THE BIG DAY

It’s here. The Great Day. The Big day has come at last. The waiting is over. The day everyone has been longing for ..... but while all the nation is glued to the Box, Blog and I have been given special dispensation to have exclusive access to view the top table of priceless gifts to celebrate the momentous event.

From the picture, which we were honoured at being granted the privilege to snap, Bow, Bow, Scrape, you can see that the drinks list for the Guesses includes a fine 2011 Cherrie Chardonnay de Lucozade, a full bodied can of ‘London Pride (how appropriate) and a sparkling special plastic bottle of spring water. Grovel.

The katering includes the delicate chocolat de Mars and a baguette of jelly snakes so loved by the laddered gentry of this great nation of ours. Touching the forelock. If the hard rains do fall at any time during the special day, the foil blanket will provide protection from the elements with the beautiful red laces available on hand and foot to adorn the slippers of any passing princess.

And the Bag, Blog. What a bag. Capacious with a draw string chord and labelled 26355, the exclusive number of the limited edition production run of only 37,000. I ask you, Blog, surely a collector’s item of the future? All this can be taken with a pinch of Lo Salt; there is gel for the heir; spray for the shower and a rub for the sore bits that might chafe a little after sitting for so long on the settee (sofa if you live south of the Trent)  watching the tele (television if you live south of the Trent).

And there’s the T-shirt. THE t-shirt. The design of which has been the subject of so much rumour and so much speculation in the press and in the media for so long. As you can see, it is now revealed as a short sleeved, large sized white shirt subtly decorated with the famous logo of Sir Richard. Curtsy.

The medal.

THE MEDAL.

In the forefront of the exclusive picture which Blog and I were honoured at being granted the privilege to snap is THE MEDAL. The medal the world has been guessing at. On public view for the very last time before it is presentation

[I don’t feel that the two plastic bags advertising Sir Dicks company and my race number would have detracted from the fine display of race refinery, as you have suggested Blog. I can confirm that they are available if any Guessts withes to make a final donation for Tiny Tims Children’s Centre or Newlife.] Where there's a will, I am sure there is a way. Sorry, I had to get them both in, it being their day!!! 

The money keeps on coming Ta!

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no 20: How come I can finish the same relay twice, in two different vests, with two batons in one picture

Counting all this money is making me blogged eyed, Blog. Everyone is so generous. When I started, the charity bit was to keep an interest, to get me out on the cold nights; the correspondence with you Blog, was because you wanted to be my friend; I wanted to see if I could run the marathon again (see aims in our first letter). So I thought, the two charities, Tiny Tims Children's Centre and Newlife, which helped my grandson in the first months of his struggle with life, might benefit from a few quids. £250 each I thought might be possible because I do not like hassling people for help (period). It looks like the fund will end at a bit over £1400 ... which is amazing and for which I am extremly grateful to everyone.

Sian Rainsley is the medal winner ... the other stuff will be given out as each correct guesses decides what is wanted ... if looks as if Jack Pokoj will end up with the beer! Either that or a bottle of spa water!!!

Medal winner

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 19     I my have won this marathon, but why did I get minimal publicity when it was the first ever such event in this country with much interest in the press.

Dear Blog, If you are free tomorrow could you pop over and check the ‘time guesses’ and the money total so far. Subject to what you say, the following are the nearest times.

Three(!!!!! I kid you not) had the same nearest time. 4:05:00. I haven’t been in touch for the last couple of days because I had to go back down to London, to run the same course again (TWICE). The traffic was a real pain! The speed that horse and cart comes out of Buckingham Palace gates; the old fella driving should be banned, if you ask me. And this golden coach parading up and down to the Mall to the Abbey doesn’t cut any ice, it must have cost me about a minute on my third marathon. The organisers had taken down all the mile markers, which through me a bit, and the lack of water stations was most inconsiderate. The crowds were a bit on the sparse side, but I suppose that was because it was Easter and the Londoners had all gone away for the weekend, down to Brighton for the pebbles I expect. Well I got the other times, even if I had to use my own little Times to do the time check. I had sponsors from as far afield as America, so very generous donations, but each and every was gratefully accepted (see the next couple of days)

So ... 4:05:00, 4:05:00, 4:05:00, 4:05:01, 4:05:20, 4:04:01 with perhaps a couple more as the 4:05:01 happened to be a Mrs Christine Oxley of Keighley, who I may have to disqualify ..... Why. You may wonder? Well, Mrs Christine Oxley forty years ago was better known as Miss Christine Kirkham my young sister!!! As nepotism is not allowed under E.C. Rule no. 12343 part B, section ii, she may forfeit her prize subject to appeal and what my mother has to say on the matter.

