Jon's Blog

Farewell Adam

2008-01-27T21:40:00.000Z

Batsmen and bowlers alike will have breathed a sigh of relief this week when Adam Gilchrist announced his retirement from international cricket. Many England fans may have celebrated, believing this to be the beginning of the end of Australia's dominance of the game, and offering England a scintilla of hope ahead of the 2009 Ashes series. I wouldn't hold your breath.

I myself was rather surprised, and to be honest, a little sad. To me, Adam Gilchrist has been the Don Bradman of batsmen/keepers, and it has been a privilege to have witnessed his brilliance, heartbreaking as it may have been at times.

To have broken the record for the number of dismissals in test matches by a keeper, and to average 48 at the astonishing strike rate of 82 runs per hundred balls simply puts him in a class of his own, which I don't think will ever be matched.

I think my most enduring memory of this extraordinary talent will be from the disastrous 2006/07 Ashes series. Even though England were taking a severe beating, I was willing him to make the fastest ever test hundred, and slightly disappointed when he couldn't quite pull it off. I will also remember celebrating his being dismissed during the 2005 Ashes series more than any of the other Aussie batsmen - he was always the one player who could turn any match on his head.

To boot, from what I've heard he is an extremely nice guy and whilst if I were a cricketer I'd probably subscribe to the "let the umpires make the decisions and it will even itself out" viewpoint, there's always something quaintly nice about someone who will walk when he knows he is out. It certainly doesn't tie in with the current Australian "win at all costs" mentality, but it didn't seem to make much difference to Gilchrist's record.

Farewell Adam, and good luck. Not everyone will admit it, but we're gonna miss you.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, January 2008

The rest of 2007

2007-12-31T18:18:00.000Z

As I write, I come to the end of my Christmas break. I've had eight days off, and apart from going running every day, have done nothing constructive at all. I had a lovely day on Christmas day with my family, and had a long overdue night out with Graeme at the weekend after seeing I Am Legend, but apart from that I've done nothing at all except sit in my armchair, drink beer/wine/whatever else I fancied and occasionally piss around on facebook (I guess the novelty will wear off soon). And boy, did I need it. I must have done, otherwise I'd have got bored.

The fact is, 2007 was a good year all round, but very busy, very crowded, and at times extremely stressful. I haven't updated this blog since I ran the London marathon for a couple of reasons; firstly, that seemed a logical point to draw a line under the blog as it had mostly been about the build up to that wonderful day. Secondly, it was time for me to concentrate on my course with the writers' bureau, which has gone well, but still needs a lot more of my time and commitment.

So anyway, here's a little about what I got up to since the 2007 London Marathon. As there's quite a lot I'll divide it up by area.

Running/Training

I got back into training pretty much immediately after London, which was possibly a mistake. Looking back I should probably have had a week on a beach somewhere, and let my body recover fully. I started racing roughly a month after London, and much to my frustration my times have not improved at all, in fact they've got worse. I have not been able to improve on any of the PBs I set in the build up to London, but to be fair there are reasons for this. I haven't been as motivated since London, which is understandable as nothing I was going to do again in 2007 was going to match it. I tried a little too hard to motivate myself I think, and entered too many races to try and keep myself motivated. It didn't work, and I ended up injuring myself. A hamstring strain I had been struggling with was aggravated in the last few miles of the Bristol half marathon and meant I didn't do myself justice at the Swindon half and had to miss the Snowdonia marathon in October.

The absolute nadir of my running career came at the Cricklade half marathon when I actually came home and cried after the race because a) 1:55 was a terribly slow time for me on a flat course b) my hamstring really, really hurt and c) I knew I was going to have to miss Snowdonia and possibly Swindon. I hope I never go through that again.

Ali O'Hara was an absolute star at the time, as he has been all year (he does my sports massages, teaches my body pump classes and I have far too infrequent PT sessions with him to work on my core stability). He was quite strict with me, exhorting me to rest for a few weeks and let the injury heal. He has also been trying his best to help me with my weight which has been an issue for too long. My body composition has definitely changed, probably as a result of taking supplements to aid recovery, but I still need to lose about a stone to get down to an ideal weight and look a bit more like Daniel Craig and less like Homer Simpson. This has to be top of my agenda in 2008 now the leg is better.

Work
Funny this. I used to have a dream where I kept turning up for an exam without having revised or been to any of the classes. I think this was my brain's way of saying "How can you be doing so badly in your career when you did so well at school and went to Uni?". Last night I had a dream where I picked up my degree results and did better than expected.

I've worked incredibly hard at my job this year, especially in the last few weeks, and other areas of my life have suffered. I wanted to do it though; I've been determined to impress my boss, and I think myself, for the following reasons. If I don't get the pay rise I need and deserve (which now seems likely) I'm going to have to get a job at Honda or something else menial but well paid. On the flip side, if my writing career takes off, I may not even need a career in the commercial sector anyway, in which case I'd rather have done at least something of note in it, rather than it just being an abject failure.

Time will tell how it pans out. In the meantime, I have had words with my boss and my salary/grading is under review for all the right reasons. I've also had a couple of trips to Germany since my holiday which were tough but enjoyable. The question of whether I would consider working and living out there again, if the offer was right, has also been raised. Re-arrange the following words to form a sentence: heartbeat in a.

Running the house
I can't afford not to have lodgers any more - like most people I've been feeling the effect of rate rises in 2007. In any case, I didn't buy a four-bedroom house to rattle around in it on my own. I've not managed to rent out all three rooms all the time, but I have had at least two lodgers most of the year. It isn't easy, finding and keeping the right people, so I think I've done well. If anything, maybe too well; I enjoyed having Hamdullah here so much, and got on so well with him, I kind of resented the guy who replaced him (Santhosh, again a lovely guy), in the same way people never warmed to George Lazenby. Why can't they all be like those two?

Hols
Even though I don't feel like I've had a holiday all year I did in fact get two. In June I had a few days in Bochum, Germany, visiting my friend and former lodger. It was a great few days and made me realise how much I miss the place. Everything is better value out there, you don't get ripped off as you do in Blighty. We also travelled up to Amsterdam for a night out. I'll spare you the details, but I can see why one of my closest friends famously refused to take me on his stag weekend there.

I had a lovely weekend in Crete in September, just after the Bristol half. I stayed at a fantastic 4 star hotel, King Minos Palace, in Hersonnisos. Can't fault the hotel; it was half board and the food was great, staff all really friendly and I got on famously with the rep, a young scottish girl called Becky. Unfortunately the resort has become a tad too 18-30 since I went there with Pete in 2000, and I ended up longing for a few quiet bars where I could have a pint and read my book. I was on my own again, but I don't mind this too much as it enables me to catch up on some reading. The two stand-out books this year were 31 Dream Street by Lisa Jewell and Wish You Were Here by Mike Gayle (the latter aptly about 30-something males on holiday in Crete!) I loved them and it was worth the holiday alone to read these two.

My own writing
I've been doing more on my coursework with the writers' bureau this year, and the feedback I've received from my tutor has been very positive, especially for the last batch of assignments. I was hoping to get my curent assignment completed by Christmas but my work on the price file has put paid to that. The current assignment basically is a) write the synopsis for a novel you plan to write and b) write a short story for a magazine. I've finished part a) and am starting on part b) so watch this space!!

Cultural stuff
I've still managed to go the theatre in London a few times this year, mainly with my works sports and social club (I'm now on the committee and will be organising events in 2008). Trips I've enjoyed have been to see Dirty Dancing, Sound of Music, Joseph and Lord of the Rings. I also managed to see Boeing Boeing, which was great and starred my old friend Jennifer Ellison.

I think 2007 will be remembered as a year when I bought some great CDs. Needless to say I bought the new Sugababes CD as soon as it was released (About You Now always reminds me of the day after the Bristol half when I nursed a hangover, a torn hamstring and drove down to Gatwick to go on holiday). I've become a big Rihanna fan and a couple of weeks ago me and my running buddy Andy had a top day out in London seeing her perform at Wembley. I'm not an R&B fan but the album Good Girl Gone Bad is an absolute gem. Britney Spears CD got such good reviews I was forced to buy a copy and was not disappointed. I just hope she sorts herself out, bless her.

The unexpected surprise was Orson's Culture Vultures. Again, a review in The Times persuaded me to buy a copy and it was worth every penny. If there's justice in this world, Broken Watch will be at number one in 2008 for as many weeks as Umbrella was in 2007.

Cricket
Ah, now I know why I'm so knackered. Following the England team this year is enough to break most men. Following the Ashes debacle, there was the infamous Fredalo incident, being dumped out of the world cup, losing to India at home, losing 3 games out of 4 in the twenty20 world cup, and then losing 1-0 to Sri Lanka. Which should have been 2-0. I firmly believe, however, that they play far too much cricket and even I was relieved when they finally got a break. The fact that player rotation has been mooted just reinforces this, and who can really blame Paul Collingwood for going to a lap-dancing bar in South Africa?? I'm sorry but he is a human being at the end of the day and anyone who is away from home for that long is going to want to see some tits at some stage!! I'm sorry but they are!!

The only real highlight, apart from a slight improvement in the performances of the one day side, has been the return of Michael Vaughan who looked imperious in the summer after an injury which threatened to end his career prematurely. He should have been nominated for Sports Personality of the Year for that. Let's just hope Flintoff can do the same in 2008, or the Ashes series in 2009 probably won't be worth tuning in to.

Yep, I think it's fair to say 2007 was a busy year for me. Let's hope 2008 is just as eventful!

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, January 2008

Jon Ran London 2007

2007-05-06T13:42:00.000Z

If I'm ever asked to give my most poignant memory of the 2007 Flora London Marathon, it will always be the moment just after the race. Seconds after crossing the line I saw some fellow runners sat on the pavement and decided to join them. I was absolutely exhausted and slightly light-headed, and a couple of officials expressed concern for my welfare, but in fact I was fine - I think I just needed to take a minute or two to let it sink in - I had done it. I had run the 2007 London Marathon in 4 hours and 31 minutes, slower than expected but nonetheless without stopping. The months of training I had put in, with an emphasis on making my body strong enough to run 26.2 miles, had paid off. And every bit as important, I had raised nearly £2000 for my chosen charity (as I write, some two weeks later, that total has now passed £2000). Lots of people had cause to celebrate my achievement.

With some help I got to my feet, had my finisher’s photo taken, collected my goodie bag and kit bag and made a call to my father to tell him the good news. Then I shuffled off to the meet and greet area in Horseguards' Parade to find my friends (Pete and his wife Sel, as well as his sister Diane and Jonathan who were both running) who had come to London for the weekend to watch the race. A well-earned pint beckoned.

I travelled up to London on Saturday afternoon (I had booked a room in a Kensington hotel for two nights) and in the evening met up with Pete and co for a pasta meal. Whilst the non-runners enjoyed a night out in the capital, I repaired to my hotel for an early night, not before I had watched England play West Indies in their last match of the world cup. True to form, England produced their best performance when it no longer mattered.

On Sunday morning I made my way to the start with some other friends (Anthony's brothers Daniel and Martin, with his girlfriend Claire) who, somewhat serendipitously, were staying in the same hotel. Daniel was running and was starting from the green start (good for age and celebrities). I made my way to the red start (charity runners) and found my pen. As I lined up it was clear there were all types of runners competing - this was going to be quite an experience.

In the early miles I realised I was going to have to downgrade my expected pace from 9-minute miles to around 10-minute miles, simply because of the number of people on the course. The hardest part was weaving in and out of people and avoiding collisions, and this didn't change until the latter stages of the race. It also became clear that this was an event to savour, and I loved witnessing a street party atmosphere almost all the way round, having my name shouted out and giving kids high-fives. I passed lots of people in some great fancy dress outfits, including the 16 "prisoners" chained together, the squad of paratroopers with their back packs and the CHASE cricket runners.

I was also very careful to stay well hydrated - the sun was beating down and I made sure to avail myself of water or lucozade at almost every opportunity. I had put some sun-tan lotion on at the start and donned my running cap, but the heat still made running hard. I loved the walk-through showers provided and just wished I could have stayed in them a bit longer!

After mile 20 I started to tire considerably, and remember wishing the next mile-marker to appear as soon as possible. I managed to keep going however, and at this stage the crowd support had reached fever pitch, to the point of becoming almost overbearing. My pace dropped but I was still running and in no great pain - a big difference to my previous marathon.

The miles ticked by and soon I passed the 25-mile marker opposite the London Eye, and then the 800, 600, 400 and eventually the 200-meter markers. What felt like a sprint finish was probably no more than a gentle trot across the finishing line.

Once I had found my friends we made our way towards Covent Garden for a couple of beers and I regaled them with some of my experiences in the race. I then headed back to my hotel for a shower and to make a couple more phone calls before re-joining them for dinner in Chinatown. On my recommendation we dined at Wong Kei in Wardour Street, which proved a good move - the generous portions are just what you need after a 26.2 mile run!

No one was really up for a late night - even spectating proved exhausting in the heat - and so I headed back to my hotel for a couple of quiet drinks before bedtime. The next day I checked out, had lunch in Leicester Square before reluctantly heading back to Swindon and closing the lid on what had been a truly wonderful and utterly memorable experience.

As I write, two weeks have passed since the event, and what a fortnight it has been. I was sore for a few days but managed to venture out for a jog on the Thursday after the race and got back into pretty much full training in the second week, including a good session at the track (as Anthony has told me, those sessions are going to be vital if I want to improve my times at all distances).

The reception I received at work and from people generally has been overwhelming. On my first day back our boss Lucy sent out an email to everyone in the company highlighting my achievement. People have been coming up to me to say "well done" which has made me feel like a celebrity. I've really enjoyed my moment in the sun.

So what next? Well, I have stated publicly that I want to run one big city marathon a year to raise money for charity. Assuming I don't get a place for London via the ballot system, I will aim to run the New York or Berlin marathon in 2008. It does make sense, however, to run another marathon each year to maintain and improve my fitness levels and I shall be sending off my entry form for the Snowdonia marathon in October.

In the meantime however, I'm really looking forward to the summer. After the New Forest marathon and my subsequent holiday I recall feeling deflated but not now. I have a few 10k and half marathon races booked and June is going to be a particularly busy month. After that I shall be training hard for the Bristol half marathon in September, and have a holiday booked after that (a week in Crete, four stars, half board - should be good).

It won't be all hard work though. The cricket season is in full swing and I'm looking forward to my days at Lords' and a day at Bath. I'm off to see Girls Aloud later this month and have a ticket booked for "Lord of the Rings" at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in July. I may also be making a short trip to Germany in June to visit one of my old lodgers and to sample the beer.

But New York 2008 is very much in my thoughts.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, May 2007

My fundraising website will be open until 22nd June 2007: www.justgiving.com/jonrunslondon2007

Final preparations

2007-04-16T18:12:00.000Z

It has just struck me while I was on the phone to Anthony (calling, very kindly, to give me some advice for the last week before the big day) that I need to update this page with what I have been up to in the last few weeks since the Bath half marathon.

The weekend after Bath I competed in another race, the White Horse half marathon, near Grove in Oxfordshire. It was recommended to me by Mike Sas, a mate from work who also runs for the Harriers. We travelled up there with another Swindon Harrier, Allan Webb, who I know from my Tuesday track session.

This was always going to be more of a training run than a PB race, but it was highly enjoyable, and would have definitely had PB potential had I fully recovered from Bath. Nice and flat, yet scenic, out on quiet roads in the Oxfordshire countryside. I still managed to finish in 1:51:59, about 20 seconds slower than my previous best time at that distance - which again shows how much I have improved.

There was a nice mug as a memento, but also, I was able to buy a race t-shirt which had the names of all the competitors on the back. A nice reminder of an enjoyable event.

As this was more a training run, I decided to head out again in the evening for a 9-10 mile run, which went surprisingly well - in as much as, I expected to struggle (running twice a day normally kills me) but I didn't, I managed to keep a steady pace all the way round. At this point I realised I was probably in the best shape possible for London.

At the Easter weekend I did my last long training run, which at a guess was about 20-21 miles - but a challenging route. Starting at the gym, it took me up the railway path, then out onto the Swindon half marathon route (which I am beginning to know and love) and then back a slightly longer way through town. Best part was, it was such gorgeous weather and I ran with my top off out in the countryside. I later discovered I had caught the sun more than a little!

A nasty shock last week - I suddenly went down with a bad cold on Tuesday and had to come home sick. Many thanks to Kim Parry in my office, who went to Sainsburys and got me some "First Defence" (something I'd never heard of) which seemed to do the trick of getting rid of the worst of it. I was a lot better on Wednesday and went back to work - but not 100 per cent.

Yesterday I competed in the Highworth 5 mile race, which was the second year running for me. Again I travelled up with Mike, and it was nice to see some familiar faces from the Harriers, as well as a few colleagues, competing in a race for the first time. Also running was Ali O'Hara and his girlfriend Becky Weedon - the only Weedon I've met to whom I'm not related!

I was still feeling the cold, so in the end was very pleased with my time of 39:13, again a PB at the distance. Had I been feeling 100 per cent, I might have been able to push on a bit, but it was a good effort under the circumstances.

As I write, I'm feeling a lot better today - a bit of a tickly cough but otherwise fine. Maybe the short, sharp run knocked the infection out of me.

And that's pretty much it. Just a light jog Wednesday, maybe a walk Thursday, and the only other thing I need to do is load up on carbs and stay well hydrated for the big day.

Nervous? A little. Excited? You have no idea.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, April 2007

Bath Half Marathon 2007

2007-03-27T20:36:00.000Z

This Sunday I competed in the Bath Half Marathon, another event I have now participated in for the second year running.

Having entered last year's race, I was given priority entry this year, and made sure I got my entry in straight away. I was later rather annoyed that the Reading half marathon, another of my favourites from last year, was scheduled for the same day, making it impossible to enter both events.

Given the choice, I may have gone for Bath anyway as it is more of a PB course than Reading, and with the London Marathon just four weeks away, a PB would definitely give my confidence a timely boost.

I wrapped up my training on Wednesday and gave myself 3 well-earned rest days. I also had a rub down with Ali on Friday (still not a pleasant experience but nowhere near as bad as it used to be). I also took care to load up on carbs for a few days, lots of pasta and my beloved jelly babies :)

On Saturday I went to see "I Want Candy" at lunchtime, which, while mildly amusing was a bit of a disappointment. It was advertised as a "British American Pie" but was, I have to say, nowhere near as funny as that classic, or the two sequels that followed it. Still, it helped kill some time and it's nice to see former Eastender Michelle Ryan make the transition to big screen.

After the film I just chilled out at home and watched the England vs Canada one day international. This has been a terrible week for any cricket lover, and whilst I feel they are right to continue with the competition, the 2007 cricket world cup will always be remembered for the murder of Bob Woolmer. Let us hope that the perpetrators of this heinous act are swiftly brought to justice, and let us also hope that the teams now through to the second stage of the competition give us some exciting matches and a tournament that Bob would have been proud of.

I caught a bus from the train station to Bath (no trains at that time, and I wonder how many weekends this summer will be blighted by travelling by bus when I have actually paid to travel by train) and at the station met Daniel, Anthony's twin brother.

