Bit of catch up news

You know - I've got so much to tell you about your man here's exploits over the last month.

But first I have to confide in you, I've just had a shock. The numpties who run our country have determined that we must now recycle everything we use - and one consequence of this is a whole load of different dustbins for our rubbish. Presumably because of who I am - an Olympic athlete-in-waiting - I've been given my very own bins. One of them I presume is for pie wrappers and one is for my Leffe empties. Well, strewth - I've now filled the damned things up with old wrappers and empties that had collected in the car, by my bed etc. And there's still a week and a half before the bin men come to collect them. Fortunately I've been on the straight and narrow for a couple of weeks now so the only contemporary rubbish I've collected is a few old lettuce leaves, some empty cup-a-soup wrappers and screwed-up Snack-a-Jack bags - so whilst the future may look rosie (or green), I was concerned - how would I get rid of my old rubbish?

Then I had an idea.

I'll go to Essex.

So tomorrow night I'm spreading my wings and popping up to Stiletto City - to take part in a small 5 miler in Chelmsford.

And whilst I'm there I'll litter the A12 with my rubbish.



Now I know that this is environmentally unsound, not to mention very un-neighbourly. But in my defence can I just mention .... Brentwood? Have you been there? Let's just agree that a few pounds of rubbish might actually make that place a bit more interesting shall we?

So, my immediate public appearances have been settled – and then on Sunday I'm off to Caravan County to watch the Half Share in the House take part in the 30K North Downs run. You have to be a nutter to do that one - so I'll let her do it. It'll give me an opportunity to mingle with my supporters and sign a few autographs - and to be there in my civvies will make a nice change because sometimes, I have to say, I do get a tad weary of people ogling my lycra.

I'm also busy trying to secure some new lucrative sponsorship deals - and I'll have some news for you soon on this front.

Now then, I thought I'd also bring you up to speed with a boozy little weekend spent in France in the middle of last month. I'd been invited along to take part in the Montreuil Ramparts 10K by those nice people at Nice Work who organise running trips to Europe - I think I'm kind of like a talisman for them. Certainly I'm the nearest they’ll ever get to a celebrity - so I always enjoy my weekends away with them.



I have to admit I was a little shocked though when I first clapped eyes on the motley crew I was due to spend a weekend with - if I hadn't been invited specially I think it would have been one of those weekends where I "had the flu" and "will have to stay in my room" all weekend. Not to put too fine a point on it - they were a gin-fuelled lot. From the first beer at breakfast on the boat, to the final squeeze of the barmaid's apron on the boat back - they didn't stop throwing booze down their necks.



That said, they were a nice bunch and it was good to see that I inspired a couple of them to run their first ever race. I also appreciated the relaxed way they treated me. Most of the time they gave me a pretty wide berth and let me get on with my media and promotional duties. And they weren't forever asking me for training tips or whether I'd got a celebrity girlfriend. In fact, because they treated me just like a normal person, then that’s the way I acted. Most of the time. I have to admit, a few Leffes were dropped over the 48 hours we were there - but, hey, life is for living eh?



I was sorry to miss the running bit of the weekend though - this kiddie here never shies away from rubbing the old frog's noses in the doo-doo. Fortunately we did come away with a few pots - the Half Share in the House won a prize for being a nippy old woman and - and this really smacked me in the gob - my youngest, the Sod, who'd stowed away on the bus - only went and won the nippers race. Winning it knocked me for six - mind you, he's just a chip off the old block. What really made my weekend was seeing the kid's face when he went to collect the trophy and had to give the old Frenchie a couple of smackeroons on the cheek! (see below for the proof!)



I was a tad miffed not to have been able to run in the race - but I did content myself with a Leffe or two. I also had my last 'Big Breakfast' of the Spring for the foreseeable. I'd already made my mind up it was to be my last blow out - so I did rather go over the strasse on the egg and bacon front. But what the heck!



Anyway, I'll let you know about my little jaunt down to Luxembourg in a day or two - in the meantime, wish me luck as I take the first tentative steps back to world-class elite athleticism.

Starting tomorrow in Chelmsford- so may see you there? After a rather sluggish 6 miler this evening, I’m looking forward to it!

Keep on tapering.

Ron