4:04:01 is Jack Pokoj of Coventry (!!), 4:05:20 is C.Taylor of Halesowen, 4:05:01 is sisterkins, 4:05:00 is Chris and Brenda Dowd of Newcastle (Staffs), 4:05:00 is Helen Sutherland of Birmingham but the closest on count back is the third youngest sponsor, Sian Rainsley of Coventry ... not only of Coventry but of Allesley where I live ... not only of Allesley where I live but about 600 yards from where I live. Now this is a bit suspicious.  Has Sian been peeking behind the curtain watching each of my trudges? Has she seen me stagger back??? Sian gets my MEDAL. Well done to you and well done to everyone.

I’ll tell you next time about the £1000 plus Blog ... there should be a comma in there some where I feel.

Colin

P.S. I will be in touch with the nearest guesses to see what they want of my wonderful array of London Marathon gifts ... don’t get too excited!!!      

Reflections 1.

4:04:42

Place:-10,311.... but 8242 male to finish, but only 269 women in front!!!

41^st over 65 but 1st over 65 Godiva to finish.

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 18:- This was my second marathon in six days, placing 2^nd and, in this, I won with a considerable Gap. It took place in a vitally strategic area for the defence of the Western World during the Cold War. The U.S. had a considerable military prescence. Where was it?

  In case you are in a questioning state, Bloggs, about the charity total and who my medal winner is, all is well. I am holding back a few days because I am still getting dribbles of sponsorship for which I am extremely grateful; the total, must be £1000 +! Nearly all the late contributors are guessing a time. Strange, but they all seem to be the same guess. I hope they are not cheating and are conferring. A bit odd though. I did a few sums at University and I was led to believe that this chance outcome was most unlikely. Even stranger than all the times being the same, they are all stating  the same time of 4:04:42 which is my exact finishing time. Really weird. The chap helping me with my sums at the Pink Panther University explicitly lead me to understand that this sort of coincidence did not happen!! If he got this so wrong, perhaps some of the other stuff he spent three years boring the pants off me was incorrect also. I had little confidence in him at the time, but Mr Theolopidusodusus was adamant. There again, he would hold not truck with anyone questioning him. I had the temerity to wonder what would happen if speed faster than light could occur. How would it change the maths? A valid question. Nope. ‘If you think you know better that Einstein, Lorentz et al, Mr Kirkham, I suggest you should be studying elsewhere.’ He never said where he had in mind. When I suggested that perhaps we had got the ideas of particle physics wrong, he said some very rude Greek words; well they sounded all Greek to me.    

My London number was 26355 Gives you goose bumps doesn’t it? 26 miles 355 yards ... 26355!!! The exact marathon distance; the extra 30 yards is the distance to the baggage bus where runners retrieve their kit. If you refer to Wikipedia, you will find the distance was fixed in 1908 when the royal box was built in the wrong place, the architectural drawings were in the metric system and no one had the foresight to tell the cockney builders; so they stuck to imperial units. They weren’t that stupid. They realised that all the dimensions seemed rather big, so they turned the plans upside down, and they made much more sense. I bet Dorando Pietri found those last 30 yards to the baggage bus a bit of a bugger. With hindsight, we owe the builders a huge debt of gratitude. If they hadn’t turned the plans upside down and stuck to the imperial equivalent, we’d be running 42 miles. Correction ... you’d be running 42 miles and a bit, I’d be running the other way.

I mentioned last time that I might upgrade my physical endeavours to the higher Jog Level rather than Trudge. Well, I have had a rethink ... I think after trudging I should learn to trundle before I attempt to jog, I don’t want run before I can walk, as they say, so to speak. I had toyed with the equivalent of Free Running – Free Trudging or Trundling Along, but all the railings I’ve inspected are far too high for me to vault, and the sides of the buildings all look fiercesomely steep. So that is a definite NoNoNo. No Way. So it looks like it is going to be a trundle.