I had actually caught up with Anthony at the gym the previous weekend which was really good, I hadn't seen him for a good six months, and he complimented me on the weight loss which made me feel better. He has promised to stay in touch and guide me through the last few weeks approaching "the big day".

I made my way to the race with Daniel and when we got there, one of the things we did was get some pace bands from the lucozade stand (they go round your wrist and tell you what speed you need to do each mile at to arrive at your target time). Unsure whether to go for 1:45 or 1:50, he swiftly told me to forget 1:50 and aim for 1:45. I didn't feel this was very realistic, but no harm in trying I suppose, as long as I don't burn myself out too quickly.

Great Pulteney Street was packed as we assembled for the start, and I had no choice but to start in the 1:45 pen. I was glad to get going and it wasn't until about 3 miles into the race that the crowd started to thin out.

I was keeping the pace at around 8 minute miles for the first 6 or 7 miles quite comfortably but after that it became very hard work. I hadn't enjoyed last year's Bath half due to sore legs, and I knew this year was going to be tough as well, but this time for the right reasons. Somehow I managed to dig deep and keep pushing myself along at the same pace.

A "pit stop" at around mile 9 put paid to any realistic hopes of a 1hr 45 minute finish, but I always feel there is no point trying to run with a full bladder, it will only slow you down. So I braced myself for the last few miles and pushed myself to the end as best I could, even though I was starting to feel slightly faint and really wanted to stop and walk for a while.

In the end I crossed the line with 1:46:36 on my watch, and I later found out my chip time was 2 seconds quicker. So I had beaten my previous PB at this distance by a good 5 minutes, which surely proves I am in better shape for a marathon than I was last year.

I picked up my goodie bag and hung around to watch my brother in law, Richard, cross the line. He was running to raise money for Clic Sargent, a very worthwhile cause. While waiting I saw a few people who had collapsed during the race being taken away in ambulances, which was horrible. Usually this is down to poor preparation or pushing yourself too hard. No one can accuse me of not preparing, but I did wonder how close I was to pushing myself to the point of collapse.

But I hadn't collapsed, I was fine, and so off I went for a burger at Schwarz Bros (best burgers in Bath!!) and a pint before catching the (standing room only) train home. Definitely time for a celebration so I cracked open a few beers and watched "Casino Royale" on DVD and the excellent "Transamerica" later on sky movies. I had earned it.

I knew later I must have worked hard because I was sore for a couple of days after the race, missing my Tuesday track session (horribly hard work but very effective) because of this. But I have trained, because it has been so nice to run in the sunshine after work now that the clocks have gone forward.

Just a few more weeks now, and the big day will be here. And I can tell you, there'll be some celebration after that.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, March 2007

Hogweed Hilly Half Marathon

2007-03-14T21:46:00.000Z

At the weekend I competed in one of my final races before the London Marathon - the Hogweed Hilly Half.

I picked this because I knew from the comments on the Runners' World website that it would be a more than useful training run; it scored a PB potential of 2/5 and the profile was described as "hilly". Slightly more honest than just "undulating". It also had very positive reviews, which is - albeit in my limited experience - always a good sign.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/viewevent.asp?en=32534&sp=&v=2

I decided to treat the race as a training run and also to fit in another 6-7 mile run later in the day. I trained every day in the week apart from Monday (even I need some rest after a 20-mile race!) and just took Saturday as a rest day before the race.

I spent a few hours at work Saturday - that may sound really sad but I am starting to get seriously behind which is never good, and it is truly amazing what you get done in a few hours with no interruptions. I managed to fit in a trip to the cinema as well, this time to see "Outlaw", a film about a vigilante gang in Blair's Britain. Not the best film Bob Hoskins has starred in, but entertaining enough, yet at the same time slightly depressing, knowing that we do live in a "yob culture", where custodial and non-custodial sentences are often a joke.

Moving on, I had a good night's sleep before the race and set off. The location wasn't too far from home at all; I drove down the M4 to junction 18 and then travelled about 5 miles to the village of Horton, just outside Chipping Sodbury, where the race HQ and start was located.

I had a little bit too much time to kill before the race but that is always better than being in a rush. Before too long we were ushered to the start line and the horn sounded. The race soon lived up to its description, and uphill stretches were soon followed by downhill ones. In fact, hardly any of it was flat at all. And when your downhill running is as poor as mine, this makes it nigh impossible to run at a decent pace.

Having said that, this was not a course to run round in a hurry, even if I could. On the way I passed through some of the most glorious English countryside and villages I have seen in my life, a timely reminder of why I love this hobby so much. The other runners were all pretty friendly, and on the way I met walkers and horse-riders and everyone seemed in a good mood on this fine spring morning (spring - how nice to use that word in conjunction with running again).

The marshalls especially were fantastic, handing out water at regular intervals - I was careful to stay hydrated during the race - and jelly babies as well. I plan to do some marshalling myself this year to try and give a little bit back to the sport.

In the end I finished in roughly 1 hour 58 minutes, which I was quite pleased with considering the course - the hill at mile 8 finished any hopes of getting close to my PB -, and the fact that it was only ever intended as a training run.

At the end I received a goody bag with a difference - a smart shoe bag with the name of the race and the running club on it. A very original and useful memento, much better than a medal. I also availed myself of a free massage, which was very welcome as my legs were sore not just from the race but a hard week's training.

I did manage a 6-7 mile run in the evening which was fairly painless, so another confidence builder for London. No alcohol to celebrate, as this was just another day's training and I wanted another decent run the next day.

So that was the last of the "tough training" races that I shall be doing for London, and I'm feeling in pretty good nick. Next up is the Bath half marathon on 25th March (where I shall be hoping for a new PB) and the White Horse half marathon the following weekend. I won't have recovered from Bath to get a PB but it is a flat and fast course by all accounts. Throw in a 5-mile race at Highworth the week before the big day and a couple more really long runs and I'm ready and raring to go.

At this stage I have to say I'm really looking forward to London and am quietly confident I shall get round painlessly and in a fairly respectable time. I'm also looking forward to the summer that follows, where I can just enjoy my running and focus on improving my half marathon and 10k times.

So all in all, lots to look forward to.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, March 2007

Gloucester 20 Mile Race

2007-03-06T20:49:00.000Z

This weekend I competed in the longest race I have done since the marathon last year - the Gloucester 20 mile race.

I was due to compete in the Devizes 10k and had already sent off my application. I was a bit disappointed as when I heard about the Gloucester 20 mile race I knew it would be a much better training run for London (as much as I wanted to do the Devizes race - I used to spend a lot of time there when young and it would have been great to see a bit of the town and countryside.

When I did the Tough Ten Mike Sas, a friend from work and the Swindon Harriers, said he might do the Devizes 10k and enter on the day - suddenly a solution had presented itself to me - let Mike take my race number, so I would be free to enter the Gloucester 20 mile race and not lose money.

I wrapped up my training on Wednesday, although to be honest, none of the sessions I did last week were that hard - I was surprisingly sore from Bourton and missed the track session on Tuesday.

This meant I had three days' rest before the race, partly due to the fact that I was in London on Thursday for the day. I went to see "Sound of Music" in the evening with the MAN ERF Sports and Social Club, but instead of just going up for the musical I took a day's leave and spent the day in the capital.

In the afternoon I went to see a play called "Treats" starring Billie Piper and Kris Marshall (My Family). I actually really enjoyed it; the acting was good and the dialogue cracking. Ms Piper goes from strength to strength in my estimation and I really admire the way she is managing her career and her image - any woman to get divorced from a multi-millionaire and NOT fleece him for all he is worth is all right in my book.

Needless to say I had a few beers during the course of the day, which is not ideal preparation for a race I know, but it got worse on Friday when I had to attend Suzie's leaving do - she has made the brave decision to move on to pastures new, feeling she has nothing worth staying in Swindon for. Bearing in mind her age, her lack of commitments and the qualifications she possesses, who can really blame her?

And yes, I had to go - when it's my turn to go I want my friends to turn up for my leaving do and enjoy themselves, so I have to do the same for them. It was a good evening, we had a private room at the Apartment in Swindon, and later on the hardened party animals - me, Suzie, Tamara, Ajaz, and a few people I don't know so well - moved on to the Walkabout.

It was a cracking evening but Saturday was spent nursing a hangover. In my case, this meant re-hydrating as much as possible. I managed a trip to the cinema to see "The Illusionist" which was good, but something a little more "leave your brain at the door" might have been better at that juncture.

I had a really terrible night's sleep Saturday. I don't know if it was the nerves, the alcohol the night before, or having strange people in the house (my lodger had a friend from Holland over) but I didn't get much kip at all, 4 or 5 hours at the most. I honestly thought about turning off the alarm and going back to sleep, and that might have been the safest thing to do (it was a good hour's drive) but I really, really wanted to do this race to find out what sort of shape I am in.

The journey was not too bad, as much as I dread driving when I'm tired. I found the place easily enough and arrived in good time. The weather was awful and wasn't going to get any better. It was raining and there were strong winds about.

Soon we were off and I already had a pre-meditated plan to go at a nice gentle pace, anything around 9 or 10 minute miles would be fine. It wasn't about getting a time, it was about running all the way round if I could and seeing how I felt at the end.

Whilst the distance made it hard work, it was quite pleasant to run at a steady pace and enjoy the lovely countryside. It was also one of the friendliest races I've done, and at several points found myself chatting or sharing a joke with some of the other runners.

The weather wasn't that much of a hindrance as it turned out, it wasn't as cold as it seemed once I got going and the rain was never that heavy. Wearing my running cap proved a brainwave, as it kept the rain out of my hair and face. The worst problem was the wind, and I was nearly taken off my feet at one point.

As it turned out, I didn't have to walk at any point during the race (except at water stations and to make a call of nature), not even on some of the hills, and whilst the last couple of miles were tougher than most, I didn't find myself slowing down. I crossed the line with 3 hours 9 minutes on my watch, which I'd have more than happily taken before the start.

At this point I realised this was an excellent training exercise for London; whilst I had worried my running had gone downhill after the last marathon it seems I am now stronger than I was then. The gruelling training sessions I am doing - longer speed sessions round the lake, body pump plus running - are paying off, as is the policy of picking tough races to use as training runs.

I still have 7 weeks to make myself lighter, stronger and faster and should be on the start line for London in pretty decent shape. As I write I have managed a decent track session without feeling too sore after the race, which I didn't think would be possible this week.

I have another tough race this weekend - the Hogweed Hilly Half - and then have the Bath and White Horse half marathons before London. Throw in a few more good long runs (without getting lost!) and I'll be on the start line for London feeling confident.

I certainly hope so - the experience is going to be amazing, and I want to enjoy it to the full.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, March 2007

Please sponsor me to run the London Marathon to raise money for Samaritans: www.justgiving.com/jonrunslondon2007

Bourton on the Water 10k

2007-02-24T18:10:00.000Z

This weekend I competed in the Bourton on the Water 10k, for the second year running.

The Bourton 10k is known for being a very flat and fast course, and therefore attracts a good field of athletes, some world class, all looking to gain that all-important "personal best".

For me, it wasn't just about a PB. My first sub-50 minute 10k has eluded me for a while now, and I have come frustratingly close on more than one occasion; even at Aldbourne last September (a notoriously tough course) I managed to get round in less than 51 minutes, but couldn't quite crack 50 minutes. I expected to finally manage it at Bromham in December, but was thwarted yet again, mainly by the weight I had put on whilst on holiday, I believe.

Since the Christmas break, my training has been going well I feel, I am building up the mileage, going regularly to Body Pump to keep myself strong, and am starting to lose weight again - largely due to the fact that I have cut right back on the booze.

I have also taken on a new personal trainer! Well kind of; last Thursday I had my first session with Ali O'Hara, who does my sports massages and teaches Body Pump. At the moment I'm going to just do core training with him, probably every 3-4 weeks. I've always had a high regard for Ali and think he is an excellent instructor. I would like to do some running with him which would be beneficial - his 10k time is around 40 minutes - but he is the first to acknowledge the only thing stopping me getting my times down is my weight, which ultimately only I can do something about.

I enjoyed the session with Ali, and think core training will be very beneficial to my running. Besides, it's nice to do something different every now and then. Doing the same sessions week in, week out, can get tedious at times.

Earlier in the week, my training had not gone so well; I did my long run last Sunday, which proved a disaster - almost. I decided to run from the gym to Pipers Way, and then pick up the Swindon half marathon route. All was going well until I got to the village of Wanborough (about 9 miles into the half marathon route), where I took a wrong turning and started heading in completely the wrong direction..The end result was, I was on my feet for far longer than I intended, and was completely shattered from the run.

I managed to go to the track on Tuesday (400m laps) but my right hamstring started giving me realy gyp during the session (I think I had strained it during the long run). I managed to get through the session, but it was a concern, especially when I couldn't run on the treadmill after body pump on Wednesday - I decided to give it a few days' rest and hope for the best come race day.

I was also subjected to a large amount of mental stress the week before the race, thanks largely to a number of individuals at NTL. My digital TV broke down a week before the race, and it took 8 days, countless phone calls, and two visits from two technicians before it was returned to its former glory. I could write an essay about the whole saga, but suffice it to say had it happened next month while the cricket world cup was on my colleagues in the office wouldn't have been laughing at my conversations, they'd have been calling for the men in white coats.

Anyway, the weekend of the race arrived and time for a trip to the movies on Saturday afternoon. This time it was "Hot Fuzz", the new comedy from the team that brought us the brilliant "Shaun of the Dead". I waited until the day before the race to see this, as I had been looking forward to it for some time and knew it would take my mind off the race the next day.

I wasn't disappointed. It didn't have quite the same mocking humour as "Shaun of the Dead" but it did keep me smiling for 2 hours on Saturday afternoon. Just what I needed.

On Sunday I set off on what is now a familiar journey to Bourton. I arrived a tad early, but at least it gave me time to relax, take on board a drink, and then stretch and warm up for the race. As I got to the start line I tried not to get too nervous, and kept smiling.

Soon the race started and we were off. I set off at what I thought was a decent pace, but it was probably too decent to begin with. I knocked out the first 3km in 14 minutes, but then the problems started. My breathing was not good (it was harder than I anticipated) and I soon had chest pains. I did my best not to slow down too much and push through it, knowing the reason I was hurting was I was well out of my comfort zone.

The chest pains subsided a little, but the breathing didn't get much easier. I kept pushing myself, knowing the time was all-important. Besides, a good hard race, even at a short distance like this, is always a quality training run.

Later in the race I suffered stomach cramps (maybe I shouldn't have had that banana an hour before the race) but still kept pushing, even though I slowed down a little. By then I was 7km into the race, and all I had to do was maintain a decent pace for the last few kilometres.

In the end I crossed the line hearing someone call out "49:30" which would be my official time. I was a little disheartened that it had been such hard work, but at last I had done it - I had run my first sub-50 minute 10k.

The challenge now, as I decided before the race, is to keep that 10k time under 50 minutes, irrespective of the course. Now I can aim for a 45-minute 10k, and once I've cracked that, I can go for a 40-minute 10k, which I regard as the hallmark of a quality runner. Some people may think this ambitious, but I reckon I can get there; as Ali said, there is still a lot of weight for me to shift, and once that goes, it will make one hell of a difference.

I think I'm more determined than ever to lose the weight now. I feel I have proved to myself that my times don't do me any justice because of it.

Having said that, Sunday afternoon was no time to be worrying about the weight. I headed back to the gym, knocked out an extra 8km on the treadmill (to make up the mileage) and then got myself home where I partook of a few tasty beers to celebrate the new PB.

Hopefully the next time I have a beer to celebrate a new PB will be in 4 weeks - after the Bath half marathon. I'm fairly confident I'll achieve this, and then it will be a case of fine-tuning for the London Marathon on April 22nd. And I think it's safe to say there'll be a few drinks that evening as well.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, February 2007

Please sponsor me to run the London Marathon to raise money for Samaritans: www.justgiving.com/jonrunslondon2007

Tough Ten

2007-02-12T20:54:00.000Z

This weekend I competed in my second race of the year, the Easyrunner "Tough Ten" challenge at Weston-Super-Mare.

This race was recommended to me by one of my running buddies from the gym. Having read the reports from previous years on the runners' world website, I decided it would make a good, tough training run to help get me in shape for London and sent off my entry form.

I'm generally quite pleased with the way my training is going at the moment. I even plucked up the courage last week to go to the Harriers' training session at the track:

http://swindonharriers.com/training/neilenglandschedule

The last time I went was just after my holiday and feeling overweight and under-motivated I "wimped out" after a couple of reps. The problem with this session is it tends to attract the best runners in the club, as only very serious people would willingly put themselves through such pain! Anyway, although I was unable to complete all 17 x 300m reps, I did make it through the session and actually quite enjoyed it. I also made a couple of friends by getting chatting to some of the runners of similar ability. It does add some variety to my training to go these sessions and they sure as heck WILL get my 10k and half marathon times down in due course.

I had two rest days in the week; on Thursday I met up with Pete in Bath for a drink and a curry, which was very enjoyable. It helps now that his train home is at the same time as mine so I'm not left in the pub on my own for half an hour at the end of the evening. We chatted about running and races - Pete competes in mountain bike races - and how nice it is to see parts of the world you might otherwise never experience by competing in events. As long as you come away from an event knowing you've done your best and you've enjoyed yourself, that's all that really matters, we concurred.

On Friday I didn't train either as I had to wait in in the evening for my new lodger, Tom, to arrive from Holland. On Saturday I felt a bit restless, and taking a view that the race was going to be a training exercise more than anything, did body pump at the gym, followed by a very slow and steady 6 mile run.

In the afternoon I made the customary trip to the cinema, and this time saw "Music and Lyrics". I was originally planning on seeing "Hannibal Rising" but got the times mixed up. I very much enjoyed the film; I always like Drew Barrymore and while Hugh Grant always seems to play the same character (fobbish English gent) he does play the part very well. It was standard rom-com material, but funny and enjoyable.

I travelled down on Sunday morning with three of the lads from the gym, and Mike Sas who works for MAN ERF UK. We went in two cars, I went with Mike in his car - it made sense as he was always going to finish well ahead of me (his 10k PB is 36 minutes!) and wouldn't want to be waiting round in the cold for me.

It was indeed cold on Sunday morning, and I wondered if I shouldn't have worn an extra layer. As it turned out, I soon warmed up. I went well for the first few miles, knocking out the first three miles in 24 minutes. It soon got a lot tougher however, and the first hill up into the woods was very, very steep. I tried to run all the way up but couldn't manage it. In the woods, the surface was very muddy (not surprising after the rain and snow in the last few days) and while I managed to keep running, it wasn't easy to get a foothold.

The worst part for me was, as usual, the downhill stretches. My downhill running seriously needs some work, and people were flying past me on both sides.

Having said that, the hill second time round (there were two laps in the woods) was an absolute killer. It's not often that I admit defeat and walk up a hill, but this was one of those rare occasions. I was completely out of breath and was worried I might give myself a heart attack if I tried to run much furthe! I decided during this race that the hill I use to do hill reps is no longer challenging enough for me - I need to find a steeper one so I can take my hill running to the next level.

