IT started as quite a good idea, but there was no accounting for the torrential rain or heavy, south-westerly winds which turned the BUPA Great South Run as one of the wettest ever.

The idea was to run in fancy dress at this showpiece event in Portsmouth to maximise publicity for the Hampshire Autistic Society, as well as to give myself something different to write about in my 80-race challenge.

Running as one of the 118 characters had been an early thought, but then after seeing Hampshire cricketer Shaun Udal at a press call last month dressed as Scooby Doo, my mind was made up. What a great costume!

I managed to pick up a Scooby Doo outfit from Just For Fun in Southampton and fashioned the garment to put a running vest over the costume as well as running shorts - with a hole strategically cut through the shorts to allow the tail to peak out.

I'd also re-enforced the tail with coat-hanger wire to make it less floppy and more perkier!

To make the 10-mile challenge even more interesting, the plan was to push my son Ross around the course in his specially adapted sports stroller.

Sounds good, but when I woke up on Sunday morning I very quickly had huge regrets. It was overcast and beginning to rain, and the rain was not going to relent.

I couldn't opt out now, so headed for Southsea Common ready and raring to go in the rain. I had to wrap up Ross in waterproofs to keep him dry as possible.

The sight of Scooby Doo pushing a sports stroller went down a treat. The response from fellow runners was great and full of encouragement, none more so than on the course itself.

By the first mile I knew this was going to be hard. What I hadn't accounted for was Scooby's bouncing head which kept flicking from side to side and into my face. Very soon it was hurting my eyes and at the end left me with bloodshot eyes, as well as an awful headache.

Vision was also considerably reduced, especially with pushing the stroller through the heavy crowd of runners.

However, despite the decreased vision, my sore eyes and overheating in the costume in wet weather, this was more than compensated by the reaction I got around the course.

It was awesome. I felt 10 feet tall. For 90 minutes wherever I ran there were cries of "Scooby Doo". Young children cried out, their parents would point and I'd wave back. Sections of the crowd would suddenly begin cheering as one when they spotted me, and it was a fantastic feeling.

Policemen on motorbikes, security guards in the dockyard, they all offered words of encouragement as I pushed Ross along.

I was going along at a fairly gentle nine minute mile pace and though I was starting to hurt, especially with my eyes, I felt I was doing okay.

That was until mile eight as the course turned at Eastney and headed west back towards Southsea and the finish.

As we rounded Eastney Barracks we hit a most horrendous headwind. Other runners said to me afterwards how bad it was, and what a battle it had been over those final two miles.

For me it was even harder. Imagine running with your arms dropped by your side and just using your legs as power. Because with Ross's weight seemingly getting heavier in the stroller as I became increasingly tired, I had no arm movement to power myself against the wind. The only power was from my legs.

It was hard and I had to grit my teeth. Everywhere I had been I had acknowledged the crowd's support, waved and answered back, but for this final stretch I had no energy left. It was a tough battle.

The distance wound down...two miles, one mile, 800 metres and then 400 metres to go. It was the longest two miles ever.

Finally I entered the final straight to the finish and the cheers were immense. I tried to sprint but I was spent. I crossed the finish line in 1hr 34 minutes and I was exhausted.

Marshals quickly put foil wrapping over Ross who seemed quite content and unmoved by the whole experience.

Slowly and unsteadily, I moved through the finishing funnel so glad to have completed the Great South Run.

It was only 10 miles, but it was a hard 10 miles. It was wet, it was windy, and it was bloomin' tough.