The trudging is coming along fine since Sunday’s London Marathon. Yesterday, I broke into a sweat. Mind you, I did trudge in the midday sun with the mad dogs. Today I shall really put the boot in and trudge for an hour while my wife cooks the Easter eggs for lunch, I just love those runny centres, don’t you, Blog? I use Kit Kat fingers to dip instead of bread soldiers. Yummy.

Keep up the good work, Bloggs, a few more quids for Tiny Tims Children’s Centre and Newlife  we’ll close the accounts. There is still a few things on e-bay to wrap up.

                                Colin

A message from a mate

Well, Blog, I am rather proud this morning. Why? I have had a personal e-mail from Dick, congratulating me on my London Marathon Trudge. I am touched that he took the trouble to write to me personally – he must be a very busy man with all kinds of demands on his time, especially now when he has to make sure all those barriers, flags, tables etc. are collected in safely and put back into his garden shed, ready to be used again next year. I don’t know how he has the time to organise this London run thing when he has so much else to do, flying those big planes here there and everywhere, selling insurance, running his gramophone record shops, organising holidays, giving away all those condoms. I suppose when he blows his balloon up and takes off, it gives him some time to himself, up there in the atmosphere where the air is clear, time to reflect, time to dash off a few e-mails to his mates, mates like me; I feel I can call him a mate after he has contacted me personally about my trudge. I don’t think I know him well enough to bring up the problem I have with the soft drinks he makes. I think he is green. I will take him to task in the future as our friendship develops. How can he be green, worry about the globe getting hotter with all this carbon oxide stuff, when he makes cans of drinks and pumps them full of the gas. Each hiss from the tab when opening a can must be adding to the global total, don’t you think? Shall we organise a campaign together Blog? We could write banners ‘Ban the Can’, ‘Step off the Gas’, ‘Say Nola to Cola’ – I rather like that one, got a certain ring pull about it? Talking of slogans and banners, Chris who sponsored me for Tiny Tims Children’s Centre and Newlife, said she hoped it was ‘Not too hot to trot’. Brilliant. Why couldn’t you, Blog, come up with something catchy like that to help liven our correspondence?? You are a waste of cyber space, sometimes. I still feel proud that Dick wrote to me however. So much so that I will make a mental note that he invited me to trudge again next year. He did not say how many days in a hotel the invitation included, or whether it would be full board; he will probably write again with more details nearer the time. In anticipation, I have to rethink my strategy; I must upgrade the status of my preparation for 2012 from trudge level to jog level. I mentioned to you before about how I used to train, taking a different approach to the usual methods. Well after Sunday, I was curious to see if the old methods still applied to recovery ... I was a little surprised to see that they are still as efficient. I know the trudge was a smidgen  slower than when I were a lad, but I was 90% OK yesterday, trudging reasonably and today no problems, no sign of my trudge, simply flying down the Lane!  Reminded me of the time I did two marathons in six days. Ah yes, I remember it well. Must go now, have to organise the stuff to give away, the winning guesses, the thank yous .......

                              Yours, upping the gears to a jog, Colin

How to become a myth ...

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 18:- Why was this godiva athlete so important to the Foleshill area of Coventry?

So what did you do in the London Marathon Blog??? You have been a bit coy about it.

Looking at myself in the mirror this morning, Blog, I reflected on how much I have to do to tidy up post London street trudge. Listening to the radio at the same time as I tried to avoid damaging Zapata, I realised how many items and events of so called news are recycled and how easy it seems to be to create a myth especially for vested interests. The two fused together to remind me of a runner I shared a house with briefly many years ago. A former winner of the New York Marathon when it was run on circuits around Central Park, he was a gift to the media because he had an opinion on everything  .... and was a pain in the a**e because he never shut up! His five minutes of fame resulted in him being available for ‘rent a quote’. One of his pearls of wisdom entered the world of the urban myth which I saw struggling to resurface a month ago in one of the athletic monthly magazines. The magazines are a prime example of recycling. How many different ways can you say the same thing before the poor punter realises and spends the four quids on something else?? They are in the industry of recycling. Back to my marathon winner. In an interview in ‘Runners World’ he claimed that for days after a hard marathon, he had no need to shave as his body was so protein deficient from his exertions that none was available for the growth of bodily hair! This was picked up on this side of the Atlantic and given space in the red top press albeit in passing. But then it took on a life of its own. The original quote was lost but the myth grew. ‘Marathon runners do not need to have haircuts as often as non athletes’! ‘You never see a bearded marathon runner’ (followed by the explanation that they lacked protein their diet; this very nicely linked in with the protein bleed out diet popular at the time, which one of our coaches linked together in great technical detail. I still can’t understand his technical articles today!) And conversely, ‘there are more bald headed marathon runners than in any other athletic event  [i agree with this, I see few bald headed  women javelin competitors].These and similar quotes were fuelled by the plethora of running magazines springing up and their unquenchable thirst for news .I must now confess Blog, that there may be something in the theory after all. I do suspect that all this trudging I have been doing of late might have something to do with the rapid thinning of the front follicles. How many ways can you comb your hair to cover up a rapidly increasing area of skin?? Answer of the back of a £5 to be donated to either Newlife or Tiny Tims Children’s Centre.

