Off they all went, this particular goodbye longer than a Shakespearean death, and left the original team of 3 to get on with it. We'll miss them of course. They have been a great help and good company.

We now reside in Cognac, if only for the evening. Unbelievably we managed to park the beast outside the hotel, virtually unprecedented in a town centre. Fascinating it isn't but this sort of thing makes a lot of difference at the end of the day. We start at the other side of the bridge tomorrow; the other side, Hugh.