Out of sight, out of mind? No chance.

Just a short note to tell you that I'm still here - and let me tell you, this kiddie is smoking!!

I've had a head-down attitude over the last four weeks putting in some miles. I bumped into some old people in Hastings and they've kindly let me use them as pace-laggers for my training runs. They're a kindly bunch, if you excuse the smell of stale beer and woodbines, but if I've helped them just half as much as they've helped me ... then they will have helped me twice as much as I've helped them.

Which I think is fair.

I've not done any racing since the start of the year - it doesn't do an Olympian much good to over-race, although I did make a couple of personal cameo-like appearances at a couple of races in Caravan County. I popped over to the Dartford 10 to see what was occurring and then on Sunday I signed a few autographs at the Ashford & District 10K where my old muckers Nice Work were trying to make a fist out of organising the race.

But my weekly sessions with the old people in Hastings has helped - none of that sea-front-shuffling-for-jessies stuff - I've been running up and down hills. As Amanda Holden would say "Yeah - hills".

I've been trying to build up my stamina and my mileage to get ready for that London Marathon thing in April. At the moment I'm a touch above my fighting weight - well more than a touch entre noo - but class is permanent and I'm confident I'll be in the top three come podium time. Can't wait to lock noses with my old mucker Paul Radcliffe again - that's if he can keep his iffy toilet habits in check that is!

Big day for me this Sunday though with my first half marathon for almost a year. I'm down Caravan County again doing a bit of tarmac dodging in the Dover Half Marathon. The Half Share is threatening to come along too - but if there's a breath of wind she'll no doubt want to stay sat in front of the box with her curlers, knitting and a box of Newberry Fruits if I know her. The step up in distance is a big one for me - I'm not expecting graet things either and if I finish in the top ten I'll be happy.

A week later and I'm the celebrity starter at another CC event - the Isle of Oxney Hot Soup 5 Mile Hot Soup Dash - well at least I'll get a bowl of soup out of it!! Then its up to London for a first time race in the capital since that fiend Livingstone got bounced out of the Great Unfinished City. If I can dodge the needles and dog pooh I'll be hoping I can win the Roding Valley Half Marathon - and then a week later its over to my spiritual home - Belgiumland.

We're there for the Ostend to Bruges 10 Mile Race - again with that bunch of gin-soaked has-beens from Nice Work (Christ, they're getting some mentions today!!). Its an event that I get invited to every year - its always flippin' parky, but there's always a nice beer awaiting!

As it happens I paid a flying vsisit to Belgiumland last week to see the fine burghers of Veurne. A sprightly place with more varieties of beer than there are people. Had such a good time I can't remmber a flippin' thing about it - apart from, that is, some beer called Guillotine.

Give me strength I muttered to the barman - and he did.

12% worth!!

Keep on tapering.

Ron