Mind you Blog, this urban myth business does have a wider audience in the popular press at the time of public interest in major games. Nowadays, the expression of ‘hitting the wall’ is fairly widely understood, even by the general public. Running short of fuel is a concept most can accept. It was not always so, even by journalists who should have known better and certainly should have done their home work. In years past, the red tops sent any sports writer to the major games, mostly football journalists who were kicking their heels waiting for the new football season to start. Moscow 1980. G.B. marathon runners Thompson, Black and Ford all recorded d.n.f..The Mirror had their doyen of football writing in Moscow doing his best to record the feats of our athletes but clearly out of his depth. Whether the idea of hitting the wall was explained to him after a few vodkas, or his article was sub edited back in London is not known. What is in print (I have the cutting on file), is that the Mirror announced to the sporting Great British public that ‘all our three marathon runners had fallen over a wall at 20 miles’ ... I kid you not. 

More later if I get back from my trudge while its light.

Colin

  

Home sweet home

Well Blog, Back home after my week’s camping trip to the smokeand surprisingly keen and eager to go for a trudge. Not too stiff at all!!!!!! Have a stack of stuff to do, so I’ll keep this short – its just that I thought you might have  been a bit worried post London Trudge. No need. I have to sort out the sponsorship; I must say that I am a bit embarrassed by it all; friends, relations and many people I don’t know have been so kind. I am sure they all appreciate what a good job they have done. Much more on that, thank yous etc when I have the winning times sorted. At the moment, I am hoping that my first cursory check is incorrect, or things could get a bit embarrassing!!!?? One thing I must mention ... a long,long time ago, about the same time that the levy was dry, I mentioned at some length my concerns with a possible doppelganger, well you may find this hard to believe, but I may just be onto something .... Read on. Excitement growing. Are you on the edge of your seat? At about 3 miles into my trudge on Sunday morning, when I was still fairly compost mental, I heard someone shout from the watching crowd ‘Come on Ron Hill’. I couldn’t believe HE could be so close the way I was flying down the highway. Not a chance Fredrico. I resisted a look. ‘Come on Ronnie Hill’ at about 6 miles before Cutty Sark hoved into view on the starboard side. The buggers tracking me? I did look but could not see HIM. At 8 miles I heard a ‘come on Hilly’. Time for heroics. I kicked hard and almost over took another jogger. I heard no more shouts for Mr Ronald Hill esq. so I was rather please that my mid race devastating turn of speed had got rid of him finally. Much of the rest of the proceedings during the course of the morning did not register as being too important to my future life so I will not dwell on detail so as not to upset you Blog. So, I staggered up the finishing funnel several hours later and was greeted with a bear hug by one of the officials, marshalling the dead, the injured and the walking wounded along to the baggage buses. ‘By Ronnie, you done well, lad.’ I said nothing – not that I could anyway. I rest my case and go for absolution and an exorcism first thing tomorrow. Long live Hopple G.

                                                                 Colin

Zero plus a bit

  So Blog, we now know what hell fire and brimstone is like. It starts at 18 miles!! If that is eternal damnation, I am not keen. Mr Bedford definitely owes me a refund.

                                               Colin

P.S. When I regain full consciousness, I will give you a step by step account of the wonderful day I had. (It will be X rated so dear Blog, if you are squeamish, I should give it a miss).

No I don’t joke about serious issues.

 Ok so a jokes a joke, Blog, but enough is enough. I’ve had second thoughts, so I want you to get onto that Mr Bedford and ask for my money back, please.

