Post-Boston

[El Gordo]

Thanks BB. I'm only sorry it took so long to post. I kept thinking I must have more to say about the race itself, but in the end, had to admit that I didn't. I could have included a lot more about the travelling, and actually ended up cutting stuff out. In particular, politics. I had a constant battle with M about what to listen to on the car radio. She favoured cheesy music while I developed an unhealthy fascination for talk radio, and the sprinking of bitter right-wing nuts who dominate the medium. While Obama continues to enjoy his honeymoon, it was a frightening reminder that there is still a semi-hidden rump determined to destabilise and rubbish everything he does and says. Some of the distorted analysis has to be heard to be believed. But anyway, I left that bit out in the final version. I also said little about the 2 or 3 day journey between LA and San Francisco, which was astonishingly scenic.

Re the first London marathon in 1981. I was at a party in Kensal Rise, NW London, on the Saturday night. As was the norm for parties I attended in those days, it went on all night. At around 8 in the morning, I decided it might be time to go home. A mate then suggested that it would be more interesting to go and see the first running of the marathon. So we wandered into town, and took our place aming the spectators. Can't recall where we stood. We must have seen Beardsley and the "Norwegian fellow" go past but I can't honestly remember. All I recall is being bowled over by the spectacle of thousands of people running through the streets of London. I believe there were only about 8000 runners allowed in that first year, though it still seemed like a lot to me. A big city marathon was a total novelty in those days. Unfortunately it didn't directly inspire me to start running -- indeed it just emphasised how distant I was from those types.

Who'd a thought it, eh?