Of course I'm still here

Well you know what they say ... absence makes the world go round in a bush.

I know that I've been quiet for a little while but that doesn't mean to say I haven't been busy. It doesn't mean to say I have been busy either but lets not squash hairs eh?

If the truth be known I have been working hard at my technique to make sure that I'm fit and ready for the coming season. The New Year came with a bit of a whimper to be honest - which is a bit disappointing considering I'd finished 2011 with some stirring performances. The old Christmas pud has taken a bit of shifting and I'm back to carrying a bit of ballast. A two week bout of the lurgy which stopped me from even signing on for two weeks didn't help - but I have tried to keep up some kind of training - and as we enter March I do so with renewed optimism.

I know that you'll have missed me though but, as that woman out of the Krankies would say "Tough". Silence is silver and all that.

But what have I been up to? Well, in January I was determined not to undo all my good work in the latter half of last year and one way I can demonstrate that is with my race times. I vowed never again to top the hour mark in 10Ks - certainly I need to be just under the hour if I'm to stand any chance of an Olympic podium place next year. Well my first test was the Bromley 10K - and I rattled through that little bingo in a time of 59.06 which, OK, it met my target and will show forever on the results - but I know that the race was slightly under distance - so I have a dodgy Race Director to thank for maintaining my record! A week later I had an 8 miler to do - the Lakeside Frimley Green Canal Run or something - and set myself a modest target of 1 hour 24 minutes - and I nudged in at 1.23.24, so job done again. It was also a BP for me over the distance - but whilst I have to be satisfied with my performance, it was still chugging around in 10.5 minute miles - not good enough.

But February I went downhill. I got hit with some flu/lurgy thing. It was dumped on me by a couple of the Cash Drainers who after an orgy of tequila and Junior Aspirins at University then start kissing each other and mutating what was once a very nice, harmless cold into a raging bacteria-fuelled flu virus. Thanks kids. It put me on my back for two weeks. But this kiddie has inner strength you know. Because whilst I may well have been fit for nowt I still raised myself off my sick bed to take part in a couple of 5K runs. I did a Run for Heroes event in Swindon which I managed in 30.03 - my quickest 5K in some time but, again, I fear, slightly under distance. Then, just as I was recovering from the lurgy I ventured out to do a ParkRun.

Now these ParkRuns are becoming increasingly popular so I thought I'd chance my arm. I popped over to Reading where the eldest Cash Drainer Haille Minogue is currently squandering what few ackers I have left. ParkRun? This was no ParkRun! For a start there was no Parkie to act as a pace setter; no dog poo to skip round; no ducks, no swings, no ice cream hut. It was just a lump of grass beside the River. And my wasnt that grass heavy on my legs! It took me 32 minutes and 24 seconds to lug myself around that course - probably my slowest ever 5K!!

Since then I have got a few training runs in - I am a guest elite athlete for a small running group in Rye. A kind of local celebrity if you like - I know they appreciate me popping along and sharing some of my techniques with them. They do some strange warm-ups though - not an anal crunch or pelvic squirt in sight. I've also tried to get out and do a few miles during the week. So, at the moment I'm reasonably fit for short distances but definitely slow.

So, what do you do in those circumastances? Yep, you enter a half marathon!!

I'm off to that London place tomorrow to do the Roding Valley Half Marathon. I havent done the distance for three months, I'm over ballasted and I'm knackered.

Perfect preparation!

Next week I'm off on my first European jaunt of the year where I'll be leading the British team once again in the Ostend to Bruges 10 Mile Race. Later in the month I will have two half marathons in Hastings and Paddock Wood and then, depending on how I feel, I'll attempt to win the London Marathon again in April.

Who'd be an Olympian eh?

Keep on tapering

Ron.

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