Last time I didn’t run, someone used my number and ran in my place ... and this time, I’ve been given the wrong number to stick on my bag. Great. Just what you want at the end of a marathon, a nice little tease to sort out. I know the error ...but does the other bloke? Which one of us will be rewarded with two bags at the end of the marathon (I’ve altered my number) and who will be left shivering in the cold????Assuming their is only the two transpositions of numbers, that gives a 0.007% degree of error. Pretty good in the scientific world, bloody amazing if you are filling 37, 000 bags!

I might have two bags to give away for the guess my finish time competition!!!

                       Colin

Re-wind to December

     We’ve all had these bight ideas that will change the world, haven’t we Blog? Then its too late and we come to our senses. Well, its too late now and I’ve come to my senses. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Colin

Definitely the final count down

 Dear Blog,

 Have you heard the latest blackmarket fiddle? I am told there is a growing demand on the black market for entries for this year’s London Marathon race. Some silly money is being paid. The wheeze is that you buy some ones number then write to the organisers to say you are injured and transfer your entry to next year. Then you find a Johnny Foreigner and sell him the number for a fortune because you tell him it’s an entry for next year’s Olympic Marathon in London 2012! Brilliant. You have 48 hours to make me an offer I can’t refuse.

                                                         Colin

P.S. I have another couple of dozen times to add to the list

What is the point?

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 17:- Who was the cyclist who used to ride on Coventry’s first banked track? And where was the track (Not at the Butts)?

Oh dear me Blog,

   You avoid slipping on the ice, you avoid sliding on the mud, you note each strain with concern, each ache is soothed away, any sign of injury is treated with care .... THEN ... laying in wait, hidden among the tabs of the tab rug in front of the fire in the living room, waiting, ready to pounce are the scissors, small sharp scissors, small sharp sewing scissors, small sharp sewing scissors that are turned up viciously at the end so they can be used to unpick sewing. When to attack? Four days to London and we have GO, GO, GO!!! Into the fleshy part of the foot, make sure it’s the bad foot. In deep, deeper. Go for it. Lots of blood, pints of the stuff, spurting all over the carpet. It takes two people to pull the scissors out, they have gone in so deep.

So there you have it: I suggest that any late guesses at my final time in the London Marathon are seriously revised down. A fortuitous decision, my dear Blog, to wait until the final hour before pledging to Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and/or Newlife. (£1 per guess at my finishing time, remember)!!                         Colin

P.S. there are still a dozen times outstanding.

C.K.	03:48:17
R.W	00:00:00
J.O.	06:40:00
J.O.	05:05:01
R.O.	09:00:04
R.O.	06:09:24
S.O.	03:37:03
S.O.	04:24:12
W.O.	03:59:59
W.O.	05:00:01
M.S.	04:18:26
M.S.	04:22:45
M.S.	04:35:12
M.S.	04:44:44
M.S.	05:01:16
C.O.	03:38:17
C.O.	04:05:01
C.O.	03:31:02
C.O.	03:57:07
te. Run	02:08:00
A.C.	04:10:00
R.C.	01:30:00
M.C.	03:40:00
K.R.	03:58:02
K.R.	04:07:11
K.R.	03:57:29

A reminder that points means quiz prizes.

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 16:-

I am in Coventry Godiva Harriers.

This athlete was in Coventry Godiva Harriers.

He set a world record before he was done.

Which one?

Dear Blog,

Don’t forget the amazing photographic quiz which now has an amazing number of original unusual photographic questions. There has to be a prize for the first person to submit a totlly correct set of answers. In fact, there may well be an award for anyone who gets all the quiz answers correct. There could even be a consolation prize for anyone who gets the answer to any question!. The prize might be £5 – all entries to be written on the back of a cheque for £5 made out to either of my two children’s charities, Tiny Tims Children's Centre and Newlife.

                        Go to trudge, Colin 

Now cometh the hour

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 16:- How many days did it take the family to cycle from Coventry to Oxford, camping on the way, raising funds for charity for disabled children. My disabled grandson is in the covered wagon attached to the back of his dad's bike!!

