February 2008

[Sweder]

I've avoided the dreaded 'recovery' runs in recent times. These forrays into the hills a day after long training runs are made for masochists. It's all rusted joints, aching limbs and knackered lungs, never a thing of beauty and usually laced with pain or, as our Almerían friend would say, discomfort.

There was discomfort a-plenty as I laboured across the downs a little after sunrise. That evil, knifing wind that had frozen my limbs yesterday lurked over the first brow, dancing in gleefully to sear tired flesh from frozen bone. Thankfully I had the incomporable Alice Cooper to keep me warm. It's Alice's birthday today - 112 - and the Evil One had been given licence to indulge. He treated us to a twenty minute slice of vintage Zappa, a full orchestral piece to smash the senses and mangle the mind. My track du jour though was a fabulous piece of world collision. Pat Boone, the celebrated sixties crooner, had apparantly taken a shine to one of Mr Coopers' better known works, so much so that he recorded his own tribute. So, as I dragged my heavy carcass up yet another muddy, bone-chilled climb, I was seranaded by Mr Pat Boone singing 'No More Mister Nice Guy'. Surreal.

I was sorry to hear the news that the good people of Barcelona had resorted to greeting Lewis Hamilton, in town for some pre-season F1 testing, with monkey chants and general racist abuse. Surely our Spanish friends can come up with something a little more acerbic? The powers that be at the FIA have announced they are to consider withdrawing the circuits' licence for this season. I doubt this will happen. Surely a far more fitting punishment would be to deduct ten points from Fernando 'The Incredible Sulk' Alonso who's petulant dummy-spitting started this whole furore in the first place . . .

I'll get me coat