Its make your mind up time

Well what a Bank Holiday extravaganza that was! I enjoyed my Easter days and my Royal Wedding days (always been a fan of Kate Bush and great to see that she's now officially a Royal). Watching the wedding I was struck by the futility of wealth, pageantry and aristocracy. There he is, the young man has all the money and opportunity he could ever want. He has castles and servants and enjoys five star treatment wherever he goes. But when that young man wakes up each morning and looks into the mirror, what does he see?

Yup. He's still a ginger.

Anyway I used the time away from the coalmine to do some serious running stuff. I didn't actually do a lot of running but I did other running stuff instead.

I did pop over to Folkestone for the Good Friday Folkestone 10 - always a pleasure to venture into Caravan County on a sunny day I was aiming to get round the bally thing in anything less than 1 hour 47 minutes - my time when I did the race last year; so I was chuffed to zip round in an hour 44 - not only quicker than last year but by my calculations quicker than all but one or two other people. Think I came about 6th.

Since then though I haven't raced. Not because I didn't want to but more because the opportunity didn't present itself. I was due to be a celebrity at the Royal Wedding 5K in Bexhill but didn't get there in time and this Monday just gone was going to be another 10 miler but again the opportunity passed me by. I did manage a 12 mile training run along the coast from Kingsdown to Sandwich last week but apart from that I've been focusing on planning my big event for 2012.

I've decided to apply for this change of nationality lark and have been looking at what countries I might select. I'm still keen on Burkina Faso but I'm also looking at one or two of the fringe countries that have no decent athletes, so I've narrowed my short list to:

Canada I've always held the horse chestnut leaf close to my heart and I fancy visiting Auckland for a holiday - so Canada has to be on the list.

France France you say! And so you might. I wouldn't lower myself to wear the French trickler but I quite fancy asking them because they're useless at sport; then accepting me; then I'll tell them to take a run. Is it juvenile? yes. Is it pathetic? yes. Do I give a monkeys? No. Its France. Get over it.

Australia Another outsider I guess, but their desperation for a decent athlete might give me a real chance here. Loved Skippy.

South Africa Always had a soft spot for them down under and really respect that Manuel bloke who was their King or something. The one who escaped from Alcatraz.

Cornwall I'll be honest and say that I'm not sure if Cornwall has any kind of team in the Olympics - but seeing as its quite close I thought I'd have a bash. I'll write to Simon Cowell because I think he runs the Olympics and see if he can twist a few hands.

So, its very much make-your-mind-up time for these countries. And as Huw Edwards would say "I wonder which one will choose Ron?".

Whilst all this is going in the back door I'm looking to my next race which, ironically enough it's the Ramparts 10K in Northern France which I confidently expect to win with ease and make those Frenchies eat my dust.

Hold on to your hats Ronnettes - it could be a bumby ride.

Keep on tapering.

Ron

Bonk!

I recovered from that hard and horrendous event in Great Baddow and returned to my finely tuned Olympic training plan this week. Ernie wanted some new pliers so we went in the Transit and whilst he was negotiating a deal at Hire-Us I went for what was for me a very hard 3 mile sprint along the harbour path in Rye.

So that was a decent workout. Then, on Wednesday I popped along to Bexhill for the first of their summer 5K races and decimated the field by finishing the sea front course in 31.33 - impressive mange tout?

True to form though, the weekend was bound to end on a low - and low it was come yesterday evening Ronettes. I popped along to the Tillingham Valley where some of the older people from Hastings were due to run in the Rockabilly 5 Mile Race.

Was it a good idea to go there - question number 1

What do you think - see below:


Was it a good idea to go there - question number 2

No it bally well wasn't. I got out of Ernie's van to start my warm-up, sign a few autographs etc. Turned to get my pumps out of the van and Ernie had only gone and opened the van doors. I then proceeded to stot my head on the door.

What happened next? Well, there was an awful lot of blood. And, my friends, I can tell you it hurt. It hurt then. And it still hurts now. I should have gone to the hospital for a stitch but they had no private facilities and I wasn't queuing with ordinary people. To make matters worse though, the Half Share reckoned I've now got percussion - and I might need to take a couple of days off till it gets better. So that's put paid to what was going to be a surprise trip over to Caravan County for the Dover Half Marathon tomorrow morning.

And before you ask - yes, I to want to know where the Olympic back-up medical team were as well.

Keep on tapering.

Ron