I got to the top however, and completed the rest of the race. I nearly had a nasty fall near the 9-mile marker, catching my foot on a loose rock (it wasn't the best of surfaces!). Somehow I managed to pull myself upright, but I'll never know how.

I ran my hardest on the final section along the beach and finished the race in 1 hour 31 minutes. Obviously I'd have liked a better time than that, but I worked out that equates to roughly 9-minute miles. When you consider I couldn't manage 9 minute miles at the Bath half marathon (which is flat and all tarmac) a year ago, to do it on this course shows how much I have improved in the last year.

And most importantly, I came away knowing I had done myself and absolutely enjoyed myself, as per the conversation I had with Pete. The views out to sea were fabulous, and this is an event I will probably do every year. Next year I'm sure I'll be a lot lighter and will aim to do it in less than 1 hour 20 minutes. As I write the next day, I am quite sore and know I must have worked hard during the race!

The afternoon was fun as well. I just relaxed on the sofa with a few cold beers and watched England beating Australia to win the Commonwealth Bank One Day series! I don't much like the Duckworth/Lewis method, but I'll take a win over Australia any way it comes and this was a great end to an otherwise abject tour. Obviously I'm pleased as punch that the boys will come home with a trophy and something to show for their efforts down under. And maybe, just maybe, the upcoming World Cup may give England fans something to shout about.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, February 2007

First Race of 2007

2007-01-15T21:37:00.000Z

This weekend I took part in my first race of 2007, the "Rough 'n' Tumble 10 mile race at Milton Lilbourne, near Pewsey. If it sounds tough, let me assure you it was. I have carefully picked a number of tough races over the first few months to use as rigorous training exercises to get myself in shape for the London Marathon. The Tough Ten at Weston and the Hogweed Hilly Half Marathon are others.

More about the race later, in the meantime I'd like to share with you a nice surprise I had at the weekend. I had a call from an old lodger of mine, a German lad called Hannes who stayed with me in the summer of 2005. I really enjoyed having him stay in my house, and we often went for a pint or shared a bottle of wine together (His parents own a wine shop in Bochum). We met up for a drink on Friday night and reminisced about the summer of 2005. I had forgotten about a few things which he remembered, such as me asking him to wear an England shirt to wind up his Australian line manager (that was the summer we won the Ashes..it seems so long ago now..)

Normally I wouldn't drink on a Friday night when I have a race on the Sunday but I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to meet up with him. We talked about the possibility of me going to visit him in Germany in the summer, which would be wonderful if we can arrange something mutually convenient.

On the Saturday I just relaxed and tried to flush out as many toxins as I could. In the afternoon I went to see "The Pursuit of Happiness", my first trip to the cinema this year and a wonderful experience. This is the story of Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith), who takes a job as an intern at Dean Witter in the hope of gaining a lucrative career as a stockbroker so he can provide for his son. In the course of his unpaid internship he battles with homelessness, poverty and many of the vicissitudes of living in a big city.

This was a wonderful story and I would urge anyone to go and see it. Will Smith has proven again that he is a better actor than he is given credit for and has been wasted in many of his previous roles. At the end of the film there were actually people applauding in the cinema - I can't remember the last time I witnessed that.

Back home then for the usual pre-race dinner - pasta bolognaise with garlic bread - and an early night. I didn't actually sleep that well - I think I was quite nervous, not because I was anxious about getting a good time, more because I had heard reports about how tough the race is and I was starting to wonder what I had let myself in for.

In the morning I had my usual scrambled eggs on toast and a bit more coffee than I would normally allow myself. I had a surprise phone call - I was due to travel down with Terry, a friend from the gym. Unfortunately he had forgotten to post his entry form and wasn't going to be able to take part. I guess this happens to us all at some point - we all lead such busy lives that things like this are easily forgotten about. It was a shame, because I was looking forward to his company on the drive down.

So off I went by myself and found the place easily enough. There were a few faces I knew at the race HQ and everyone seemed friendly enough.

We were given a humorous speech on the start line by one of the race organisers - "those of you wearing road shoes - good luck!" and there were acknowledgments for someone celebrating his 43rd birthday that day and a man of 72 taking part. I've often said, one of the things I love about the sport is that it appeals to runners of all ages. I just hope I'm still running and enjoying races at that age.

And then off we went - someone had said to me "don't be afraid to walk in that first mile," I wasn't and I did. So did everyone as far as I could see -the first hill was so steep there was no way I was going to run up it. After that, a pattern soon established itself - mud, mud, and more mud. It was horrendously slippery almost all the way round. I haven't yet invested in some good off-road shoes and was just wearing a battered old pair of trainers. I decided at an early stage I was going to run wherever possible and walk the rest of the way. As it turned out, staying upright was the biggest challenge for me.

The second biggest challenge was the hills. I have never experienced anything like them in a race before. I had heard there is one where people go up on all fours, and that's exactly how I got up it, using all four limbs to push and pull myself up. Coming down was pretty tough as well; I had to come down sideways one foot at a time.

By the end of the race I did find my confidence improved somewhat - I found I was able to actually run through some of the muddy parts. I guess the secret of cross-country running is to do with confidence and skill. Hopefully I can improve in both areas, but I doubt I'll ever make a good cross-country runner.

Having said that, the race was tremendous fun and a very useful training exercise. As I write, two days after the race, my legs are still sore so all the wading through mud must have had some effect, especially on the lower legs. When Terry asked me if I would do that race again later that afternoon, I replied "absolutely".

So all in all a great weekend, a great race, and a great day out. Looks like my running in 2007 has got off to a good start.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, January 2007

Highs and Lows of 2006

2007-01-04T21:22:00.000Z

So here we are, 2007 is upon us. I enjoyed a very relaxing 10 days off over Christmas, and on some days did very little. In fact, probably the nicest day was Christmas Eve, where I sat in my armchair pretty much the whole day, drinking beer and listening to music. Bliss. On others, I managed to cram a few more things in, catching up with friends, clearing out the spare room, and actually managed to get some coursework done for my writing course. Let's hope I can keep that up in 2007.

I'm not going to write an A-Z of the year as I did for 2005, but I would like to highlight some of the things that brought me joy - or otherwise - in 2006.

Books

2006 was a poor year for reading for me. I think I spent so much time doing other things I neglected it, which is a shame considering it's my favourite hobby. The only time I managed to do some quality reading was on holiday, when I particularly enjoyed "Undomestic Goddess" by Sophie Kinsella (don't laugh) and was intrigued by Dawn Annandale's "Call Me Elizabeth". The latter was more interesting than enjoyable and it says something that a 17-year old told me it is on her A level English Lit reading list.

I look forward to a better year in 2007 with new releases from Mike Gayle and Lisa Jewell. Better start saving for that holiday now.

Cinema

Because I've done so many races this year, and because going to the cinema the Saturday before has become de rigueur for me, I've seen so many films it's hard to remember which were the outstanding ones. Undoubtedly my favourite was the excellent "Casino Royale", by far the best Bond film I've seen since I was little. Everything about it was so much more authentic, in particular the actor playing James Bond - Daniel Craig really looks like he could take you apart with his bare hands. Action packed from the beginning, the film is not without humour - in fact the best ever line in a Bond film comes during the infamous torture scene. And there's a love story thrown in to boot. What more could you want?

Other films I have enjoyed include obviously "Starter For Ten", "Mission Impossible 3", "Hard Candy", "Little Children" and the excellent "The Queen", for which Helen Mirren must stand a good chance of winning an oscar.

I'm very much looking forward to new releases in 2007 in particular "Rocky Balboa", which has received rave reviews in the US, and of course "Spider-Man 3".

Cricket

As I write England are on the brink of losing the Ashes series 5-0, which is of course a huge disappointment, to put it very lightly. And with the one-dayers to follow and then the world cup, it ain't going to get much better any time soon. Apart from a good series win against Pakistan it's been a pretty disappointing year all round for England supporters. Having said that, I did enjoy three wonderful days at Lords this year and a fabulous day at Bath. I just need to remember in future that I am not the man I was and can no longer drink beer all day long. Which is a good thing.

I've just posted my application for tickets at Lords in 2007 and hope the England team can bounce back against West Indies and India. We'll have to wait and see.

Holidays

I enjoyed my first ever two-week holiday this year, returning again to Gouves in Crete. It was well earned and I had a fabulous time, reflecting on what I had achieved shortly beforehand. I haven't really thought about what I'm going to do in 2007 - I need to strengthen my financial position first in any case - but I wouldn't be surprised if I went back to this fantastic island where I always have a great time.

My job

I changed jobs again this year, moving to parts pricing in early 2006. I think it's the best thing that has happened to me, career wise, for many years. I've learnt a hell of a lot and have a boss who clearly wants me to grow in the role and take on more and more responsibility, instead of holding me back. I look forward to more success in 2007.

My profile within the organisation has also been enhanced this year, thanks in some part to articles in the company magazine. I have also enjoyed some good social events, such as the mid-summer mingle, a trip to see "Guys and Dolls" and of course the Three Peaks Challenge. During that weekend I achieved a personal goal and made some new friends. A pity someone had to spoil it by boasting about her time on Snowdon, and a pity I won't be able to set the record straight in 2007 - my London Marathon sponsorhip appeal will be more important, so I'll be giving it a miss.

Music / Stage

I went to three concerts in 2006, all by artists I had seen perform live before: Sugababes, Girls Aloud and Christina Aguilera. Girls Aloud at Wembley was much the pick of the bunch and a fantastic evening’s entertainment. Apart from being very easy on the eye, the girls put a lot of energy into their performance and did some great covers as well as performing their own hits with panache. Sugababes were great too, but Christina’s show was a bit of a disappointment, mainly because she didn’t come on until nearly an hour after the support act had finished, leaving the crowd bored and restless, and several fans including myself had to leave before the concert finished to catch the last train home.

I didn’t go to the theatre as much as I would have like in 2006, partly because no longer working shifts means it is hard to have days off in the week when cheap tickets are up for grabs, and also because when I have been in London it has often been to go to the cricket or see a concert.

I did, however, get to see the lovely Jennifer Ellison return to the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago and managed to chat with her briefly after the show. Needless to say she is my calendar pin-up girl for 2007 as she was in 2006. And 2005 come to think of it. A charming and talented young lady, I wish her well.

My favourite play was the somewhat shocking yet superb "Blackbird", starrting Roger Allam and Jodhi May, which I saw twice. I shall be following the careers of these two excellent yet relatively unknown actors as they played their roles with aplomb in this impossible love story. “Amy’s View”, starring Felicity Kendal and still showing at the Garrick Theatre, was also excellent and I would urge any theatre lover to see it while they still can.

Running

I've really enjoyed my running this year, and taken part in some wonderful events - and some not so wonderful ones. At least I know which races to look forward to in 2007, and which to avoid.

The sad part was when Anthony Davis had to stop training me, as he had to move to Wales for family reasons. Training with him brought great results and was tremendous fun, so I don't mind saying I miss having him around. He's still in touch however, and I think I deserve a lot of credit for the way I responded to his departure -it would have been very easy for me to lose focus and become disheartened but if anything I went the other way - I kept the diet strict, put the mileage in, and on Sepember 17th got round 26.2 miles of the New Forest Marathon.

Whilst the last 6 miles was the most painful thing I have ever experienced, crossing the line was the best thing I have ever achieved. Remembering all those people cheering me on as I jogged those last few yards still brings me out in goose bumps.

Unfortunately after the marathon and my subsequent holiday my running went a bit downhill and my times in my last two races of 2006 were very disappointing - I couldn't even get under 2 hours at the Downton half marathon.

But I'm getting back into training now and am on the wagon after my Christmas binge, and am looking forward to improving my times in 2007. More than anything I'm focused on April 22nd - the Flora London Marathon. It's an honour to be taking part in the greatest race on earth and I plan to do it justice.

I must also mention Ali O'Hara, who has done my massages for me in 2006 (not a pleasant task!), whilst these have not exactly been enjoyable he has done an excellent job of soothing my tired muscles and getting rid of my aches and pains. I couldn't have done all that running without him.

Social / Other

Socially it’s been a good year too. I am blessed with some great friends, and have made some new ones this year, in particular a good bunch of lads from running. I intend to cultivate those friendships in 2007.

Highlights would include Graeme’s wedding in May, a wonderful, happy day with a lovely service and a lavish reception. My friend Suzie graced me with her company that day and her housewarming party a month later was a memorable event, probably more so for those who witnessed my incomparable ability to consume large amounts of alcohol and my actions thereafter!

Pete has been a great friend this year and we have regularly met up in Bath for a few beers and a curry. All credit to him as many newly married men neglect their friends. I always look forward to these evenings and hope for many more in 2007.

I have managed to find some good lodgers in 2006; in the summer I had a young man from Cambridge University, Jean Paul, who was good company and for 14 weeks had one of our interns, Stefan Schur, who was great fun and also made himself very poular in our department. I hope we will meet again one day. Now I have two great tenants, Darwin and Victoria. I hope they will stay with me for a while yet.

All in all, 2006 was a good year. But I plan to make 2007 an even better one.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, January 2007

Ashes to Ashes

2006-12-29T16:02:00.000Z

After witnessing the greatest ever series in 2005, what a huge disappointment this Ashes series has been. England have lost the urn, are 4-0 down, and it seems inevitable they will suffer the first 5-0 defeat since 1920-21.

This is especially disappointing given that this is not the worst England team to have toured Australia in recent years, not by a long chalk. They re-established themselves as the no 2 team in the world with a series win over Pakistan in the summer. And well as they have played, the Australians are clearly past their best. Damien Martyn retired during the series, Warne and McGrath will do the same when it is over, and several others may follow.

Where then, has it gone so wrong?

First off, I think, was the appointment of Andrew Flintoff as captain. Make no mistake; I am a huge fan of his, as are most lovers of cricket. But however much he says he wants the job, wanting a job and being the best man for it are two entirely different things.

For a start, he came into the series well short of match fitness, and lacking in form. A few one-day games in India and the warm-up games were never going to be sufficient for him to prove otherwise. In any case, the role of captaincy has clearly proven too much in addition to expecting him to be a front-line bowler and no 6 batsman. His body language betrays this, and it is sad to see such a talismanic figure reduced to a shadow of his normal affable and enthusiastic self.

Andrew Strauss, on the other hand, captained the side with aplomb during the summer, leading England to a 3-0 victory over Pakistan, and in the process his batting was at its best. I am a great believer in the old adage "If it ain't broke don't fix it" and he is the obvious long-term successor to Vaughan, and so he should have been continued to be groomed for the role.

The next serious mistake England made was leaving out Panesar in favour of Giles. Like most pundits, I was apoplectic when I found out. Panesar was England's best bowler in the summer - how could they leave him out?? And stating that no 8 has to score runs sends only one message to the opposition - we don't think our batsmen can score enough runs to win a test match. As expected this mistake was rectified but by then England were 2-0 down and it was too late.

The other selection mistakes England made were Jones for Read and Anderson for Mahmood. Read kept immaculately in the summer, averaged 42 with the bat, and deserved a longer run in the side. The desire to keep as many of the players who won the Ashes in 2005 has proven costly - this England side have moved on since then. Mahmood may only have proven marginally more successful than Anderson but he does have real pace - and he can bat. Clearly he is the better long-term prospect.

But what is most disappointing about this series is the way some of the established players have failed to produce the goods, and the manner in which they have been beaten. Being 4-0 down would be no disgrace had the matches been close and hard-fought, but England increasingly have the look of a team who have lost heart.

Evidence of this was their second innings in the fourth test. 200-odd runs behind but 10 wickets in hand is still not an impossible position from which to win a test match. What it required was a couple of big hundreds, and for one player to play an Atherton-esque innings. The biggest problem England have had is that no one has spent enough time at the crease. None of their batsmen has scored the kind of runs required in this series, and in the case of Kevin Pietersen - who made the move to the correct place at no 4 in the order only after 3 1/2 tests - this has been especially disappointing.

Given that Vaughan's return to the team is imminent and one of the top 5 will have to make way, this is astonishing - surely someone would be making a statement to say "I'm damned if I'm going to lose my place"?

KP is clearly interested in the celebrity lifestyle and has stated that his aim is to make as much money as possible playing cricket. That is all well and good, but even the most talented of us have to do our jobs damn well to do that. As the one batsmen feared by Australia, he has failed to do that.

As I have stated, there is no shortage of talent in this England team, which makes the score line doubly disappointing. Perhaps the best example of this is Steve Harmison. At his best, Harmison is nothing short of awesome. Of course, no one expects him to get a five-fer in every test, but in the last two years he has blown cold more than hot and the word is that one of the reasons Flintoff was appointed captain was to get the best out of his mate.

Rest assured that Glenn McGrath doesn't need his best mate to be captain to perform at his best. All he needs is to be handed his baggy green cap.

That is the essential difference between these two teams - the pride in playing for their country, and the belief they can win no matter the situation. Take nothing away from the Australians - they have demonstrated what it takes to be true champions. Many people, such as myself, thought this could be one series too many for several of them, but they have proved us all wrong, and then some.

Enjoy watching this Australian team perform in the last test - it will be the last time some members of the best team of all time play together.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, December 2006

London Calling

2006-12-28T22:42:00.000Z

Apologies to everyone who has enjoyed this blog for the fact that I have neglected it over the last few weeks. The simple reason for this is that I have been very, very busy in this last month of 2006.

Work has been tough lately, and I have worked my socks off to get the price files in good shape for January 2007, whilst making sure the "nuts and bolts" of the job are attended to as well. It's not been easy, and it has been a huge learning curve for me. My boss Mr Power has supported me every step of the way (when he hasn't been in meetings) and has praised me for my achievements.

I have also had a new lodger, Victoria, arrive and she has been a welcome addition to my home. I am hoping to get a third lodger in January, thus strengthening my financial position.

The other thing that took up a lot of my time over the last few weeks has been securing a charity place for the Flora London Marathon in April 2007. Having failed to get in through the ballot system I applied to a select number of charities that I am passionate about supporting, and was eventually offered a place with the Samaritans' team.

This means I am committed to raising £1750 for charity - a huge challenge, but one I am confident I can achieve. I will be contacting suppliers, network members as well as speaking to senior members of my organisation. In addition I will be setting up a fundraising website and have a couple of ideas as to what that will entail.

Oh and there's the training as well..if I'm honest I'm not in the best possible shape at the moment, so I have about 3 1/2 months to put that right. Having completed my first marathon this year I know I have the discipline to put in the mileage and stick to a gruelling routine. I have also hand-picked a number of races which I will use as tough training runs, the only exceptions being the Bourton 10k and the Bath half-marathon, where I will be going flat out to set myself new PBs.

Those two races will also be the few occasions where I may allow myself to imbibe - my diet is going to have to be fairly strict and alcohol consumption will be reduced to a minimum. From 1st January every training session will have to count, and I've learnt that just doesn't happen when you've had a few glasses of wine the evening before.

So you can see the first few months are going to be a massive, massive challenge for me, and I don't mind admitting I'm a bit nervous.

