2008 - June

[El Gordo]

Andy, I found your description hilarious, especially when you lay in that field with your eyes closed. Sorry if I wasn’t meant to.

No apologies necessary, BB. The observation tickled me as much as it did you. It's just possible I'll never run another race, and if that's the case, this has the makings of a damn good story -- one I'll no doubt polish up a bit over time.

Don’t ever feel bad about coming in last....

.... If you do a lot of races over a certain number of years, you pick up the occasional injury and run anyway, you get older and run anyway, you feel bad on the day and run anyway… it is inevitable that one day you will be the last one home. Keep your sense of humour (as you obviously do) and enjoy it, the alternative is not to run in races for fear of finishing last. That’s what people do here and there are great races with hardly any participation as a result. They’re all afraid of finishing last!

Keep going.. I’ll be laying off the running for a bit after Picos and I’m relying on you and MLCM to get me through the summer.

Cheers mate, the encouragement is much appreciated. I didn't feel in the least bit bad about being last. When the scarlet-faced young cyclist came to wake me from my slumber in the field, I did say to him: "Let's call this a DNF. Next time you call, let them know I'm out of it."

But somehow, as I jog-walked on, I gradually became an entrant again -- I think it was becasue there was no other way of me returning to my car. I had to carry on along the tow path to get to the finish line, which was next to the car park. A bit annoying, but I didn't care.

Anyway, thanks again for the positive comments. I fear I may be coming to the end of all this, but I hope there'll be a final flourish.