When they meet it'll be moirder! (see note below)

Forget Ali /Foreman, forget Nicklaus/Watson, Borg/McEnroe forget even Beatles/Stones. We have a new duel about to start and its in your very own running club. A member of the club, who shall remain nameless (Brian) once famously stated when the age of our runners was mentioned, "We'll soon have more vets that members'. Well that was over 20 years ago and now most of us are approaching the very vet stage.

Newcomer to the 60's category is a certain Mr James Rust, obviously a very good friend of Brian, but very competitive nonetheless. Now Jim has been injured over the months and put on loads of weight (I have seen suitcases at airport check ins heavier), so he's obviously going for the power approach.

No-ones actually made any comments, but we (Jim, Brian, Big Tony and me) were relaxing after a particularly hard run on Sunday, when talk of the upcoming season came up and obviously Brian, who of course is South Yorkshire Cross Country Champion is in the same category as Jim.

Now far be it from me to say that the mind games have started, but I find it rather strange that Brian suddenly turns up for training on Tuesday unable to run with a twisted ankle, and to prove the point, he rolled his trouser leg up to display a white bandage. Now anyone who knows Brian will tell you that when he has got a bandage on he is a very dangerous animal indeed. With two its watch out.

I think its a case of watch this space.

Bob

Note

All our members under 40 (Lindsey and Susan) will remember the truly terrible American TV series Hart to Hart. The saving grace was the very wonderful (and very late) Lionel Stander, who played butler Max. The saying at the start of each episode was "when they met it was murder" with the strange pronunciation of murder.

The year ahead (and the year behind)

I have been trawling through my photos to send through to our website guru (that's Steve to you and me) and came across this lovely photo from Edinburgh last year.

Most of the people on this photo are going back up again this year (to run the half marathon this time though). This was taken on the glorious Saturday before the race with the wonderful castle as a backdrop.

However, what resonated with me was the fact that on this photo , yes there are some runners, but there's also the backbone of the club, our wonderful supporters (that's wives to you and me). I suspect that they do enjoy these trips, but really they give an awful lot of time putting up with the moans, groans, wails and whinging. And that's before the race.

Before Edinburgh, it's Lisbon soon and, you guessed it, our supporters will be there and we runners will be doing the same thing - drinking the first night, saying that we are going to run rubbish on the Sunday (but not really believing it), and our supporters will do what they always do. They will be there, cheering us on, putting up with our moans, and, most importantly being there at the end, and if one supporter is really lucky (Sheila), I may even find my way back to her at the end of the race.

Thank you ladies.

We could not do it without you.

2011 Here We Come

Happy New Year everyone!

I have finally got off my Harris and decided to send another enthralling blog to everyone. What a start to the year with Brian completing a South Yorkshire double in the Cross Country Championships as both league winner and the championship in his age group (over 60's). He did all this without the aid of support stockings, Kendal mint cake, porridge, paracetamols or any other pharmaceuticals. what a man! Well done Brian!

Special mention too to Barbara who picked up third in her age group (over 20's). yes I am still as diplomatic as ever.

Hope that you can all make the AGM/presentation at the 3 TUNS, Stainton on 9th February at 7pm prompt. it should be a good night with one or two surprises.

Just in case you were wondering about the David Bellamy impression above, its from our trip to Madiera in September, when Mrs H and I decided to have a quiet holiday (if that's possible with me in it).

It will soon be Lisbon and I hope everyone is training hard. We are really looking forward to it, as it should be great.

Anyroadup

That's it for now

More Blogs soon

Bob