But I'm also looking forward to it enormously. It presents huge opportunities as well as challenges and I've a funny feeling this could be the making of me.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon December 2006

Last races of 2006

2006-12-04T21:43:00.000Z

This weekend, and the weekend before, I competed in my last two races of 2006, namely the Downton half marathon and the Bromham "Pudding Race" 10k.

Neither, as it turned out, was an overwhelming success.

On the 26th November I travelled to Downton to compete in the half marathon. This was an event I had competed in the previous year, my second half marathon in fact. I booked my place early this year - I had such fond memories of a tough but enjoyable race, with some stunning views of the New Forest (which prompted me to enter the New Forest Marathon), there was no way I was going to miss it this year.

Last year I remember it being cold but dry. This year it was milder, but very wet. I had a difficult drive down due to the roads being flooded at several points. It got worse before it got better, as I got caught in a downpour walking from my car to the race HQ, and got absolutely drenched.

Once the race started, the rain did not subside, and I found it very hard going. I knew from the previous year that the course was hilly, and had done plenty of hill reps in preparation, but alas these did not seem to pay off. The first five miles were so slow I knew there was no chance of a PB, in fact I would struggle to manage a sub 2 hour finish. In the end I decided to make the best of it, enjoy the views and treat it as a tough training run. Even the hailstones didn't halt my enjoyment of the views and I ran at a nice relaxed pace.

In the end I did manage a sub 2 hour finish, but only in "BMW" time (by my watch). I collected my medal and headed to the race centre where I availed myself of free coffee and a bun and helped myself to two t-shirts (to make up for the fact that they didn't have one in my size last year!). A nice t-shirt it was this year too.

I reflected later, while I was enjoying my post-race beer, that it would be a tad anal to worry about my time at this particular event. Such a wonderfully well-organised event and with such lovely scenery, far better to just go out and enjoy it. You almost want to take as long as possible when the views are this good.

Whilst I felt fine at the end of the race and was back in training the next day, I was quite sore after this event. This did not bode well for the Bromham 10k, which I had run the previous year (after a heavy night out and with the hangover from hell, much to Anthony's annoyance!) and where I was hoping to get a PB and notch up my first sub 50 minute 10k.

I ran Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, rested Thursday as I had a day out in London to go to a concert (separate article to follow) and did a light body pump on Friday. I was also due to have a sports massage that day but Ali had to cancel on me as he had hurt his back. So I was still not feeling at my best on the day of the race.

It probably didn't help that I went out with my lodger, Stefan, on the Friday night for a few beers as he was returning home to Germany on Sunday morning. It may also not have helped that instead of putting my feet up and going to the cinema on Saturday I spent most of the day doing housework to make the place look nice for the arrival of my new lodger, Victoria.

In any case I got to the start line feeling well below par. The weather again was not good. It had rained heavily during the night and was still very windy.

I managed to do the first 4k within 20 minutes but it was downhill from there. I got slower with each kilometre, and felt increasingly tired and sluggish. In the end I finished in just over 52 minutes, an improvement of 5 minutes from last year but still well below my best.

Whether it was the weather, the beers on Thursday and Friday or the housework on Saturday that thwarted my plans of a PB, I'll never know. If I'm honest, it's more likely that I have put on a few pounds since my marathon and haven't managed to shift them.

In any case I don't think I should beat myself up too much. This year I have completed my first full marathon, 9 half marathons, a couple of 5 mile races and I don't know how many 10k races. So no wonder I'm feeling a bit tired - if I say so myself, it's been an amazing achievement. Maybe it's time to put my feet up for a few weeks over the festive season.

After that, it's onwards and upwards to greater things. I found out this weekend I haven't got a place for the Flora London Marathon in 2007 via the ballot system (surprise, surprise). Which means if I want to run it, I need to get a charity place, which also means raising a lot of money.

I spoke to my boss, David Power, about this the other day. Being the top bloke he is, he said if this was necessary he would help me in approaching business contacts for sponsorship (having 30 years experience in the industry, he has more contacts than most!) and was optimistic that I could expect to raise a few thousand pounds' worth of sponsorship.

I've already started applying for charity places and have a really good feeling about this. If it's thousands of pounds for charity we're talking about I'm damned if I'm going to disappoint anyone and will literally sweat my nuts off to get ready for 22nd April 2007.

Something tells me I could be on the cusp of achieving something really special.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, December 2007

A sobering experience

2006-11-13T21:55:00.000Z

I hope everyone who visits this blog on a regular basis is still enjoying it and that you all appreciated (enjoy would probably be the wrong word) my post dated November 5th.

I thought this would be a fitting tribute to a wonderful lady and to be quite frank, didn't feel there was anything I could have added to the eulogy I posted the same time last year.

November 5th is always a difficult day for me and on the 10th anniversary the experience was more poignant than usual. I'd like to say a special thank you to Suzie and Graeme for their messages of support that weekend and anyone else who was thinking of me at a difficult time.

There was, however, some good to come out of the experience.

In the afternoon on Sunday I made the trip over to the crematorium at Semington where Mum's ashes were interned. She has a stone dedicated to her, and Dad purchased a bench for the site devoted to her memory. The chapel of remembrance was open, and I took the opportunity to read the poem dedicated to her. I took some flowers, as well as a bottle of coke and a mars bar, and spent thirty minutes sitting peacefully and reading the paper. It's very tranquil over there - the horse in the next field was the only company I had during that period!

As usual I took time to look at some of the other stones, in particular new ones that weren't there the last time I visited. I like to hear of people having enjoyed long lives, and leaving behind a large group of loved ones. These stones serve as a celebration of people's lives, even though it is hard to remember that sometimes.

I was shocked to notice, however, that many of these people had not enjoyed very long lives. Around the same time Mum went a young man of only 29 passed away. At the time this was the exception, but this time there were more examples of people who had died at a cruelly early age. I was particularly shocked to see a stone dedicated to a man of 41. At the last count, that gives me about 3 more years..

I have made no secret of being a bit down in the dumps after coming back from my holiday and having things on my mind. I think this particular experience helped me snap out of it.

The message is simple; being alive is great. The alternatives leave quite a lot to be desired. Enjoy it, especially the simple things. This weekend a trip to the cinema (see my last post) and a cross-country race gave me the most fun I've had since I came back from Crete. Don't be miserable and don't waste time worrying about stupid things. In the great scheme of things, none of it really matters.

Ultimately life is short, and you never know when it may be taken away from you. So make the most of it.

Even now Mum can still teach me a thing or two.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, November 2006

Starter For Ten

2006-11-13T20:51:00.000Z

A couple of years ago I read "Starter For Ten" by David Nicholls whilst on holiday in Lefkas. It wasn't a book I was ever really planning on reading; in fact, as I recall I picked it up in WHSmiths a few days beforehand as I had a gift voucher to use up.

It was without doubt the read of the holiday and would probably make my top 5 all-time favourite books.

No surprise, then, that I was looking forward to seeing the film version so much, which went on release last week. No surprise either that I went to see it at the earliest opportunity, i.e. on Saturday afternoon. And what a treat it was.

"Starter For Ten" is the story of 18-year old Brian Jackson, who in 1985 earns a place at Bristol University reading English Literature. He has always been obsessed with general knowledge and his ambition is to appear on the TV show "University Challenge". He eventually gets his chance in the University team and in the process, he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Alice. As is so often the case however, the course of true love does not run smoothly for Brian. Especially when you're an 18-year old in his first year at Uni..

Most people agree that when you've enjoyed a book, the film version is usually a disappointment. This was definitely not the case with "Starter For Ten". Sure, a lot of the characters are not fully developed (in the book I loved the descriptions of his Chinese team-mate, Lucy Chang) and some scenes are omitted (such as the dancing scene at his first party during freshers' week - absolutely hilarious) but other than that and a slightly different ending, the film does a good job of staying true to the novel.

The casting is spot-on; James McAvoy can only have enhanced his prospects with a superb performance as the main protagonist and Alice Eve was a fine choice for his love interest. There are some great performances from the supporting cast too, in particular from Charles Dance as Alice's father and Dominic Cooper as Brian's best mate Spencer.

The only cavil I have is that I had imagined Rebecca Epstein to be a lot less graceful than Rebecca Hall who plays her, and I distinctly remember the character being a lot more foul-mouthed, which was part of her charm. Maybe they left out the bad language so as not to offend certain viewers. Nonetheless, Hall plays the role with aplomb, and the story is stronger for it.

To make the transition to the screen a success, a great soundtrack was always going be key, and the makers have excelled themselves here. There are some great tracks by The Cure and other artists of the era, and "Please, please, please, let me get what I want" by The Smiths was a particularly inspired choice for one particular scene.

Many would argue that the ending is utterly predictable, and yes, even without reading the book I could have seen which way the story was heading. But this is not a who-dunnit, it is pure romantic comedy bliss (with a touch of nostalgia thrown in for those of us lucky enough to remeber the 80s). And quite frankly, when you're having this much fun, who cares?

"Starter For Ten" is a must see for anyone who has been a gauche young teenager in love, and I beseech anyone who has been to University to find time in their schedule to see it.

If, of course, you have been that gauche young man at University in the late 1980's (as indeed has yours truly) it would be a crime not to see it. And you don't even have to like Bamber Gascoigne.

For me, Saturday afternoon was a nostalgia fest; not just for that time in my life, but also for the enjoyment I had two years ago in Lefkas, reading "Starter For Ten" for the first time.

If only every book I picked up in WHSmiths gave me so much enjoyment.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, November 2006

You Have Been Loved

2006-11-05T13:22:00.000Z

she takes the back road and the lane
past the school that has not changed
in all this time
she thinks of when the boy was young
all the battles she had won
just to give him life

that man
she loved that man
for all his life
but now we meet to take him flowers
and only God knows why

for what's the use in pressing palms
when children fade in mother's arms
it's a cruel world
we've so much to lose
and what we have to learn
we rarely choose

so if it's God who took her son
he cannot be the one living in her mind

take care my love, she said
don't think that God is dead
take care my love, she said
you have been loved

if I was weak, forgive me
but I was terrified
you brushed my eyes with angels wings
full of love
the kind that makes devils cry

so these days
my life has changed
and I'll be fine
but she just sits and counts the hours
searching for her crime

so what's the use of pressing palms
if you won't keep such love from harm
it's a cruel world
you've so much to prove
and heaven help the ones
who wait for you

well I've no daughters I've no sons
guess I'm the only one
living in my life

take care my love, he said
don't think that God is dead
take care my love, he said
you have been loved

Copyright © George Michael / David Austin

This is dedicated to the memory of my beloved mummy, Jean Weedon, who passed away 10 years ago today.

Stroud Half Marathon

2006-10-24T19:37:00.000Z

On Sunday I competed in the Stroud half marathon, my second race since returning from my holiday.

I suppose with hindsight, it was always going to be a big ask. To do two half marathons in as many weekends is tough at the best of times, but when I have just got back from a very lazy and booze-fuelled holiday, and when my body probably still hasn't recovered from my first marathon, I was probably asking too much of myself.

My problem is, I enjoy these events so much that whenever there is one in my area I want to enter. I found out last year that the Stroud half usually takes place the week after the Swindon half, so I made a mental note to do both this year, and booked my place when it was advertised on the internet.

I had had a good few days' training between the two races and had a long chat with Anthony on the Friday evening. It was good to catch up, and I told him I was still finding it tough to get back into it. His advice was simple; lose the excess weight from my holiday by keeping the diet strict and laying off the booze, concentrate on speedwork to make myself sharp, and enter lots of races to get myself back into it. He also told me to forget about marathon training until the New Year, and concentrate on getting my half marathon time down to 1 hour 40 minutes by Christmas.

It's nice that he thinks I am capable of that, but I think it may be a bit unrealistic. I have entered the Bath half marathon in March of next year, and am hoping to get my time down to 1 hour 40 minutes by then.

My plan for the Saturday was to watch the cricket but after yet another dismal effort by England I soon lost interest. In the early evening I went to see "The Devil Wears Prada", which I wasn't planning on seeing, but I'm glad I went. It was a bit of a chick flick, which I often enjoy, and Meryl Streep's flawless performance will surely earn her an Oscar nomination.

I travelled up to the race with a mate from the running club, Tim. We had never travelled to a race together so it was good to get to know him a little better. Having company always makes the event more memorable. We met up with one of the other lads, Kev, when we found the race HQ. It says something about how my running has improved that I can now go out running with these boys; they are a lot faster than me (both have PBs of under 1 hour 40 at this distance) but I still manage to keep up on training runs with them. I could never have done that a few months ago.

There were a lot of runners taking part in the race - some 2000 ostensibly. There seemed to be a good mix of club runners and less serious competitors. I felt good starting off, and I think I made the mistake of starting too quickly. My pace for the first three miles was around 8 minute miles, and while I felt ok I knew in the back of my mind I couldn't maintain it.

I definitely slowed down between miles 5 to 10 even though my breathing settled down then. Slowing down at water stations wasn't a problem as there weren't enough of them! Only at the 5 and 11 mile markers were there water stations and this clearly wasn't enough. I had taken a bottle of Powerade with me in any case as I had noted this shortcoming in the race information. Less experienced runners would probably not have known how much of a problem this might turn out to be, and had the weather been warmer I think some people could have been seriously struggling.

The last few miles were the worst. I was absolutely exhausted and realised I was paying for going off too quickly. I thought to myself at this point that I was probably taking the wrong approach, i.e. I should be enjoying the race and easing myself back into training instead of going for a good time. As Tim said to me later, you're not going to get a PB every time, your body just won't allow it to happen.

In the end I managed to get across the line in 1 hour 53 minutes 58 seconds. At the time I was very disappointed as this was slower than I managed at Swindon, but later I took a more philosophical approach. Tim and Kev had also registered disappointing times (for them!) and had found it tough going.

I was also disappointed that the commemorative t-shirts had sold out by the time I finished. There were plenty of people coming in after me who would be disappointed, so this was bad planning by the race organisers. I made my feelings known later by posting a report on the runners' world website.

After the race I spent the rest of the day just chilling out with the Sunday Times and a few films on TV. I know I should be laying off the booze at the moment but I did have quite a bit of alcohol including champagne in the evening while watching "Ghost Whisperer". I worked out during the race that this was my tenth half marathon since I did Swindon last year. So that's ten in 13 months, or if you take into account the fact that there were none I could have entered in December, January and February, an average of one a month. Not too shabby at all.

So I think you'll agree that in the end I had just cause for celebration.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, October 2006

Batting failure to blame for England's one-day woes

2006-10-23T20:22:00.000Z

The one-day match between England and Australia on Saturday was billed as an appetiser for the Ashes. I'm sure I'm not the only person who was looking forward to it and disappointed with the outcome. Disappointed, but not surprised.

Both captains were eager to play down the relevance of the contest to the main event and rightly so. While England's test team seems to go from strength to strength, the one-day side is a complete and utter shambles, and to my mind the fault lies with the calibre of the personnel selected, particularly in the batting department.

It seems patently obvious that the selectors are not picking players who are capable of putting the most runs on the board, and even where they are getting it right they are playing in the wrong position.

For the first 18 overs on Saturday it seemed as if this might not be the case for once. Strauss and Bell played very nicely to put on 83, and Bell's confidence against a side he struggled against last year was one of the few positives. Both of their dismissals, however, were disappointing and England really needed one of them to go on to get a hundred. Strauss' reaction to his dismissal was evidence that he knew that too. He can only have felt worse about it later after England contrived to lose all 10 wickets for a pathetic 86 runs.

Sending in Pietersen at no 3 was a good move I felt, as the idea was to give him the maximum overs to get a big score and capitalise on the openers' success in wearing down the bowlers. Sadly it didn't pay off and full credit to the bowler for bowling to a plan. There is a theory that many of the world's best bowlers have started to work KP out. This would seem unlikely however, given that he is such an unorthodox player. The idea that the pressure of being depended on to get a big score is getting to him seems much more likely.

Sending in Flintoff at 4 was not such a bright idea, especially given his lack of match practise. As he walked to the crease I feared that if he was out cheapy England would have lost the two players capable of accelerating the scoring and be dead in the water, and that is exactly what happened.

As regards the man who came in at number 5, I have no idea what he is doing in the team, let alone so high up in the batting order. I don't know what Michael Yardy's credentials in county cricket are, but his selection seems like yet another example of England's penchant for picking "bits and pieces" cricketers in one-day cricket. This policy has never paid dividends and never will.

Trescothick would have been an automatic selection had he been available, and will walk back into the team as soon as he is ready to do so. England missed a trick by not giving a young batsman a run in the one-day team to find out if he can make the same impression as he has at test level, namely Alastair Cook.

Cook would have at least occupied the crease and would almost certainly have put some runs on the board and that is what England are consistently failing to do at the moment. If they carry on getting bowled out cheaply and not batting the full 50 overs they are never going to compete in one-day cricket. Mal Loye of Lancashire may have been a better bet, or even the mercurial Mark Ramprakash, who has enjoyed such an excellent season in county cricket. Giving him the opportunity to end his international career in a blaze of glory could well have been worth the risk.

Sending Flintoff in at 5 always seems a better option, as it can strike the fear of God into the opposition knowing that such a big hitter will be coming in when 3 wickets have fallen. It gives Freddie the freedom to smash the old ball around the ground and take on the slow bowlers (a department where Australia are found wanting in one-day cricket).

As for sending in Collingwood at six when he has only Read and the tail to support him, that is just insanity. England's most dependable middle-order batsman in one-day cricket is in the form of his life and has enjoyed an excellent 12 months. To give him so little opportunity to score his runs is just crazy, and he must have felt robbed of the chance to get a big score against the Aussies and stake a claim for a place in the final XI that takes the field at Brisbane on November 23.

As for the bowlers, you can't really blame them for not getting runs. It is not their job. The most important thing is to pick bowlers who are going to take wickets (which begs the question, when can Panesar expect a call-up to the one day side?). Bowling out the opposition is always the way matches are won, irrespective of the format. And it is the job of the batsmen to put enough runs on the board to give them a decent chance of doing that. If they only have small totals to defend, they are always going to be up against it. Even if they have a modest total to defend, it is not impossible to do so as West Indies recently proved against Australia.

My only real criticism of the bowlers is of Steve Harmison, or more to the point, of the way he is being handled. Unless he can pull his socks up he shouldn't play. Jon Lewis should take his place for the (almost) dead rubber against West Indies on Saturday. He may lack Harmison's pace, but at least his radar is always switched on. The selectors seem to be condoning Harmison's inability to do his job in one-day cricket by refusing to drop him and this is wrong. No player is bigger than the team and England are in no position to carry passengers.

Saj Mahmood's bowling and in particular his dismissal of Gilchrist augurs well for the Ashes. His confidence must have soared after receiving the man-of-the-match award in the last ODI against Pakistan, and there is every reason to hope that he can be a major force against an Australian batting line-up that features too many players who are the wrong side of 35. Winning a one-day match is one thing; how their bodies stand up to the rigours of a five-day match against a potent pace attack remains to be seen.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, October 2006

Swindon Half Marathon 2006

2006-10-17T21:38:00.000Z

On Sunday 15th October 2006 I competed in the Swindon Half Marathon. This was my first race since returning from my holiday.

