Thud!!!

[Seafront Plodder]

I am alone in the house. Sitting at my computer doing a bit of work and.....THUD!

A noise startles me as I sit here, the dog is dozing at my feet but gives a little growl. What on earth can that be?

I slowly creep downstairs, my mind starting to imagine what I would do to any intruders. Hang the consequences I would do what I had to, if I had to.

The noise seemed to come from the front door. Surely not? I turn the corner and peer down the hall to the door. And there I see.....................


























My acceptance pack for the 2005 London Marathon!!






.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Sooooo, which is scarier ... the thought of dealing with an intruder in the house; or your participation in the FLM?

[Seafront Plodder]

A valid point judging by my last race.

[Riazor Blue]

You bastard.



They haven't cashed my cheque, so I'm not in. Good luck though. Start the training NOW.

[marcymarc24]

At least I will get a rain jacket as I bequeathed my entry as consolation. Whoopee.

[El Gordo]

I got my race number for the Cliveden x-country yesterday too. Nothing like the distance at about 6 miles, but it's always worrying when race organisers try to reassure you by telling you that there will be ambulances on stand-by.

But anyway, great news about London. I didn't enter this time. I'm planning to do a marathon either the same weekend or the one after, so it'll be good to compare notes nearer the time.

Is it Hal Higdon again? I'm going for a new flavour this time.

[stillwaddler]

All I've got to look forward to is the rain jacket too, come on, confess how many times have you applied before?

Have been sick so no running for the last week until yesterday, did a slowish 9miles, first 5 of which were up hill, hard work...was thinking that it's just as well I haven't got an FLM place (unless the extra ballot turns up trumps) that distance was quite hard enough, however, am pleased to find that the Stockport ten miler which I thought was next weekend is actually the Sunday after - phew - I'm going to need the extra training.

[Seafront Plodder]

This was third year lucky.

I only took up running in late 2002.

[Riazor Blue]

I have applied four times in the past but never made it. Sadly, the first two were many years ago so I don't qualify for the fifth time lucky rule.

Mmm ... Andy says either the same weekend ... Berlin? or the one after ... Madrid? Go on.. Madrid, the goodie bag is so much better than anywhere else, and there are hot showers at the finish.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

What's with the rain jacket??

[Seafront Plodder]

What's with the rain jacket??

It's a showerproof overgarment one dons in times of precipitation (or potentially so) to stop ones' clothes getting wet.

Honestly, the ignorance of some Aussies is truly worrying...

[Seafront Plodder]

It's the freebie available if you bequeathed your entry fee to charity.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Right.

So lemme see - if you're lucky, you get a rain jacket, and lose a few quid in the process, but if you're unlucky, you've got to run 42.2km through the streets of London with everybody watching? Golly, even the Spanish Inquisition didn't think of that.

Is this some cultural thing left over from the days of press gangs?

[El Gordo]

RB - Madrid keeps drifting through my list of possibles though for some reason I have a hankering for Padua the following week. I'm not planning to decide just yet though, especially as I still have a very, very vague hope of winning a place in the North Pole Marathon a couple of weeks earlier. My chances are about as remote as the race itself, but stranger things have happened.

Berlin I think is in September or October usually? I might be popping over to Berlin at some point next year, but not to run.

[Sweder]

I was away for a week in New Orleans - tough job and all that - and got home to find a pack from Dave Bedford waiting on my desk . . .

. . . sadly, it contained the aforementioned rain jacket : ( so it;s hey ho and a golden bond place we go . . . shame coz it'll cost the charity 300 quid just to get me round, but it's better than not taking part.

By the way, not wishing to start an anti FLM session or anything but . . . Plodder, on the front of your 'YOU'RE IN!' magazine there's a picture of two lads by Tower Bridge giving it large into the camera. They are my lads from this years' JDRF team . . . but the organisers have AIRBRUSHED THE CHARITY NAME OFF THEIR SHIRTS in the photo! How sad is THAT? Apparently they can because they own everything to do with the race, including the rights to the photos, but I think it sucks. JDRF has requested an explanation, but in the end there's not much we can do. We suspect its because JDRF is not an official charity this year, and though it's a great pic they (FLM) don't want to
dish out free high profile publicity for one of the 'minor' charities.

Anyone who'd like a copy of the original pic by e-mail, drop me a line.