OK Blog,

              I accept – we are friends once more. I’m happy about your suggestion that we run together but I am not too keen on the suggestion that we run dressed as a horse – or a donkey. You seem to think that I would be happy to be the rear half. That means that you would beat me??  Had you thought of that? A subtle ploy on your part, I ask myself? My suggestion is that I run as Spiderman and you be my side kick Robin! If you’re not keen then I will just do it my way. I’ll run as me! After all we are now in the final week. Tapering. Today I went for an easy run around the University of Warwick grounds. For those not in the know, the University of Warwick is in Coventry, not Warwick which is about 10 miles away. What confusion this has caused over the years and still does. Hardly surprising. Lets visit the London Pavilion in Brighton. Or watch a game of cricket at Lourdes.At last week’s conference on Endurance Running at the University of Warwick, two of the delegate speakers booked their hotel in Warwick! What was worse was that they thought they could go out on the town. In Warwick? Have you ever been to Warwick? Anyway back to the trudge around the grounds It was very much a case of déjà vu. England Athletics is building a ‘jog trail’ around the campus with exercise stations every now and again. Looks good. Before they spent their money, I wonder if anyone had told them that exactly the same thing happened in the jogging boom times of the early 80s. Out of commission for eight months of the year because of the weather, within a couple of years, each station had fallen into a state of disrepair until the trail was finally abandoned. Each station had three degrees of difficulty for the exercise; you were either a tortoise, a rabbit or a hare depending on how good you were. Perhaps too many tortoises felt insulted and hibernated to the local gyms? In the brave new world of post Olympic legacy funding, when money will dry up, what locally will suffer?? Sorry to be so glum, Blog, but don’t you start to get depressed before a marathon. I do because I don’t know what I’m doing.......

At least I know that I am raising funds for Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife. (£1 per guess at my finishing time, remember) Trudge.

SIX QUID DAYS LEFT

BETRAYAL, TREACHERY.

Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife, two local charities for disable children.      Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife, two local charities for disable children.     Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife, two local charities for disable children.    Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife, two local charities for disable children.   

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 15:- ‘Manchester University Relays, but who is my Durham University team mate, also a Godiva Harrier? Make sure you don’t see double!’

Dear, as in costly, Blog; Dear, as in what a waste of space, Blog; Dear, as in dear me I wish I hadn’t bothered with this symbiotic relationship because you have taken me for a monkey’s uncle, Blog,

   When you asked to become my friend , way back in January, I believed that you genuinely wanted to help me raise money for my two charities for disabled children Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife. Now I find from a mutual friend that you are running in the London Marathon. You never told me that. Not a mention. Not a dickie bird. Not a tweet. Not a twitter. You have taken advantage of my good nature. You have used my ideas, my tips, my expertise to enhance your own athletic prowess and complete the marathon faster than me. Well I’ll tell you this, matie boy. I am not going to give up without a fight. You think you are going to finish in front of me? Think again! To beat me you will have to be at your extra special best; on top of your cylinder – firing on all games.

   It will be the Landy versus Bannister battle all over again. Which of us will be looking over our shoulder coming down the Mall?

   It will be the Chatterway versus Kuts battle all over again. Which of us will be standing for Parliament trudging down the Mall and who will be joining the KGB?

    It will be Wilson versus Alf Tupper all over again. Which of us will be looking dandy and who will be having a beano as we race down the Mall?

    It will be the Ben Johnson versus Carl Lewis set too all over again. Which of us will be injecting a little pace coming down the Mall?  Both of us?

   It will be an Ovett versus Coe battle all over again. Which of us will be waving to the crowd sprinting  down the Mall?

   It will be like Marks & Engels arguing about where to open their next High Street store.

And, oh course the very worst part of your two faced treachery, is that, if you had been honest back in our first face thing back in January, you could have run by yourself, no problem. I’m not so masochistic that I want to spread self inflicted pain over four hours. No objection from me. Au contraire M. Blog. I needn’t have got up for the last 103 days. I needn’t have spent £75 on a pair of new trainers. I could have saved the 53p I have spent on electricity blogging you, Blog. I could have stayed by the warm log fire in January instead of freezing my whatsits off in the sub zero temperatures outside. I needn’t have bothered with this ‘ere trudging lark at all. That’s what really hurts, the trudging, the deception,  the pain, the suffering, the TV programmes I’ve missed.

You haven’t heard the last of this, Blogs. Be warned.

                              From a less than happy trudger.

Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife, two local charities for disable children.    Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife, two local charities for disable children.     Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife, two local charities for disable children.    Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife, two local charities for disable children.   

some mothers do have 'em

Just a quick note Blog, I’ve got to get out there for a slow trudge. My nephew’s kids - second nephews? – that sounds horrible - anyway, James and Rachael have just sponsored me ... 400 minutes, 5 hours 5 minutes and 1 second, 9 hours and 4 seconds and 6 hours 9 minutes and 24 seconds, which all seem a bit on the slow side but mum says the times are better than the hundred thousand million trillion hours they started with! .... not too sure about that. They haven't seen me since we all went up to Burnsall for a holiday.

    Trrrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuddddddddddddddddddgggggggggggggggge                                                                 

Time and times again

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 15:- A mile later, Jim Alder said to me, 'If you want to win road races, you have to be able to *** ********.' What are the missing two words?

There are now a number of items for sale on e-bay to help boost funds for Tiny Tims Children’s Centre and Newlife; items such as running magazines, Jubilee chess set, my 2^nd vet place London Marathon medal, child’s swing, camping kitchen, child’s car seat, commemorative ponchos.

The latest guesses ... not many, so have a go Joe!

Initial	Guess	Initial	Guess	Initial	Guess	Initial	Guess
R.P.	01:50:59	J.S.	03:40:01	H.P.	03:57:02	T.D.	04:10:20
R.P.	02:01:00	J.B.	03:42:10	J.W.	03:57:10	A.B.	04:12:20
E.K.	02:01:00	M.C.	03:42:20	H.S.	03:57:33	A.C.	04:13:00
C.O.	02:29:59	J.F.	03:42:24	J.L.	03:57:35	M.C.	04:13:00
J.H.	02:43:00	D.M.	03:43:10	B.L.	03:57:36	L.L.	04:16:06
C.O.	02:45:10	C.K.	03:44:44	T.W.	03:58:00	A.S.	04:20:30
E.K.	02:59:02	S.K.	03:45:00	J.S.	03:58:00	C.K.	04:22:22
R.P.	03:00:00	R.S.	03:45:00	A.T.	03:58:20	J.O.	04:24:00
C.O.	03:10:40	H.F.	03:47:00	D.R.	03:58:22	J.P.	04:25:01
A.E.	03:10:50	A.B.	03:47:02	A.W.	03:58:25	J.O.	04:25:10
E.K.	03:11:20	J.D	03:47:39	B.H.	03:58:58	N.N.	04:26:02
D.S.	03:12:00	J.R.	03:48:00	A.I.	03:59:00	E.W.	04:27:45
R.H.	03:12:22	G.G.	03:48:17	J.G.	03:59:05	M.K.	04:27:56
E.K.	03:16:01	E.F.	03:48:37	C.B.	03:59:10	D.C.	04:30:00
J.B.	03:20:00	S.C.	03:49:08	M.K.	04:00:00	J.M.	04:30:33
J.M.	03:20:00	A.E.	03:49:52	E.K.	04:00:10	A.S.	04:32:00
C.M.	03:24:00	C.F.	03:50:00	J.A.	04:00:30	S.J.	04:33:11
J.T.	03:25:01	J.G.	03:50:00	J.M.	04:01:13	E.B.	04:35:15
N.E.	03:29:29	T.H.	03:50:10	B.W.	04:01:20	J.O.	04:38:04
R.P.	03:30:00	N.S.	03:51:19	G.H.	04:01:28	L.W.	04:45:00
A.S.	03:30:05	K.G.	03:51:21	C.P.	04:01:30	J.O.	04:45:03
G.R.	03:30:20	J.B.	03:52:03	D.C.	04:02:00	N.K.	04:54:00
C.M.	03:30:30	C.K.	03:52:06	H.L.?	04:02:00	F.G.	04:58:30
C.K.	03:33:33	I.B.	03:52:40	J.F.	04:03:16	J.H.	05:00:00
L.C.	03:34:30	K.B.	03:54:00	J.P.	04:04:01	Z.B.	05:00:00
R.B.	03:38:00	S.T.	03:54:16	H.S.	04:05:00	Z.B.	05:00:01
D.P.	03:38:20	C.P.	03:55:25	C.T.	04:05:20	J.P.	05:01:01
S.S.	03:38:38	C.K.	03:55:55	P.F.	04:09:00	J.O.	05:10:00
L.W.	03:40:00	M.M.	03:56:00	R.P.	04:10:00	M.K.	05:30:45
E.S.	03:40:00	L.S.	03:56:00	R.B.	04:10:09	J.P.	05:39:00
		N.B.	03:56:30	A.S.	04:10:10	J.P.	06:13:25
						M.C.	06:55:00