Regular visitors to this site will know that last year, Swindon was the first half marathon I have competed in. I had trained specifically for the event, having PT sessions with Anthony Davis, and was very happy with my time of 2 hours 4 minutes.

Circumstances were very different this year. I had just returned from holiday and was struggling to get back into training - on a physical and mental level. Physically I have found training hard - obviously I put a few pounds back on during my break - no big deal, I felt, the weight will soon come off. And it takes time for the body to readjust to regular training after a long break.

Mentally I haven't felt right either. It has been hard to come down off cloud nine that I was on for so long, and I've had a feeling that nothing will ever match the sense of pride and achievement that I felt after completing my first marathon. My boss at work, David Power, has been effusive in his praise - he is clearly very proud to have a marathon runner working for him, and made a point of publicly congratulating me. I will also appear in the next edition of our company magazine with the title "Marathon runner" so the whole company will know. I never expected this to boost my career prospects, but there you go.

Anyway, back to the race. I trained up until the Thursday beforehand and on that day finally did a good run of 1 hour 40 minutes. That was the first session that felt really good, and it gave me some confidence.

I had complete rest on the Friday and Saturday, and managed to dig out my coursework from the "Writer's Bureau" and crack on with it a bit - told you I was serious about getting published.

I had a nice surprise on Saturday morning when Graeme paid an impromptu visit - I hadn't seen him since his wedding in May so it was really good to catch up. He had entered the race as well (we both ran last year) but told me he was pulling out due to a knee injury.

In the afternoon I went to the cinema (it's kind of the law now, the day before a race) and saw the excellent "The Departed". I've always had a penchant for gangster flicks, and this was right up there with some of the best in the genre.

I had my bog-standard pasta bolognaise for supper and slept really well. It helped knowing I didn't have far to travel the next day, or needed to get up early.

I arrived at the race in good time (so close to home I could have walked there) and just as I had parked up received a text from Anthony telling me he wouldn't be running, for reasons I'm not at liberty to disclose. I was kind of expecting it, but it was still a disappointment. It would have been good to see him.

There were other friendly faces there however, and I met up with Andy Benson (my old mucker from the gym) and Tamsin Simmonds for a chat before lining up on the start line. Tamsin is one of the Swindon Harriers' best female runners, and is competing in her first marathon next weekend - which goes to show that I did mine at a very early stage in my running career.

The event seemed a lot better organised this year - there was a proper pen for the runners, with seedings, and there was also a baggage tent and free massages.

I managed to find a spot to loosen up before the start and found myself chatting to Laura and Esme, two girls from the gym, on the start line. I tend to find that sort of thing calms my nerves a bit.

And then we were off! I tried to take it nice and steady at first, but as soon as we were out in the countryside I started to struggle. My legs were fine, but my breathing was terrible - I was really puffing and panting going up the hills, probably a result of putting a few pounds back on during my hols.

There was also an unexpected challenge in that one of the freelance instructors from the gym was in the race as well, and for the first half was beating me. I managed to catch him up, and eventually got past him. I had to work hard to hold on to the lead however, but I really didn't want him to beat me. Looking back that probably helped me, as it gave me an incentive to run at a fair pace instead of plodding round.

After 6 or 7 miles I felt a bit better and my breathing settled down a bit. I did find the last few miles quite tough, which to me is a sign that I had worked hard for the first 10 miles.

In the end my chip time was 1:52:14, which is only a minute off my PB, so I think I can be pleased with that all things considered. I picked up my medal, t-shirt and goodie bag and caught up with a few friends. Everyone seemed to have had a good day, but I did feel sorry for Andy who had worked very hard for this event, and was hoping to get a time of less than 1 hour 40 minutes. It didn't happen for him as he had been bitten by a dog the week before the race and was struggling with the injury. Unfortunately these things seem to happen at the wrong time, but he was suitably philosophical about it.

Before I left I decided to avail myself of the free massage service, which I think helped to get rid of some lactic acid in my legs. I then came home, found out about another woeful performance by the England one-day side and so spent the rest of the day watching films on Sky and some of my DVDs instead. Needless to say the fridge was replete with some of my favourite beer and I enjoyed a few tasty beverages that afternoon. I think I had done enough in the morning to earn it.

Let's hope that the Swindon half marathon continues to be a highly enjoyable day for many years to come.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, October 2006

Jon's Hols

2006-10-04T19:37:00.000Z

I'm sitting here thinking what to write about my holidays. Suddenly inspiration comes to me as I see a postcard from Gouves on my desk (one I pinned to the fridge before I went away to give myself inspiration for the marathon). I pick it up and see the beach I was lying on for the last two weeks and my gut feeling is simple: why can't I still be there?

Yep, I had a great time. And a big part of me wishes I were still there.

The first thing I will say is I think it was a very prescient move to book a two-week holiday instead of the usual 7 nights. I couldn't have come home after a week. I hadn't recharged my batteries by then.

So what did I get up to, you may ask? What did I do with my two weeks in Crete? The answer is very little. Verging on naff-all in fact.

I just chilled out completely. With one exception every day followed the same routine. I would get up very late, do any washing I needed to do (I took as few clothes as possible to make room for books), re-hydrate, and then stroll to the Blue Sky beach bar where I enjoyed a full English breakfast, usually washed down with a pint of ice cold "Mythos" beer. Then I would either go for a stroll or head to the beach and swim in the sea or lie on the sand and read my book.

Usually I would start to feel peckish around 4-5pm and so had a snack, washed down with a couple more beers. Time then for a stroll or lying on the beach before repairing to my hotel, where I would sit for a while on my balcony with a bottle of wine and my music, until I could be bothered to shower and head to the hotel bar for a couple of beers. At the Klio apartments they keep the glasses in a freezer so the beer stays cold for longer. They know a few things, the Greeks.

Remy did a fine job of looking after his guests in the main bar, as did Faye at the pool bar and Sophie in reception. The Klio is not the greatest hotel in the world but it is clean, and things get sorted out pretty quickly. I managed to pull the handle off the door to my balcony one day and that got taken care of soon enough.

Then I would head to the "Pella" restaurant on the seafront for my dinner. I would go there for two reasons; one is that it was arguably the best place to eat in Gouves, the other is that an old friend of mine, Stavros, works there now. I met him the first time I went to Gouves in 2001, when he ran a bar with his wife. They are divorced now, and he works in this family-run business.

Some evenings I would head to the "Booze" bar where I would partake of either more beer or some cocktails. I spent one evening there pretty much on my own with Yiannis and the lovely Jenny (a 23-year old Jennifer Love Hewitt look-alike from Portsmouth) for company. I stayed until 5am that night. Other evenings I would just go back to the Klio bar for a nightcap, depending how tired I was.

The one day I was slightly adventurous was when I got up early and went on a boat cruise to the nearby Dia Island. There wasn't a lot there but it was worth it for the boat ride (a bit too choppy on the way back for my liking!) and lunch on the boat.

I also spent one afternoon at the local aquarium which was pretty cool. Other than that, probably the best thing happened on the penultimate day, when a pretty foreign rep from one of the large five-star hotels invited me to play water polo in the hotel pool. "Come on, you're not too old," she urged me in her broken English. Thanks a bunch, I thought, I've run a marathon, I'll have you know.

So I thought why not, I'll have a go. Nothing to lose at all. As it turned out it was good fun and once I figured out exactly what I was supposed to do, I surprised myself by not being too bad at it, scoring a few goals in a losing cause. I snuck into the hotel on the last day and played as well. Why couldn't I have found out about water polo on the first day? Oh well.

After water polo I finished the holiday with a meal at the Pella and said goodbye to Stavros and the rest of the staff. Stavros gave me a bottle of his own homemade raki as a gift - how nice is that? As I was leaving a guest arrived, an older man, who I found out had stayed there no less than six times this season. It's easy to see why.

But I can't go back this year. Holiday season is nearly over there. And I have lots to look forward to here: more races, the new James Bond film, Christina Aguilera at Wembley and of course, the Ashes.

There are lots of opportunities - I need to sort out my writing and get myself published. I need to rent out my house fully. And I need to do my best at work - I have a job I enjoy and a boss I think a lot of. That hasn't always happened. And there's running - plenty of room for improvement there.

I like to think of myself as a positive person, so I should see all these areas as opportunities. And next time I go away I will make sure I've earned it.

Maybe being back isn't so bad after all.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, October 2006

Marathon Man

2006-09-18T07:53:00.000Z

Just a brief update as today I have to finish packing and do a few bits and bobs before I drive down to my hotel tonight and fly out to Crete for two weeks tomorrow lunchtime..

Yesterday I completed the New Forest Marathon. It was without doubt the hardest thing I have ever achieved.

I had a good night's sleep on Saturday and ate a hearty breakfast on Sunday morning. I got a bit lost on the way down (I'll never use Autoroute again!) but arrived in good time. It was a warm, sunny day, and the thought occurred to me I might get a bit sunburnt.

I made my way to the start line, feeling confident. I tried to take it nice and steady, and finished the first 13 miles in just over 2 hours. I then tried to break it down into little chunks, with the aim of getting to mile 20 as painlessly as possibly because after that it's just 10k - a doddle.

Or so I thought. I got to mile 20 ok, although I did slow down quite a bit after mile 15. I think the heat was really taking it out of me. There were regular drinks and sponge stations on the way, and I know I couldn't have managed without them.

There aren't words to describe the last six miles. It was incredibly painful, excruciating in fact. My legs were already like lead, and soon my sides, my kidneys, my spine, even my chest muscles were screaming out in pain.

By mile 20 I realised I had to do the rest of the race in 1 hour 5 minutes to finish the race in my target time of 4.5 hours. It just wasn't to be, because I found myself having to walk in several places - better that than not get across the line. And by then I really didn't care about the time, all I wanted to do was cross the line.

But cross the line I did and I am very proud of myself for doing so. It was real grit your teeth stuff, pure mind over matter. I guess my time of 4 hours 44 minutes isn't that bad, at least I now have a time I can improve on. By the time I run the London marathon in April 2007 I'm sure I'll be a lot fitter and stronger.

I phoned Anthony when I got back to my car and again when I got home. He was planning to run the race with me, but recently hurt his ankle jumping out the way of a car. I just hope he has a speedy recovery, and can resume training me, and his own running, before long. Needless to say he was delighted for me and said he was very proud of me. It was just what I needed to hear at that juncture. What I achieved, he said, is just amazing. He told me to go away and enjoy my holiday, have "as much beer as I like" and think about what I've achieved. Then I can come back and start training for my next race, which will be the Swindon half marathon in October.

I'm certainly going to enjoy my holiday. I never thought I'd run a marathon and I'm taking my medal with me to remind myself what I've accomplished. And yes, I might try to impress the ladies with it..

See you all in a couple of weeks.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, September 2006

Aldbourne 10k revisited

2006-09-12T22:07:00.000Z

On Sunday I competed in the Aldbourne 10k. This was the first time I had competed in a race for the second year - you will find an article on my experiences last year in the archives on this blog.

I really enjoyed the event last year, and was very excited to be taking part again this year. You are allowed to enter on the day (it attracts surprisingly few runners, especially given the time of year - maybe it has to do with all the hills), but I took no chances, registering well in advance.

I had a nice surprise a couple of days beforehand. The race organiser, Dave Jordan, called me at work and asked me if I would like to appear on the Sandy Martin show on BBC Wiltshire Radio with him! He does not actually run himself, so wanted a runner's perspective - I apparently fitted the bill perfectly!

Obviously I was not going to pass up an opportunity like this. It would be a completely new experience for me, and a chance to get my name known.

I arrived at the studio on Saturday morning not really knowing what to expect. When we were introduced to Sandy he soon put us at our ease, and before we knew it we were live on air. I was very nervous - as I say this was a new experience for me. But I think I gave some interesting answers to the question asked. It certainly added spice to the weekend!

Speaking of spice, the pre-race Saturday afternoon film was "Crank" with Jason Statham. It was all about a man who, having been injected with a rare Chinese poison, has to keep his adrenalin flowing to stay alive. Fighting, car chases and sex in public places are all part of the thrill, and I thoroughly enjoyed this action-packed and at times highly amusing yarn.

I didn't sleep too well before the race. One of my lodgers went to bed later than me and woke me up coming upstairs. After that I couldn't get off again. I don't like other people going to bed after me - something I inherited from my Dad - but I do realise I have to be more flexible if I want other people to live in my house and pay my mortgage for me. Nonetheless I was in a pretty foul mood Sunday morning, and made my feelings known. I was tired and crabby.

Not that I really worried about how I would perform in the race - Anthony called me on Saturday and told me to take it steady - part of his advice for the last week before the big day.

I turned up in good time - Aldbourne is just outside Swindon. I collected my race number and started to get ready. I saw on my phone I had a text from my mate Andy wishing me good luck, which really gave me a boost - always good to know there are people rooting for me.

Soon the race began and I started off nice and steady. I remembered the route from last year - twice through the village before out into the hills. And those hills are probably the steepest I've climbed in a race.

This year, however, they didn't seem nearly as bad as last year. I actually found myself accelerating up them, past all the people who had overtaken me at the start and were now walking. At the 2k marker I checked my watch and saw I was making good time - if I kept it up, I could be on for a PB.

About that time however, a really bad chest pain kicked in. It really hurt - it made breathing hard and must have slowed me down. I was determined not to stop though, and carried on running despite the pain. It never went away - if anything it just spread.

I didn't quite manage to maintain the pace, and soon my hopes of getting round in less than 50 minutes faded. There was a steep descent into the village for the last 2k, and I did manage to stretch out a bit without taking risks. For most of the last half of the race I was neck and neck with a chap who had a greater impediment than me, an asthma sufferer who had to stop and use his inhaler from time to time.

Coming into the sports field at the end I knew I couldn't get under 50 minutes but I was going to get as close as I could. I sprinted for the line and finished at around 50:55 (50:45 by my watch), narrowly beating the man with the inhaler.

Of course I shook his hand afterwards and he said "well run," to me, which was nice. It turned out that his PB is 44 minutes, and he got it on this course last year, before the asthma kicked in. The courage some of my fellow runners have is really quite extraordinary.

I picked up my water, banana and t-shirt at the end. The cheeky sod asked me if I wanted large or extra large. "Large-ish" he commented. "I'll just take a medium," I replied. And do you know what? It fitted perfectly. In that, I had to take it off later to check it really was a medium, it was that loose.

I was keen to get home and watch the cricket, but before I did I stayed and stood in the sports field, which was drenched in sunshine, and clapped the slower runners coming across the line. All these people deserve applause. Without them, the sport wouldn't be the same, attracting all ages, shapes and sizes, and levels of ability.

I was a little sad to be heading home - the Aldbourne 10k has a special place in my heart now and it's a shame I won't be back for at least another year. I just hope by then I can knock another big chunk off my time. At this rate, I'll be surprised if I don't.

And so home - no beer of course, but I did manage to chill out and watch the rarest of things - an England victory in one-day cricket! I also watched "In Good Company" on sky movies, a film I am finding I can watch time and again and still enjoy.

As I sat there however, my thoughts turned to next week. How will I be feeling then? A lot more tired for sure, and possibly in a bit of pain. I shall be enjoying something stronger than orange squash I've no doubt, and hopefully I shall be reflecting on one of the greatest achievements of my life.

I'm quietly confident I'll be doing just that.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, September 2006

Musings on 9/11

2006-09-11T22:20:00.000Z

I think everyone remembers where they were five years ago today when the planes hit the towers.

I certainly do. I was at my Dad's house. I had taken delivery of my brand new Ford Puma the previous Friday, and was in Melksham visiting my sister Amanda, and we stopped at Dad's so I could show off the car.

We were sitting in the kitchen chatting when a newsflash came on that a plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre. Obviously we assumed at the time that it was an accident, until we watched in horror as the second plane crashed into the South Tower. I remember Dad saying, "Oh God, they've hit the other one". Suddenly it was clearly no accident.

So what should have been a happy day became an horrific one. For the only time in my life, I was glad my mother was not around, as I would have hated her to watch thousands of people being murdered on daytime television.

As I drove back to Swindon, my thoughts turned to the short-term future, wondering whether I had watched the beginning of World War 3. There was a war of course, in Afghanistan, but I don't think I ever realised how far-reaching the war on terror would be.

I grew up in an age of terrorism. Growing up in the late 70s and 80s I remember many of the IRA atrocities - the Airey Neave car bombing, the Lord Mountbatten bombing, and the Hyde Park nail bombings, to name but a few. Nothing quite compared with what I saw on television that day, and none of those terrible events would ever change the way I live the way 9/11 did.

I've been determined to live my life as normally as possible after 9/11. I remember people thinking I was brave to fly to Crete on holiday a few weeks later. For me not travelling was simply not an option. I was determined not to let the terrorists influence my choices. I think most Brits and Americans think the same way I do, brave souls that we are.

But there are a lot of things we have no control over. There are longer queues at airports. I was in Piccadilly tube station once when it was evacuated due to a security alert. Shortly after the London tube bombings, I was on a train when there was an announcement about an "unattended item". On both occasions I don't mind admitting I was petrified.

But I think the most pertinent reminder of how much the world has changed came this year when I was at Lord's. As usual I arrived in good time, found my seat, left my bag and went for a walk around the ground, watching the players practise in the nets. When I returned to my seat a security guard reprimanded me for leaving my bag unattended. "People were getting worried," he told me.

The terrorists will not win. They can make threats, they can bomb, they can murder innocent people, but they will never break the spirit of our two great nations or of any other countries in the free world. We may have to change the way we go about our day-to-day lives, but we will continue to enjoy our freedom. The way New York responded to 9/11 and London to 7/7 is testament to that.

As a youngster I loved seeing images of the World Trade Centre, as well as of other New York skyscrapers (probably had something to do with all those Spider-Man comics). Now I have pictures of the Twin Towers and the Empire State Building on the wall in my bedroom. I bought them after 9/11. They stand for things like freedom, democracy and a free economy - things the terrorists will never, ever take away from us.

This is dedicated to the 2,973 people who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Vale of Pewsey Half Marathon

2006-08-28T19:40:00.000Z

Yesterday I competed in the Pewsey Half Marathon, my final race at that distance before the New Forest Marathon in September.

I had been looking forward to it for some time - the last half I did was the Gloucester half marathon at the end of July, and since then have been doing mainly long runs on my own (Andy and I did the Swindon half marathon route as a training run last weekend, which made a nice change) and to be fair, these can get pretty boring, and lonely. So it was nice to be in a race environment again.

I may have overdone it on the carb-loading the day before. As well as my customary pre-race dinner of pasta bolognaise and garlic bread, I managed to polish off a bag of popcorn and a whole bag of jelly babies in the cinema. The film this time was "Severance", a horror comedy which, while not in the same league as "Shaun of The Dead", certainly had its moments. I also went to see "Harsh Times" in the week, which I thought was excellent.

So despite being rather full I slept well and woke up early feeling unusually alert. I had my scrambled eggs on toast and headed to the gym to meet Andy, who is becoming my race buddy, which is quite cool. Always good to have some company, especially on the journey there and back.

