Rushed home from work to get changed and out the door so that I could get back in time to see Paula Radcliffe in the European Championships 10K. Unfortunately I got waylaid by my neighbour on the way out, who needed to know why we had a half ton of horse manure sitting in our front garden. It’s a reasonable question.
The run wasn’t quite as good as Paula’s, but pretty good by my standards. 4 miles around the lanes on a warm Summer’s evening. Is there anything better? Well, yes, there is. Quite a lot of things, if the truth be told. I spent much of the run fantasising about an extended Italian banquet on some sunny terrace somewhere in the Mediterranean. A glass or two of Louis Roederer as an aperitif; a bottle of mature Barolo with the main course, and a decanter of decent port with the cheese. Felt pleasantly tipsy by the time I got home.
Paula Radcliffe’a run was wonderful. I’ll be up against her in Chicago this year of course. I’m quietly confident about the outcome. It’s true that last time we met, in the London Marathon, there was a margin of 3 hours 38 minutes between us, but I’ve improved since then, and she must be getting a bit knackered. I think she’ll be a little complacent about me as she runs a thoughtful finger down the list of entrants. And this is where I hope to capitalise. Over-confidence can be a very humbling thing. Oh yes. Khannouchi may be just beyond me, I don’t know. If I’m going to have any chance of winning the Chicago Marathon, I have to be realistic…
