I think I’ve picked up my first ever proper running injury!  That is, excluding the odd twisted ankle that I’ve run off.  I’ve tweaked a hamstring somewhere along the line – more than likely doing my fast strides on a Sunday morning.  It’s not a common injury for runners either – I feel a bit like Ryan Giggs or Fernando Torres, which is nice.  Wish my first touch was as good.  Don’t know if this little injury will stop me running.  At least I’m totally crap right now and won’t be starting the Half this Sunday anyway.  Hopefully I’ll be feeling brighter post-Christmas to start my training for Edinburgh.

Any locals reading this and not running on Sunday why not join us marshals – contact Christine on ritchie11@hotmail.co.uk

Interesting little chat on Sunday with Andrew and a few of the dwindling band of senior track athletes.  It revolved around the age-old problem of not converting young athletes into seniors.  If you could analyse why stalwarts Peter Irving, Helen Butler and Claire Wilson have made the transition then you’d solve it.  The comment that made most sense was that all youngsters these days want it all and they want it now.  Once success stops coming automatically off the back of talent, once it means serious hard work just to compete at regional or national level, interest generally fades rapidly.  It is a gloomy outlook that makes you wonder where track & field everywhere – not just Jersey, is heading.

Poor old Ireland, tortured by past and tarnished by future’s curse
The late great Alan Hull of Lindisfarne had it right.  How much misfortune can be heaped on one country?  Oppression, conflict, famine, civil war, terrorism, emigration.  Then the Celtic Tiger came along and the centuries of bad times seemed to be over.  But no – not content with enjoying a measure of prosperity within the EU an unholy alliance of bankers, developers and politicians created an unsustainable bubble.  This has led to a crash harder than any other in Europe.  The country can no longer borrow on the international markets, a second savage budget is upcoming shortly and there is talk of EU bailouts and even IMF intervention.  Cars are being abandoned at Dublin Airport by immigrants scooting back home and once more many of the country’s professionals are upping sticks to see if there is a living to be made elsewhere.  In retrospect the quietness of virtually all of the bars when I was over in June * reflected the prevailing circumstances.
So my love and best wishes to all the great friends I have there and I hope things will turn out OK.

*Cork – South County, Tom Barry’s, Franciscan Well, Larry Tomkins, Dan Lowrey’s, Annie’s.  Waterford – Katty Barry’s, Alfie Hale’s, Jordan’s.  Dublin – Mulligans, Yacht, Oarsman.  e&oe.

Miles on the week – 14.5
Miles ytd – 1,215.4