We got to Pewsey in time and sorted out our race numbers. Andy was entering on the day and I had entered online which meant (unusually) that I had to pick up my race number on the day. Putting my race number on my vest is something I always do the night before, so not too happy about having to mess around with safety pins before the race.

Time for a quick warm-up, then we headed for the start line, where we met my brother-in-law Rich, who was competing in his first half-marathon. I advised him just to go out and enjoy it, and not worry about the time. It was great to see Mick & Phil (see my article on the Gloucester half marathon) again at the start, and later during the race.

Andy ran with me for the first mile to warm up. During this stage of the race a good-looking young marshal (female, I hasten to add) caught my eye, smiled and said "Well done". No one says well done to you that early on, only later when you look like you're flagging, so that gave me a lift. The weight loss is paying huge dividends already.

Andy pressed on soon enough, and rightly so - you've got to run your own race really, and he wanted to get a PB. I focused on just enjoying the race, and the lovely scenery.

It's difficult to think of any particular memories as the time went very quickly. I managed to maintain a good pace and at no point did I feel especially tired. In fact, for the first time it didn't feel like a half marathon, I felt good and in control all the way round. Normally I would start to tire at around the 10 or 11-mile marker but not this time. In fact I managed to accelerate if anything, realising that I stood to knock a good chunk of time off my previous best of 1 hour 57 minutes.

There was a bit of an unfortunate incident around the 11-mile marker. Another runner made a habit of running literally a few inches behind me and no matter how many times I stared at the position of his feet, he didn't get the message and would not either overtake or back off. In the end I stepped out to my right and stopped abruptly so that he went straight into me - and judging by the size of him I'd say it hurt him a lot more than it did me. It was an odious thing to do really, but hopefully he will have learnt from it and will think twice about making other runners feel uncomfortable in future.

Anyway, I wasn't going to dwell on that and was very, very happy to finish in 1 hour 51 minutes 40 seconds - knocking a whopping six minutes off my personal best. More importantly, I still felt strong, which has given me a massive and very timely confidence boost - the next time I pass the 10 mile marker, there won't be 3 miles to go, there'll be 16..

Andy was pleasantly surprised not to be waiting as long as he had anticipated for me, and he too had knocked 7 minutes off his PB. We set off walking to meet Rich, who finished his first half marathon in a highly creditable 2 hours 30 minutes. He felt he could have finished in a better time, but as I told him, there'll be plenty of opportunities to improve his time.

And so home - before we went I was cheeky enough to ask for an extra t-shirt! Not unreasonably I felt - if I carry on losing the weight a medium will fit me nicely before long. In fact it fits quite well. If anything the large is hanging off me..which should give a few clues why my time improved so much..

I managed another run in the evening - only 7 miles instead of the planned 10 or 12 miles - I had an upset stomach which flared up all of a sudden. I've been practically teetotal these last few weeks, but seeing as it was the bank holiday weekend decided to celebrate the new PB with a few glasses of wine.

After all, I intend to celebrate in style in 3 weeks time, so probably not a bad idea to have a quick rehearsal.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon August 2006

Goodbye Old Me, Hello New Me..

2006-08-13T16:55:00.000Z

Yesterday a very small but important (to me at least) thing happened during my day.

When I competed in the Downton half marathon last year (my second time at that distance) I was rather disappointed that the only T-shirts left were in a Medium. I took one, thinking I might as well give it to a mate, there was no way I was ever going to fit into something that small.

But I kept it in the end, and have tried it on every few months, always with the same result. It fitted me about as well as it would fit the incredible hulk, or at best made me look like a bouncer wearing a too-tight shirt to show off his size.

Yesterday, however, I tried it on and couldn't believe what was happening. It fits just fine. Ok, it's a bit tight around the chest, but everywhere else it's a bit loose if anything. I don't weigh myself (too tight-fisted to buy a set of scales) but you don't need a machine to tell you you've lost weight when something like that happens.

Clearly everything is paying off - the training, the improved diet, the vastly reduced intake of alcohol. Most of it is down to small changes, for example I always used to have a lump of cheese in the fridge in case I fancied cheese on toast as a late night snack. I can't remember the last time I bought cheese. I even stopped having it on pasta bolognaise.

So it's clear that during the rest of this year I am going to have to start binning all my size XL clothes and buying stuff in a medium. It's going to hurt - financially that is - but I guarantee to everyone this is a permanent change. No going back. And as soon as I get down to a size 32" waist I'm going to invest a lot of money in some expensive suits, which I'm going to look great in, to give myself extra incentive to stay that shape.

I doubt it'll be hard. I'm enjoying running so much I can only see myself getting more and more into it, and who knows, when I've got a few marathons under my belt maybe I'll move onto triathlons or fell-running? Nothing's impossible.

I love half-marathons and 10k races and when you're burning off this many calories you can have those little treats, such as a pizza or a bottle or two of wine every now and then. (Between you and me I can't wait until I can have a few beers after a race again).

Another nice thing - or maybe rather sad, depending on how you look at it - is that I've noticed the way people speak to me has changed. By that I don't mean my friends or people I work with. I mean people I have fleeting interactions with in day-to-day situations. For example, when I was doing my shopping in Sainsburys this morning, the girl on the till, who has never before said much more than a perfunctory hello or goodbye, suddenly became much more friendly, chatty and flirty. It could be that the way I behave has changed, but I doubt it. Just a shame I'm old enough to be her Dad by now..

Anyway, on the subject of young ladies, I was lucky enough to see Jennifer Ellison in Chicago before she finished her stint in the show, and managed to get an autograph after the show. Unfortunately I didn't get to chat to her as long as I would have liked, mainly because on this occasion the paparazzi descended on her like vultures and I could tell she just wanted to get home. In fairness she had done two performances that day and must have been dead on her feet. But before she was whisked away I did give her a copy of what I had written about her on these pages, which she was quite happy to take away. I hope she enjoyed reading what I had to say, and who knows, maybe she'll be a regular visitor to this site. If so, I hope she enjoys it as much as everyone else seems to.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, August 2006

Panesar really is the full Monty

2006-08-03T21:50:00.000Z

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I was delighted with England's performance in the second test match against Pakistan, and not just because of the margin of victory. To win by an innings and 120 runs represents a thumping in anyone's book, the kind of win you might expect over Zimbabwe or Bangladesh, but to do it against the team that had usurped England's position as the second best test team in the world (a position England will regain if they go on to win the series) must have been especially sweet.

England's performance was ruthless and clinical. The batting was outstanding, especially from the young guns competing for regular places in the team, namely Alastair Cook and Ian Bell. The former has taken to test cricket like a duck to water and the latter looks nothing like the man who struggled against the class of the Australian's last summer, a much more positive, fluent and feisty character all round.

And of course, there was Steve Harmison's first ever 10-wicket haul in a test match, and two consecutive five-fers, his first since the first Ashes test 12 months ago. He looked simply unplayable, and the key moment to me was the last ball of the match when Strauss indicated he had one over left before he made a bowling change. Harmison decided he only needed one ball to get his fifth wicket of the innings, and wrap up an outstanding victory. He knows how good he is, and I hope he can go on to become an all time great.

But there was one performance that made the match for me, and that was that of Monty Panesar.

I've been saying to people all summer, I would really like to see Monty come in and do really well, and on the basis of this performance you would have to say he can look forward to a long and glittering career with England. And if Duncan Fletcher isn't convinced of this, well I'm sorry but the rest of the country, certainly every sportswriter I know of, seems to be.

I don't know what it is about him I like so much. Maybe it's the novelty value - the first Sikh to play for England and all that. Maybe it's because he seems like such a likeable young man. Or maybe it's the underdog aspect. Most likely it's a combination of all three, but I think it's because with every match he has proved his credentials as the best spinner in the country. It seems we have finally found the match-winning spinner we've been looking for for so long.

But it seems England, and the coach in particular, may be about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Fletcher is not convinced Monty cannot offer the "full package", and is too much a one-dimensional player. Not to take Monty to Australia, or to overlook him if, as and when Giles comes back, would be a grave mistake I fear, and here's why:

First of all, is his batting all that bad, and even if it is, is it that important? He has only played a few matches so far, and people seem to have forgotten that he got 20-odd against a rampant Murali in a losing cause against Sri Lanka. So he must be able to bat a bit, and you can't expect him to come out and start scoring half centuries straight away (something I'm sure he will manage sooner or later).

No one seems to expect Hoggard or Harmison to score runs, so why the double standard? It isn't the job of the lower order to get runs (sure, it's a bonus if they do), but what you should expect them to do is hold up an end so the last specialist batsman can build an innings. This is exactly what the tail did at Old Trafford, enabling Bell to score his most fluent hundred to date, and allowing England to declare at 9 wickets down - always a psychological blow to the opposition.

Secondly, even if he is "one-dimensional", Phil Tuffnell he sure as hell ain't. No one will work harder to improve his all-round game than Monty, and sooner or later that hard work has to pay dividends. It just has to. Tuffers would be more likely to be having a few cans of lager and a cigarette than spending time in the nets after a match.

Thirdly, Monty keeps the opposition quiet and gives his captain control. He has started his career against Asian sides who are supposed to be good players of spin, and has only gone for 2.5 runs per over. If he can be that economical in one-day cricket (and it can only be a matter of time before he gets his chance) he should be a regular fixture in that form of the game as well.

But most importantly, Monty is already a proven match winner! Here we have found a spinner who is capable of bowling even the best sides out. He doesn't improve his match figures by mopping up the tail, he gets the top order players out - 3 out of the top 5, in Pakistan's second innings at Old Trafford. He doesn't even just get good players out, he gets great players out as well. I remember thinking when he celebrated his first test wicket, that of a certain Sachin Tendulkar, that had to be a good omen for the rest of his career.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Ashley Giles, but he was never going to be one of England's best ever spinners. Panesar has given every indication that he can be that and more. And he has age on his side as well. It just needs the selectors to give him an extra confidence boost by promising a run in the team, Giles or no Giles.

As regards the rest of the side, I'm not surprised that Geraint Jones has been dropped in favour of Chris Read. At first I thought Jones could be a worthy successor to Alec Stewart, but his form with the bat of late has made me think otherwise, and with Read having improved so much in that department, it was only a matter of time until he was given another chance. Someone commented at work that you shouldn't change a winning side, but if you're going to make changes, far better to do so in a position of strength. And besides, with Harmison and Panesar looking so devastating, it's paramount that they have the best keeper to hold on to every chance offered.

On a final note, I have also read that Michael Vaughan has conceded he may never play again, such is the extent of his knee injury. I guess we can only wait and see how his rehabilitation goes. I hope to God it's a success and he is able to resume his career in the New Year. We might not be missing his batting that much - Alastair Cook is seeing to that - but it would be a travesty if such a fine batsman and captain had to end his career like this. He deserves to go on to play 100 tests (if he wants to of course) and bow out in a manner that befits the man who brought the Ashes home in 2005. Please God, not like this.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, August 2006

Gloucester Half Marathon

2006-07-24T21:52:00.000Z

Yesterday (Sunday) I competed in yet another Half Marathon at Newent, near Gloucester.

This year I've been entering quite a few races as I think that is a good way to sort out "the wheat from the chaff" i.e. I can decide which events I will enter on a regular basis in the future, and which ones I will give a miss. At the same time, I decided only to enter one half marathon this month and next (Pewsey half marathon) so that I can concentrate on long runs in the last weeks before the marathon.

This race provided a more than useful workout.

I travelled up there with Andy, a mate from the running club. He drove and I navigated. I was quite happy with this as I've got a hire car at the moment which I'm still not all that comfortable with.

It was his second half but the Reading half was a bit of a non-event for him - he was sick during the race and finished in about 2hrs 20 mins. He's quite a bit quicker than me so that really is no reflection of his ability, but he was still quite nervous about the distance - he tends to prefer 10ks, whereas I like the challenge of longer distances.

It was nice to have company on the drive there and back, and he also kept me company for the first five miles before going off at his own pace. He gave me some good advice he'd picked up in a magazine: break the race into 3 segments - first five miles, nice and steady, second five miles, strong and steady, last 5k - flat out.

I tried to bear this in mind but was more interested in maintaining a good, steady pace (9 minute miles) all the way round. The real positive was that I managed just that, and only found myself tiring between the 10 and 11-mile markers (but strangely managed a 9-minute mile, despite a steep hill) and managed to pick it up after that.

At the end I managed a strong finish, due mainly to the fact that with about half a mile to go I passed a rather annoying man who kept shouting at himself ("hurry up!" "come on you lazy sod!") and actually hitting himself. Each to their own, I know, but I can't see how that helps.

In the end I think it helped me because I managed a bit of a sprint to get away from him and make sure he didn't catch me up. So I ended up with a new PB of 1:57:30 (by my watch). Not great, but at least it's progress and the best thing was I felt pretty much ok all the way round..but the thought that I have to run twice that distance in 8 weeks' time did occur to me a few times..ok the whole way round if you must know..

For this reason I dragged myself out on a training run in the evening (about 6-7 miles) which was quite painful. Mainly I think, because I'd eaten lunch quite late and had a bit stitch pretty much all the way. And believe it or not, not a drop of alcohol passed my lips in the evening. It really is time to get serious.

Would I do this race again? Hard to say. Probably yes, for the scenery, which was fabulous. The organisation left a lot to be desired - I kind of resent being told repeatedly to move along in the queue for goodie bags when they should have been prepared in advance and were hardly worth waiting for anyway.

Highlight of the day was without a doubt meeting a man who pushes his son, who is in a wheelchair, round all his races with him. That really takes something special, and I told him so at the end. Andy and myself got chatting to him before the race, and saw him at several points during the run. I made a point earlier of looking at his website, and I'm sure he won't mind me plugging it here:

http://www.micknphil-marathonlads.co.uk/

So all in all, a highly enjoyable day, and definitely an experience I'd like to have again.

I just hope I'm saying the same thing in 8 weeks' time..

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, July 2006

MAN ERF UK Three Peak Challenge 2006

2006-07-04T16:23:00.000Z

The Challenge: To climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, Wales and England (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Mount Snowdon) within 24 hours.

The aim: To raise money for the Mitchemp Trust, a Wiltshire-based charity that runs adventure camps for vulnerable and under-priveleged children.

The team:
Jon Weedon
Tamara Howard
Natalie Williams
Verity McClernon
Paul Cullum
Rob Brown
John Davies
Chris Biltcliffe

Trish Newman (support crew)
Nick Newman (support crew)

The three peaks challenge is something I've always wanted to do. I used to do a lot of walking, mostly all with Pete, in places like the Brecon Beacons, North Wales, Scotland and the Lake District. I had climbed two of the three peaks (Scafell and Snowdon) but only individually, as part of a trip to that area.

So when my boss Lucy Haywood (or my boss' boss as she is technically now - I report to David Power) told me earlier this year she wanted to organise a team for the Three Peaks challenge this year, to raise money for the Mitchemp trust (a charity her and Nat, who I also work with) do voluntary work for, I made sure my name was one of the first on the team sheet.

Obviously I consulted Anthony and asked for his feelings on the matter. I felt more than anything that it would be the chance to achieve an ambition, do some team bonding and have a little break from running. He was very enthusiastic about the idea, and felt that as long as I don't injure myself (I'm notorious for falling over on walks but touch wood have never done myself any real damage) it should be a good training and leg-strengthening exercise.

The company provided most of the equipment (rucksack, fleece, waterproof jacket etc) and paid for transport and food and drink for the event. I had most of the other things I needed, such as some very sturdy boots, which hadn't been worn for a few years but were still in good shape.

The itinerary was to travel up to Fort William on Friday 30th June where we would stay in a guesthouse, complete the challenge on the Saturday and Sunday, spend a night in Snowdon afterwards and travel back on the Monday. We had to book two days leave and pay for the accommodation which I didn't mind as it would be a nice weekend away.

I awoke bright and early on the Friday, packed up the last of my stuff and made my way to work to leave at 10am. Soon we were on our way.

The atmosphere in the mini-bus was one of anticipation. John was still making phone calls to our dealer network, customers and suppliers to get last minute sponsorship pledges. I sat next to Nat most of the way and while I can't really disclose what was discussed, suffice it to say I know her a lot better now.

We stopped a couple of times and had a very long, lazy stop at Tebay services. It was very pleasant because we all got our food and sat out on the grass together.

Although the journey was long (we weren't in Fort William until 9pm) it never seemed to drag. I nearly had a nasty accident at a garage in Scotland: I was standing by the van when Trish started the engine. Thinking she was going to wait for Tamara to finish her cigarette I put one foot in the van..and at that point she started to drive off..

I wasn't hurt though, and soon saw the funny side of it - not that I had much choice, because everyone else certainly did! Later Tamara found an advert in a magazine for a "Pelvic Toner" which she shared with the rest of us and was the source of much amusement. After that the conversation deteriorated nicely and we went on to play some silly games such as "I spy". At the last garage myself and Nat decided we couldn't wait any longer for alcohol and got a beer for the last leg of the journey.

When we got to the guesthouse it was quickly decided that we would just dump our bags and find somewhere that would serve us food and beer. We found a rather unusual pub about a mile up the road and it was a little like a scene out of "Little Britain" when we walked in, with a man playing the panpipes!

We were too late for food but it didn't seem to matter - we were none of us that hungry, beer was far more important! We sat outside for a while, chatting and enjoying the view, which was lovely apart from the midges!

By the time we got back we were all ready for my bed - I was sharing a room with Rob and Paul but we didn't have much of a chat, we were all out for the count very soon.

The next morning we met up for breakfast which was one of the best I've had. I tried to eat as much as I could so I could take on board as many nutrients as possible before the event.

After breakfast all of us except Paul and Verity went into Fort William to have a look around. Tamara and Nat were especially keen to buy some miniature bottles of spirits for the tops of each mountain! I had come prepared and already had my hip flask filled with Glenfiddich!

We then stopped for a coffee which was nice and met Lucy who had travelled up with other volunteers from the Mitchemp Trust. On the way back I went with Nat in search of a small radio so she could get commentary on the football as we were making our way up Ben Nevis! It proved to be a vain search, and the news we got later hardly lifted our spirits.

We then made our way to the start point to get a pitch but had a few hours to kill before we got going. I had managed to lose my mobile phone so was quite anxious for a while, but we phoned the guest house to see if they had seen it and I had dropped it on the grass outside. Lucy drove me over to pick it up later.

I spent most of the time wandering about, dipping my feet in the stream, chatting to the others about mutual hobbies, and drinking as much water as possible.

Soon we did our final preparations, had our briefing and team photos and were on our way. It was great to be doing some walking again, even though the challenge was a bit daunting.

It soon became apparent that we were not that well matched in terms of fitness. Also Verity had a chest infection and was struggling. So we stayed together and decided to put the slower walkers to the front so they could dictate the pace. Good teamwork. We also had lots of breathers - perhaps more than I would have liked - I'm used to pressing on with Pete.

It was fantastic getting to the top together and we all shook hands, took photos (the views were stunning and there was snow on Ben Nevis) and shared our supplies of alcohol.

