2006 - April

[El Gordo]

Confession time - I'm having trouble with my Zurich report. I've been dribbling odd sentences out here and there, but I'm finding it hard work.

Please drastically lower expectations, particularly after Sweder's Parisian tour de force. I'll try to finish it this evening.

[Seafront Plodder]

I think you have had high expectations about our expectation levels Andy. :p

[El Gordo]

Well it's true SP, but only because I made such a big deal about the trouble I was having with this race that it might reasonably be thought that getting round in my target time might produce some breathless epic. It seems to have had the opposite effect. I was delighted to get my target of course, but it seems to have sapped my writing energy as well as the running sort.

Anyway, just off to finish planting my potatoes, then may go for my first post-marathon run. Combined with this afternoon's delivery of 10 sacks of horse manure this might just have the required laxative effect on my writing.....

[Seafront Plodder]

10 sacks of horse manure .........

Oh I doubt the report will be that bad.

[Sweder]

Well I'm looking forward to reading the story of Zurich if no-one else is.
I'm sick and tired of reading and re-reading my endless ramblings from Paris in an effort to bring coherence and an element of thought to my rushed monologue - frankly anything else would be most welcome.

It's odd that you feel exhausted as a writer - that's how I felt. In the end I just spat out the linear story without much thought to reflection or detail. A weird parallel with the actual race - all thoughtful contemplation and observation at the start only to finish in a mad, brain-scrambled dash for the line.

It'll be worth the wait, and as ever nowhere near as bad as you suggest.
Now stop whimpering and get tap-tap-tapping on them there keys . . .

[El Gordo]

I'm tapping, Sweder, I'm tapping.....

[Sweder]

Just thought you should know I downloaded the training guide for the Two Oceans tonight. There's no '07 stuff up yet, but I've sent a request for an entry form . . . any doubts I had evapourated when I read the guide to the actual race. I have to do it.

[El Gordo]

Hurrah!

Word of warning -- if it's the same training guide that I downloaded, it's pretty useless. Repeats itself. Also, it's a sort of novice guide. I think you need the elite version.

We can perhaps discuss over a beer on Saturday, while everyone else is glugging water.

[Sweder]

We can perhaps discuss over a beer on Saturday, while everyone else is glugging water.

A most excellent notion Old Bean

[Nigel]

Fantastic report, Andy - thank you. Now I can enjoy London.

I picked up a book by John Bryant at the Expo on the history of the London Marathon. I paraphrase, but one section stuck in my mind:

'Pain is part of the marathon, for everyone. Ordinary runners fear pain, and delude themselves that they can avoid it. To the great runner, pain is merely information to be used to help them to the finish.'

You just joined the band of great runners. As far as I am concerned, you can take every one of those marvellous PBs and hang them on the wall. It may not be a classic way to run a marathon, but that way has been tried before. What you found in Zurich was the courage to take your attack to the marathon for once, head-on, and wipe the smile off that grim reaper of a sweeper bus driver.

Inspirational. And a marvellous read, so thank you.

[Bierzo Baggie]

Just read it
Don't know what I admire more...the running achievement or your writing about it. Missed my own "programmed" run just to read it all in one sitting...
Welcome to the "shit or bust" school of running strategy Andy.

[marathondan]

Great report and a fantastic achievement. Also two brilliant photos - the "medal" photo isn't smug; it really conveys how much much being among the finishers meant to you. And the "ambulance" shot is utterly priceless - although let's hope the guy was OK...

Seeing the sweeper bus coming towards you several times is a sinister twist - sounds like some ghost in a 5-hour game of Pac Man.

Fascinating race strategy as well (and it's not that often one can say that and really mean it) - and it worked, so why not?

[Sweder]

I really enjoyed reading a printed version of the report on the train up to London on Saturday. The Sweeper Bus reminded me of the sinister truck chasing Dennis Weaver in Spielberg's excellent Duel, albeit that you never got to see the driver in the movie. I think it's even more creepy seeing the guy leering out from behind his wheel . . .

A great report and a really good read. Again the story reflects the state of mind in a marathon to perfection; it all starts in fine detail, nuances of light and sound, picking out the interesting detail tucked away in the nooks and corners of a big race occasion. And of course it all boils down in the end to raw, gut-wrenching emotion, leeking out of you like sweat that seems to spring from the deepest, darkest places in your soul as you meet the Great Challenge. Never in sport is triumph so utterly exhausting as in the finish of a marathon. Well done indeed.

[Peterward3]

Andy

Top drawer stuff once again. You and Sweder have a great knack of articulating the magic of running. Struck down with bursitis at the moment but am itching to run. I have a race Wednesday a 5k and then the main event of the 10k a week Sunday. Will probably not run before the race and until the 10k.

Peter

[glaconman]

Andy;

Thanks for the Zurich report. A great read and, as usual, some very thoughtful stuff in there. You clearly ran a very courageous race and were rewarded for that. Superb.

[Tim]

Hi Andy, it's taken me a long time to pick up on your report but it was worth the wait. I'm so delighted for you that you've managed to beat the 5 hour bogeyman that's been haunting you for so long. Hearty congratulations!

Currently I'd be struggling to hobble round a marathon in under 5 hours as I've jiggered my foot. May or may not be a stress fracture (nobody seems sure and they're not going to waste precious resources on me to satisfy my curiosity) which means I can't run at all just now (even walking has been diffcult). The good news is that it's definitely on the mend now. Missing my running something rotten (aqua-jogging, swimming and cycling just don't do anything for me).

Fingers crossed I make it to the start line of this year's West Highland Way Race. See you there next year maybe?

Tim

[El Gordo]

Fingers crossed I make it to the start line of this year's West Highland Way Race. See you there next year maybe?
Tim

Er, I've a feeling I may be busy that day. Whenever it is.....

I do definitely intend doing some off-road stuff this year though probably nothing as adventurous as the WHW just yet.

Nice to hear from you again though -- I did wonder if you were injured. Hope you get that sorted afore long.

[El Gordo]

Ooops. Oh god.

Just reread the first few paragraphs of the Zurich report for the first time since writing and posting it.

It's awful.

I have to rewrite some of it. Am taking it off for the moment.

Erk.

[Sweder]

That's what you get for rushing it
[mutter-grumble]only took three bloody weeks to post it [/mutter-grumble]

2:15 am and I'm just going out for a monster ale downing session . . .
I love my new TARDIS

______________________
Sweder, Corpulent Timelord

[Nigel]

'Imperfection' was ever the troubled and demented chant of the restlessly gifted muse.

Maybe there is a price to pay for immediacy. If you write too soon, a looming morass of pointless detail threatens. But if you wait too long, the poignancy and emotion of the moment is often lost behind the impression of the whole.

Especially after 1am following a long Friday evening ...

As for me, I usually slash the worst of the crassest bits when I hope no one is looking.

Just don't tell Newsnight Review, OK ?