Sadly the mood did not last long. Coming down Tamara twisted her ankle, which was ok, but in the process did some damage to her knee, which has been troublesome in the past. It was clear she was in a lot of pain, but luckily there were mountain rescue crew around to strap her up, give her painkillers and help her down while the rest of us went on ahead.

Coming down I really felt for her. It seemed she would almost certainly have to pull out of the event and I imagined how she must be feeling at the prospect - I knew from Lucy how keen she was to do it and I would have been heartbroken had it been me.

Paul was also in a lot of pain with his knees (touch would I've never had knee trouble myself) and Verity, while she kept it quiet, was obviously struggling with her infection. But we soldiered on together, got down about midnight (we started about 4.45pm) and had a much-deserved bite to eat and a coffee.

By the time I had gone to get changed and come back to the van Tamara was back with the van. She seemed in good spirits (although obviously still in some pain) so that cheered everyone I think.

We then set off to Scafell, stopping at Southwaite services for a briefing. I don't think any of us got much sleep in the van, and being told we were in "negative time" didn't lift our spirits any.

Six of us set off up Scafell, Paul and Verity deciding they would give it a miss and try to recover for Snowdon. We were actually in good spirits going up, despite the lack of sleep, and played more word games (rude ones mostly). Chris also talked Tamara and Nat into posing for a photo, telling them some of his sponsors had promised to double the amount if he could get a photo of their bottoms going up a mountain. Amazingly, they didn't seem to mind when he later admitted he had made the whole thing up!

I had been up Scafell before and had completely forgotten what awaits you at the top - lots and lots of horrendous boulders to clamber over. I struggled with this - I can walk quickly up any slope but struggle when the surface is uncertain. I fell well behind the rest of the group, but as they were doing it, I was determined to do so too and by the end my confidence improved and I picked the pace up a bit.

Coming down we stated to draw apart. I stopped for a while at a stream to take on as much water as I could, but eventually caught the others up. Rob was the latest to suffer from bad knees and ended up finishing about 30 minutes or so behind the rest of us. He was grimly determined to carry on however - he had attempted the challenge last year and had to pull out after Ben Nevis and badly wanted to complete it this year.

We spent longer than we should have relaxing before setting off. We all dipped bits of us that hurt in the stream - my feet and Rob's knees especially. Trish again excelled with the catering and provided bacon rolls for us - I managed to polish off six!

I don't remember anything about the drive to Snowdon as I slept all the way, waking only at the services where I poured two large bottles of water down my neck. It was ridiculously hot and cramped in the van and the travelling between peaks was a challenge in itself.

We got to Snowdon late (6pm Sunday) and were met with bad news. We were told quite brusquely by the organisers that we had been so slow going up and down the first two, they weren't keen on anyone except the fast walkers going up Snowdon.

That really got a few backs up and we all set off determined to prove a point.

As willing as the spirit can be, sometimes the flesh is just too weak, and we were soon reduced to a team of 5 (John, Chris and Rob dropping out) and then 3 (Paul and Verity). I actually wasn't around to see what was going on - I quickly made up my mind that I was damned if I was going to be telling anyone I'd only done two of the peaks, and also badly wanted to complete the challenge for my team and my company.

At the same time I also wanted to have a beer at some point that evening so I decided my best bet would be to get up Snowdon as quickly as I could as I knew I'd be slower coming down. I did stop, however, to check Tamara and Nat were still going in the same direction as me. I knew it was a bit rude leaving them behind, but I didn't think they'd mind all that much.

I got to the top in about 1.5 hours and Tamara and Nat were not that far behind me in the end - in any case I would have waited for them so we could have celebrated together, which we did.

After that they decided they wanted to run down Snowdon, which they did. I tried to run bits of it, but a combination of water, jelly babies and brandy bouncing around in my stomach plus the sturdiness of my boots soon made it clear it wasn't an option. More importantly, I reminded myself that the marathon is only 2.5 months away and I can't afford to miss even a week of training with an injury.

I got back to the hotel about 10.10pm and when I walked into the room where the team had assembled for the presentations the others who had not completed it gave me a big cheer and took it in turns to shake my hand. That really made the whole event for me as I had done what I did for the team and it was nice to be appreciated.

After rehydrating I had some food and Trish made the prescient move of ordering two pints of lager for me. They didn't last long.

We picked up the award for the most money raised among the teams (about £13k) but as I write there is some discussion as to whether or not it is all handed over to the Mitchemp Trust or to another charity. Justifiably I think - we could all have completed Snowdon at our own individual pace and to be discouraged from doing so, especially in light of how much we had raised, is unacceptable. I shared a room with Rob again that evening, and while Rob never gets emotional about anything it was obvious that he was deeply upset.

Anyway, I was in the mood to celebrate my achievement and after a quick shower returned to the party where I carried on drinking until 3.30am. Most of the others went to bed almost immediately but Rob stayed up with me, which I really appreciated.

The drive home was, needless to say, quite subdued. Everyone was exhausted and most were extremely disappointed. I just read my book most of the way.

My only criticism of my teammates was I felt Nat could have made a lesser deal of the time she and Tamara did Snowdon in. It was a fine riposte to what was said to us, but I think she could have been more considerate of other people's feelings. I myself could have done all three in a much quicker time if I'd wanted to but was more concerned about the interests of the team. Plus if I'd known it was a race I'd have had a plate of pasta and an early night the previous evening (sarcasm).

Whilst Tamara could also have played it down a bit, it's very hard for me to say anything harsh about her - I was absolutely delighted for her that she managed to finish despite the injury. She was visibly struggling at points during Scafell and Snowdon and it must have taken so much courage and determination, more than I have I think. I remember at one point she commented that it was stubbornness on her part and the fact that "I'm never ****ing doing this again, so I'm going to bloody finish it". I replied that it was more likely that she is a very strong character. No one argued with me on that point, not even Nat. I'm not sure Tamara realises how much I meant it, I hope she will one day.

And so it ended. As I say, what a shame it had to finish on a sour note. I think, for the most part, we all had a great time, worked fantastically well as a team, made new friends and enjoyed each other's company. I certainly had a great time and wouldn't have missed it for the world. Hopefully people will forget about the bad things and remember the good times we had in due course. I spoke to Paul and Verity in the week, and they seemed very upbeat, so it seems that will be the case.

As regards the charity money, I think we need to remember that it is the kids who will benefit from our fantastic fund-raising efforts, not the organisers. I personally think we should lodge a complaint, make our feelings clear and see if we are offered an apology before doing anything.

So I'd like to say a massive THANK YOU to all the other people involved for making it a weekend to remember, especially our support crew, Trish and her son Nick, who looked after us so well, and Jayne Liddiard, our training and development officer, who intended to provide support as well but couldn't due to family commitments. Jayne did an excellent job of arranging the accommodation, routes etc, as well as taking at least one call a day from the Mitchemp Trust to find out how much money we had raised..

Guys, I hope you'll be back for 2007, I certainly hope to be.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, July 2006

The training / racing weekend from hell..

2006-06-25T20:45:00.000Z

This, the last weekend before my Three Peaks challenge, has probably been the hardest weekend of training I have ever experienced.

I have entered quite a few races this month, and the idea was to use them to strengthen myself, physically and mentally, for greater challenges that lie ahead..you all know by now what I mean..

I therefore entered the Bourton-on-The-Water "hilly" half marathon on the Saturday, and the Westonbirt 10k the following Monday. The plan at the time was to rest Sunday..but at the time I didn't know Anthony would only be available at weekends..

I trained up until Thursday, knocking out 5 miles in 40 minutes on the treadmill - PB for me there, but as I paused the machine for water breaks I guess it doesn't count..

I had an excellent sports massage with Ali O'Hara on Friday, which I needed more than I expected. My back used to give me a lot of problems, but now the weight is going it is getting a lot better.

The usual pre-race trip to the cinema took place on Friday evening and the film this time was "Hard Candy". You've probably heard about it, if not it's about a 14-year old girl who meets an older man online, and seeks to expose him as a paedophile. I really enjoyed it and thought the dialogue especially was cracking. There were some great one-liners in there as well: "guess they weren't made out of brass, huh?" If you've read the reviews you can probably guess which scene that relates to.

I really liked it though, and the really clever thing for me was, it was never clear whether the male protagonist was an actual paedophile or not. One thing was for sure - thanks to a cracking performance from Ellen Page, the female character scared the hell out of me.

On Saturday I should have taken it easy but had a busy day. I had a new lodger, Jean-Paul, moving in in the afternoon and I had to do some last minute shopping for my weekend away. Plus I needed some new trousers for work - the ones I wear at the moment barely stay up even with a belt.

So I headed off for the Cotswolds feeling a little flustered. It got worse because - and don't ask me how I did it - at some point I turned off the A429 (Fosseway and drove about 10 miles in the wrong direction. Oops. I guess I must have just switched off. Not like me before a race.

Despite this, and the concomitant stress, I arrived at Bourton with about half an hour to spare. Excellent.

Have you ever been to Bourton-on-The-Water? If not, go there for a day out at your earliest opportunity. It's beautiful, out of this world picturesque. Seriously, you have to see it to believe it. As someone said, its like being on a film set.

As I made my way to the start I felt uncomfortable. All the other athletes looked like very serious, seasoned club runners. Not one other runner who looked like me, i.e. only been running a year and still has a few pounds to shed. Oh dear. Think positive, I told myself, appearances can be deceptive.

But not always.

And what can I say about the race. A line from the song "Black and White" by The Upper Room springs immediately to mind: "Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain". And more pain. I suffered from a stitch at the start, severe chaffing from sweaty shorts from mile 5 on (ok, too much information) and the stitch from hell after about 9 miles.

Up until then I was going well - managing 9 minute miles and on course for a sub-2 hour finish. The last stitch really took it out of me though and the last four miles were absolute agony. Probably all my own fault though - I had taken on too much fluid, taking a sports drink with me and taking 2 or 3 glasses of water at each of the water stations. The idea was to stay hydrated but I was eventually hoist by my own petard. My time of 2 hours 5 minutes, whilst totally respectable given the course, did not do my efforts justice I felt.

But as always there were plenty of positives. The scenery was fantastic, it made a good, tough training course, and the organisation and support from the marshals and local people lining the routes was second to none. How good of these people to take the time to cheer us on. I could probably have done without seeing people in a beer garden drinking a few pints of delicious ale mind you!

The mug I received at the end made a fitting memento but I felt I deserved a decent medal as well. I'll certainly be back next year - as I say it makes a good training run and a nice evening out.

After the race I made my way home (this time without getting lost), had a well earned curry and a few beers and spent time getting to know Jean-Paul a little better. He seems like a really nice young man, just here for 8 weeks while he does a work placement before going to India for 6 weeks and then back to his final year at Cambridge!

The next day I had a PT session scheduled with Anthony for the afternoon and was not disappointed when he sent me a text asking to switch the time so he could watch the England match. Fine by me. So we met up at lunchtime and did a sprint session, which would have been tough at the best of times, but obviously a lot more so given the half marathon the day before. As I write I realise how much fitter I must have become, because not long ago at all it took me a few days to get back into training after a big race. I think after the Reading half marathon I didn't have a decent training session until the Thursday or Friday after.

I was also instructed to go out for a run in the evening after the match. So I watched England march (or should I say stumble) into the quarterfinals of the World Cup and set off on my way. I was tired but it was very pleasant, everyone I met was in a good mood because of the football.

The next day, Monday, I had the Westonbirt 10k in the evening. As I have said before, it's not easy competing in a race when you've been at work all day. It was made worse this time by the fact that I had not slept well the night before. Oddly I seem to find I sleep worst when I have had a tough day's training. Not so much the case after a race - the post-event beer usually sees to it that I get a good night's kip.

I arrived at the event in good time - a 7.30 start meant I had plenty of time, coming direct from work as I did. When I got out of the car I realised just how sore my legs were - my hamstrings hurt especially. I did some stretching and made a mental note to head straight for the massage tent after the race.

There were a few friends from running club and it was good to see them. There was a pretty good turnout too, and it soon became obvious why the event is so popular.

Despite the tiredness and soreness I was very happy with the way I ran - I seemed to pick up a good pace straight away and maintain it. It didn't seem to take me long at all to warm up. I was determined to enjoy it, but at the same time part of me was determined to make up for a disappointing day on Saturday.

The course was wonderful, all along woodland paths through the gardens. It was just gently undulating and I'm sure had I been fresh I could have got a good time. In the end I was very happy to get round in 53:50. I had maintained a good pace all the way round, never felt in any trouble, and whilst I started to tire mid-way I still managed a strong finish.

The massage was welcome, and I think stopped my legs from stiffening up later. The memento was especially nice however - a medal made out of wood and a small tree to plant in my own garden! I doubt it would thrive in my back yard however, so I'll probably donate it to the old people's home near me.

So the toughest weekend of my running career finished on a real high - especially as I had a few tasty pints of Bombardier bitter when I finally got home.

I didn't have time for that many, but I thought I should enjoy them while I can - when I get back from the three peaks challenge, I'll only have 10 weeks or so to prepare for the biggest test of all - the New Forest Marathon - and there won't be too many treats in that crucial period of time.

But I'm up for the challenge.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, June 2006

A few updates

2006-06-23T23:04:00.000Z

Just thought I'd write a few lines on here to let everyone know what I've been up to of late..I'm sorry I haven't posted any updates on here recently but I've just been really busy, as you're about to find out..

Firstly I'd like to say a big, big thank you to Suzie for hosting an excellent housewarming party/barbeque on the second weekend of June. I think it's fair to say all concerned had a really great time, none more than yours truly who met some great people (mostly Suzie's friends from Uni), was reunited with some old friends, and got to know some current friends a little better. And, needless to add, consumed enough liquor to sink a battleship.

And I think a few people got to know me a little better - it seems I have earned the epithet "Wild Weedon One" in MAN ERF's UTP department (UpTime Principle - no, I don't know much about it either) for my inimitable dance moves at Graeme's wedding (another great day) and my deeds that night. Apparently my ability to clear the scene of a barbeque whilst under the influence is the eighth wonder of the world..

Anyway, moving on, after I'd sobered up I competed in the Lethbridge 10k the following Wednesday. It was a local race and actually on a course I use as a training run. It was also my first mid-week race. It was tough going too - I was never going to get a PB (sub 50 mins is my present goal at that distance) as it was too congested in a lot of places, plus I was tired after a day at work and over-hydrated..I'm sure you can guess what I mean..

There's always something good to come of these events however, in this case it was not only getting a nice t-shirt at the end but making a new friend. On the start line I spotted someone from the gym I recognised but had never spoken to before. It transpired she was running in a 10k for the first time, never having run more than 5k before. I told her to relax and just enjoy it - it may have done the trick because she got round comfortably enough, and when I saw her at the end she said she had really enjoyed it and hopes to compete in more events, possibly the Swindon half marathon in October.

Only a nutter like me would do Swindon as their first half marathon but we will see. But if she gets half as much as me out of her new hobby, then that's a result as well.

Last weekend I spent a very enjoyable weekend watching cricket and drinking beer (and wine). I went to my favourite of grounds, Lord's, on Saturday to watch the first ODI between England and Sri Lanka (great weather, great crowd, great day, shame about the result) and stayed in London for a few beers afterwards. Next time I go to Lord's in July I'll be staying with my Uncle Eddie, at his new accomodation in South London, which I'm looking forward to.

A special thank you also to the girls at the Wolf Blass wine stand at the ground who plied me with wine (never were so many free samples had by one man) and kept me entertained during the lunch break and when the cricket got dull. I like to think "Wild Weedon One" kept them entertained too. I think I might have done..

On the Sunday I went to Bath to watch the annual one day county match, this time between Somerset and Middlesex. An exciting but low-scoring game, the weather was a bit cooler but the beer and the atmosphere was still good. I had one of my favourite things during the break - a Schwartz burger. Trust me, you haven't lived until you've had one. Not enough stamina to stay out after the match unfortunately and I sidled off to catch the train back to Swindon. Why can't there be more weekends like this?

It didn't quite end there - on Tuesday my company laid on the inaugural "midsummer mingle" in our roof garden and it was nice to chat with colleagues in a more relaxed environment. Although, as one of our secretaries and my friend Lizzie pointed out, I am becoming a bit of a fixture at these events. I think that's a really positive thing. In my first couple of years with the company I tended to avoid these events and struggled to mix with people, so it shows how more outgoing I have become.

On that rather upbeat note, there's a lot to look forward to: next weekend I am taking part in the Three Peaks challenge - our company has entered a team and I am one of 8 walkers. Of the others, I already work with Rob and Nat (other members of the Parts Operations department) and have known Tamara for a few years, but don't know any of them that well, and barely know anything about the other four. The Three Peaks is something I've always wanted to do, and I'm looking forward to a great weekend away and hopefully making some lasting friendships to boot.

Some bad news for me I'm afraid - Anthony has left his job at the gym to take up a full time job as the manager of a garage in South Wales. Something to do with the responsibilities of fatherhood..anyway the good news is that he will still be around at weekends to train me, at least until my marathon in September, which he will still run with me. He also promises me that we will run the London marathon next year..what a day that will be..

In the meantime folks, I have it all to do. Tune in for further updates.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, June 2006

Jennifer Ellison and the Windy City

2006-06-11T20:10:00.000Z

It's been a pretty good week.

I recovered well from my exertions last weekend and put in some good runs. Apart from Monday when I was suffering from tired legs and a hangover, I've made the most of the good weather and enjoyed some good runs outside. No PT sessions, mind you - Anthony is now a happily married man and on his honeymoon in Barcelona. I have to say, not having him around makes me realise how good his sessions are and what a difference they have made.

I also went to the cinema on Tuesday and saw "United 93". I'll write a separate piece on the film and probably throw in my own personal recollections of that dreadful day in due course, but what I will say at this juncture is at the end of the film when the plane crashed (I don't think I'm giving away the plot by saying that) you could have heard a pin drop in the auditorium. I don't think I've ever experienced that before and the film really is essential viewing.

The highlight of my week, however, was hearing that the lovely Jennifer Ellison will return to the cast of the west end musical "Chicago" for a limited run next month.

You all know Jennifer - she regularly appears on the front page of the tabloids and various men's magazines, usually in skimpy outfits. She made a name for herself in the Channel 4 soap "Brookside" playing Emily Shadwick, won "Hell's Kitchen", then went on to appear in the film version of my beloved "Phantom of the Opera" and will later this year star in a horror flick called "The Cottage".

So there's a lot more to this girl than a pretty face and big breasts. I went to see her in Chicago in November 2004 and hung around the stage door hoping to get an autograph. I came away with my programme signed in two places, adorned with hearts and flowers, and feeling like I was on cloud nine, having spoken to easily the most charming, self-deprecating, unpretentious celebrity I have ever met. Our encounter was brief, but not that brief - she seemed genuinely eager to chat and make small talk with me, and this was not the case with all the autograph hunters around at the time.

I like to think this was because, while I was reduced to a gibbering wreck in the presence of such a pretty girl, the Weedon charm was at its most fluent, and most pertinently, I was interested in her and her acting skills, and whether she was enjoying her stint in theatre. Everyone else just wanted her to sign a semi-naked picture of herself.

Oh and another thing - I don't know what perfume she was wearing but she smelt divine. Maybe she put it on especially for me, who knows. More likely she put it on for that lucky husband of hers.

So yes, I expect I'll be popping over to London to see her again. And I'd urge anyone who likes theatre to do the same. Even if you don't get to chat to Jen, you'll get to see a terrific performance from a very lovely and talented young lady.

http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/display/cm/contentId/89770

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, June 2006

Back to back races - with a few girls allowed..

2006-06-05T20:13:00.000Z

Doing two races in one weekend is not something many runners would consider, or recommend to a relative neophyte, such as myself. The idea in a race is to give your all, which means you always need a day or two (sometimes several) to recover.

Two races in two days is exactly what I did, however, on what turned out to be the hottest weekend of the year so far. And while I'm suffering today, I'm glad I did.

The first was the Keevil airfield 10k. This was probably the race I was looking forward to the least. It was known to be completely flat, and I felt under some pressure to get a good time. Anthony said in the week it would be nice to get a sub-50 minute 10k out of me. Yes mate, I thought, it would be nice if Jessica Alba came round for a martini as well, but sadly that won't happen either. As it turned out, he wasn't being quite so unrealistic.

Not having a glass or four of wine on Friday night was torture. I can quite happily go without alcohol on any other night of the week but it seems obligatory to partake of a few drinks while watching Jonathan Ross.

It didn't stop me getting a good night's sleep though, and I arrived at Keevil feeling fresh. Not bad bearing in mind I'd only had one rest day before the event. I had a little jog round the airstrip and had a good stretch, making sure I was loose.

My brother-in-law was taking part as well, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that he had brought along my sister Fiona, their daughter Holly and foster child Stephen. They commented on my weight loss, which was good to hear, and something I'm getting a lot at the moment - the long runs and the improved diet must be doing the trick!

It seemed a pretty competitive event - mostly club runners and seasoned athletes. All going for that PB, no doubt. I set off strongly, looking to push myself hard all the way. I had kind of made up my mind I was going for a good time at Keevil and use the race the next day as a training run, for reasons I'll go into later.

It was hard work in the heat, and I found myself breathing hard. There were distance markers on the two-lap course and I was looking to set myself a pace of 5 mins per kilometre (8 minute miles). For the first half, I did better than that - someone called out a time of 24:41 as I crossed the half way marker.

Unfortunately I couldn't maintain it. Whilst my breathing settled down after about 6km, the heat took it's toll and I really started to tire. But I knew I was on target to beat my PB of 52:44 so I kept going as best I could, upping the ante in the last kilometre and crossed the finish line in 50minutes 34 seconds (according to my watch). As I said to someone later, I think I finished first in the fat b*stard category!

Joking aside, this result proves to me what a difference the weight loss makes. I really think if I can shed the lot I could be running this distance in 40 minutes - and believe me, that takes some doing.

After the race I hung around with the Newman clan - Holly later took part in one of the kids' races - I like to think she was inspired by seeing her Dad and her Uncle running - and Rich very kindly treated me to a sports massage and an ice cream. He seemed amused by my comments to the young girls giving treatments: "So instead of fighting over me you decided to share me and do one leg each. I like that". I was feeling so confident after the race I think I'd probably have tried chatting up Anna Kournikova!

As always at these events, I witnessed something that makes me feel very humble. This time it was a young man (actually he was about my age) pushing a girl in a wheelchair. That must have really hurt on a hot day, and he still managed to beat a few people only pushing themselves. Fair play. It must have been great fun for the girl in the wheelchair, too - everyone's a winner at these events, which is what I like.

I then had to shoot back to Swindon as I was catching a train to London - something to do with a date with five fab females! Yep, you guessed it; I went to see Girls Aloud at Wembley! When you've stopped laughing, carry on reading!

Bit of a last minute decision this - I only booked my ticket after I had read a very positive review in The Times. I ran the idea past Suzie first and what a good thing too. I think someone less cool would have laughed at me and told me to act my bloody age. Not our Suzie, God bless her. I owe her for telling me to go and enjoy myself.

Bit of a scare in the week - I was expecting the ticket to come in the post but by Friday it still hadn't arrived. I contacted lastminute.com and they said it would be at the box office, which it was.

What can I say about the show - absolutely bloody amazing!! Honestly, it was by far the best concert I've been to, and that even includes Christina Aguilera. Everything about it was great, the singing, the dancing (no wonder those girls are so svelte, they must practise for hours), the outfits (oh yes, those were important in this case!) and the set changes. I liked the mixture of the tracks, mostly from their last (and best) album, with some older ones thrown in and a few impressive covers - an excellent version of "I predict a riot" as well as "Fame", "Flashdance - what a feeling" and "Footloose" - maybe they knew I was coming so did some 80s stuff to keep me happy!

It was great and the best night I've had in ages. Strange to think I didn't book a ticket until the last minute, I wouldn't have missed it for the world and would have gone again had it not been the last gig of the tour. Bit of a shame I didn't have anyone to share it with, but as I say, it was a last minute decision.

And if Kimberley Walsh is reading this - Kimberley, you're beautiful and you rock my world, I love you and want to marry you. xxx

Ok, I'll stop being scary. The concert finished a bit late and I would probably have missed the last train home if there hadn't been a tube train waiting at Wembley Park. But to be honest I was having so much fun I didn't care. Plan B was to find a bar that would be open until the first train home in the morning left Paddington! But I caught it with a few minutes to spare and got to bed late (about 1.30am), tired and nicely drunk (I had a few beers during the concert - why not, I thought).

Despite this I woke up around the right time on Sunday feeling strangely fresh. I had breakfast, a litre of water, and headed to Fairford where the second 10k of the weekend was taking place. I was immediately impressed by the organisation - I was marshalled into a field reserved for the runners to park in.

I soon found a few friendly faces - members of the running club at my gym. It was nice to be able to tell them about the previous day's result and I sensed they were genuinely pleased for me. I'm sure they recognise that it was just reward for the effort I put into my training.

I didn't bother too much with a warm-up. I think I'd decided that there was no way I could match my effort at Keevil so I might as well go out and just enjoy it.

And enjoy it I did. It was a lot more scenic than running round an airfield (twice), and probably one of the nicest routes I have done. I really struggle to understand why more runners don't do these races - they always make such a nice change from the usual routes and this was only half an hour from home, if that.

I did feel slightly fatigued during the race and the heat didn't help either. No hangover, though - thank God for small mercies. At the half way point I tried to help a young girl who was struggling and had started walking. A cynic would tell you I only helping her because she was so good-looking, but that's really not true - I hate to see people struggling, and on this occasion I wasn't bothered about my time so tried to do something to help someone else. Before I left her I told her to compose herself, regain her energy and then carry on. Maybe it worked because she only came in a few minutes after me.

Despite everything I still crossed the line in less than 55 minutes, which I would have struggled to do on a good day a few months ago. I liked the award of a medal, bottle of water, cereal bar and sports bottle - there was diddly squat at Keevil.

Before I made my way home I visited Trish, our HR manager at work, who was holding a car boot sale to raise money for the 3-peak challenge, for which I have nominated myself as a walker. We're raising money for the Mitchemp trust, and I'm really looking forward to it. But I'll stop there and write a separate article on it later. But I did buy a few books from her - always my money weakness!

My other money weakness is good beer and wine, and needless to say I had a fair bit of that on Sunday afternoon. But if you can't celebrate back to back races, a PB and a fantastic evening at a concert, when can you?

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, June 2006

Back to winning ways..

2006-05-28T20:44:00.000Z

England's records in test match cricket has not been too great since the Ashes victory last summer, not to put too fine a point on it. One test win in 8 matches compares very unfavourably with, say, eight wins on the bounce in 2004.

So it was a bit of a relief that England produced their first win of the summer this weekend, effectively within 3 days. I don't agree with people who say that England have lost their way since the Ashes, and English cricket will go downhill in the same way Rugby did after the World Cup triumph in 2003. I really don't, and this is why:

One of my favourite columnists wrote recently that while Australia have had all the wins since the Ashes, England have made greater strides forward in that they have developed a pool of talent from which the selectors can choose. I think this is spot-on. It's well known that fast bowlers win matches and England now have a number of more than adequate replacements should the first choice quartet of Harmison, Hoggard, Flintoff and Jones not be fit. I like to think this will have a bearing on the result of the re-match later this year.

The result today could have been very different had England been chasing 150 or 200 to win. But they weren't, and it was largely down to the efforts of one of those replacements - Liam Plunkett. He bowled fantastically on Saturday, and just missed out on a hat trick. Not bad for a second-string player, is it?

And as for the batsmen, KP is rapidly developing into a truly world-class player, maybe an all-time great. His innings at the Oval on the last day of the Ashes series was the best afternoon's entertainment I've ever had, and he did pretty much the same Friday - sadly when I was stuck in work. Alastair Cook looks better every time I see him and it will be interesting to see who makes way when Vaughan returns to the side. As big a fan as I am of Collingwood, I hope that the selectors stick with youth and promise and give Cook a run in the side. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's what they'll do - Cook looks like he has the technique and the temperament to score big runs against the Aussies in their own back yard. And yes, I'm very confident we'll retain the Ashes.

Another reason I think England will prevail in the winter was the news - more exciting than England's victory - that Vaughan is back playing for Yorkshire. There have been rumours that he might not play for England again. I never believed that, and it certainly doesn't appear to be the case now.

As I write I understand that Harmison has not been included in the squad for the third test starting on Friday. I think this is good for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it proves the selectors are not rushing players back from injury. Far more important that they get match fit first, and, with all respect to Sri Lanka, save themselves for the greater challenges that lie ahead in the next 12 months. Secondly, it sends out the right message to players like Sajid Mahmood and Plunkett - they have done nothing wrong and get another chance to impress.

I think Australia may secretly be envious of England's present strength in depth, and I've no doubt that they fear they may be facing an even stronger England team when the re-match gets started in November. Personally, I can't wait.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, May 2006

Disappointed - but not by Hoggie

2006-05-14T20:11:00.000Z

I remember a few years ago (well, several actually) a dear friend of mine, Mr Dave Leahy (or Mad Irishman as he was affectionately known to a few of us) told me that there was something he didn't like about test match cricket: the fact that for five days, one team can be clearly in the ascendancy but the match still ends in a draw.

It has to be said, he has a point. After 4 days of play, England are clearly vastly superior to their first opponents this summer (Sri Lanki), Murali or no Murali, but it seems the game will peter into a draw. Too much time today (Sunday) has been lost to bad light and the forecast for Monday is rain. Damn.

Sometimes, a draw can add to the excitement of a test series: notable examples include England v South Africa at Old Trafford in 1998 - England won the next two tests to win the series 2-1 - and, (from an Australian viewpoint at least), the old enemies' escape at the same ground last year.

But in this instance, no, I'm not chuffed.

But there is another thing I love about the game: positives. Even if England lose, there are invariably positives (the emergence of new talents in the injury-rife winter a shining example). In this case it was seeing Matthew Hoggard take his 200th test match wicket.

It was a lovely moment. He went into the match with a tally of 197, took the first two Sri Lankan wickets on a thrilling day on Friday, only to be upstaged by the extremely impressive Sajid Mahmood who took 3 for 9 off his first five overs in test cricket. But when Hoggie caught Maharoof off his own bowling to become only the 10th Englishman to join the 200 club he just lay on the ground and laughed. Beautiful.

I thought it fitting that Hoggie should become the first of this much vaunted England pace attack to join this exclusive club. He is often the forgotten man of England's first choice pace battery -he doesn't have the same express pace as Harmison or Flintoff, and Simon Jones kind of grabbed the limelight last year with his mastery of reverse swing and his new-found modelling career. Just a shame he can't stay match-fit.

But what Hoggie will do is swing the ball, outthink batsmen, and quite literally, run through a brick wall for his team and his captain. He is the workhorse of the attack, a bit of an unsung hero, but you need that in a team - just as you need a batsman who may not be as flamboyant as, say, Pietersen, but who can occupy the crease for long periods of time and wear the bowlers down a la Mike Atherton - one of my heroes. It seems England have Alistair Cook waiting in the wings to make that role his own.

And, obviously I'm biased - he's a Yorkshireman damnit!! I love hearing about how he stays fit by walking his dogs on the Yorkshire moors (I have such fond memories of walking across those moors as a child, when on holiday in Batley - where my dear mum came from). Apparently he also has a wine rack which he keeps filled with beer - fantastic. I remember saying to Suzie at a wedding yesterday: "I'm half yorkshire, not much will stand between me and my beer".

As I write, Hoggie now stands equal ninth with another Yorkshireman, John Snow. It remains to be seen whether he will catch up with Yorkshire's leading wicket taker for England, Fred Trueman (307), but only a brave man or a fool would bet against it. Trueman I hear is battling cancer - remind me to keep doing those charity runs.

Hoggie is not far behind another great man from a great county, the all-singing (not!), the all-dancing (definitely!) Mr Darren Gough, who claimed 229 scalps in a career that was ended too soon due to injury.

With another 5 tests to go after this one, I'll bet a handsome sum that Hoggie will overtake Gough's total before the summer is out. It'll be sad to see Goughie pushed down the list, but part of me will know it's just reward for the man from Pudsey.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, May 2006

Cricket shot

2006-05-11T22:48:00.000Z

Ok, just a quickie before I head to the land of nod because I'm very tired after my 3 hour run after work tonight. (Yes, three hours).

What a wonderful start to England's summer of cricket today. I think any English supporter would have settled for 318-3 at stumps.

But it isn't actually a cricket shot I'm going to write about - it's an anagram of cricket shot: Trescothick. What a fabulous return to test match cricket for the man from Keynsham.

I guess we'll never know the real reason why he returned home from India so abruptly. The official line that he "picked up a virus" can't have cut much ice with anyone, certainly not yours truly. It is well reported that he left the field of a warm-up match in India in tears, and then caught the next flight home. Well I'm sorry but no one leaves the field crying because they feel a bit poorly (although I was in some distress tonight when the hunger pangs really set in).

The bottom line of that for me, is it's nobody else's business why he came home, and he's well within his rights to keep it hidden from the media. I also think that anyone who loves English cricket as much as I do won't care much anyway - having him back in the team is all that counts now.

So to see him score a hundred at Lords was fairytale stuff. Not quite on a par with Graham Thorpe's hundred at the Oval on his return in 2003, but still good.

I was lucky enough to see Tres play in a one-day match at Bath for Somerset against Sussex just before he made his debut for England in 2000. He was playing in the same match as Michael Bevan, at the time the world's number one limited-overs batsman. There really was nothing between them - such wonderful strikers of the ball. The one thing that stood out about Marcus was his size and power. I remember thinking how England would be a better team with him in it, and how right I was.

I hope his problems, whatever they were, are behind him now and he goes on to play for England for a few years yet. In fact it wouldn't surprise me one iota if he went on to break Graham Gooch's record of test runs for England and Alec Stewart's record of the most capped player.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, May 2006

Half Marathon Number 5.. (sung)

2006-05-08T19:02:00.000Z

Half marathon time again yesterday, this time it was the Tewkesbury half marathon I was competing in.

As you will have read here, I have stepped up my training a notch or two since the Reading half marathon, and I seemed to be on pretty good form. Unfortunately I had a bit of a scare and nearly didn't run.

On Wednesday I had a session with Anthony and didn't run well at all. I suddenly had a stabbing pain in my left side, in the hip area. It wasn't excruciating, but it was quite painful and I had to give the last lap of the lake a miss. (We were meant to do three laps, just over a mile long, and increase the pace each time).

On Thursday I went for a run on my own - really I should have rested but it was such a beautiful day it seemed rude not to - I took it very steady and completed my route in 1hr 8 mins - normally it would be done and dusted within an hour. With hindsight, this was probably a good move - I was still inconvenienced by my sore hip but at least I had proven to myself that I could run through it. It wouldn't have been the end of the world if I had to run at that pace yesterday, and ended up with a (relatively) poor time, 2hrs 10 or 2hrs 20 even.

I rested and had a sports massage on Friday with Ali O'Hara. As always, he did a fantastic job, and was good enough to give my lower back a quick rub in the area I was having trouble. While I was being put through the agony that I would probably only wish on Osama Bin Laden, a paedophile or someone who says the England cricket team shouldn't have had their open bus tour after the Ashes victory, I reflected on how much I deserve to finish that marathon in September. Without wishing to blow my own trumpet too much, my commitment and dedication is second to none.

Saturday was a pretty cool day - obviously I rested completely, and in the afternoon went to see the superb "Mission Impossible 3" at the cinema. Suzie came with me, and while I struggle to get myself organised to keep to an agreed meeting time, it was great to have the pleasure of her company - and pretty glamorous company she is too. I don't mind going to the movies on my own, but it did make the occasion special.

As regards the film, as I say it was excellent and I shall most likely give it at least one more viewing - it's that good. My only cavil is that it was so fast-moving it was hard to follow at times - I badly needed the toilet but kept putting it off because there literally was not a dull moment. And as for the main star, any man who woos Katie Holmes deserves to be cheered and applauded.

I headed off to Tesco's afterwards to look at washing machines, and surprise, surprise, ended up chatting to a nice lady in the wine section about my running, as well as other things. So I came out with a rather expensive bottle of wine instead. Oh well. I shall save it for a special occasion - such as the evening after a race.

In the evening I watched a review of the Ashes series on Sky Sports. Needless to say I can't wait for the cricket to start on Thursday (no I won't be pulling a sickie). It was great to reminisce about a great summer and I'm hoping when England start thrashing all before them again I'll feel inspired to write my novel set in the summer of '05.

I slept quite well, considering it was an early start - the race started at 9.30am and I arranged to meet Grace in the gym car park at 7.30. She drove this time - probably a good idea to take it in turns and I'm hoping she won't mind me telling you that her sense of direction is worse than mine! Trust me, that's saying something!

It was a good run up to Tewkesbury - yes it is closer than I thought - and it was surprisingly easy to find the race. There were no directions in the race pack, which is one of my two only criticisms of the event. The other is that it closes at 11.50am, so anyone who takes longer than 2 hours 20 minutes to complete it doesn't get a chip time. This, I felt is harsh and unfair on the slower runners - 2 hours 45 might have been better. But running 13.1 miles in any time is a fantastic achievement and anyone who manages it deserves as much recognition as the guy (or guy-ette) who wins it.

A bit of sad news before the race - I met Kev and Gerry from the running club, and it transpired that Kev had attended his mother's funeral on Friday. Poor man. I must make a point of letting him know I feel for him and know only too well what he's going through.

I spent a lot of time before the race stretching - my side was better but still sore. It didn't seem to help - as soon as we set off it started hurting and for the first couple of miles I was convinced it would be a case of when, not if, my side was going to seize up completely and I would have to pull out. Nonetheless, I kept checking my watch at the mile markers to make sure I was running roughly 9-minute miles.

As it turned out, I was fine. After about 5 miles the pain in my side subsided. I was enjoying the run at last. The scenery was mixed - though some industrial estates and across the motorway at one point, but also through some lovely countryside and picturesque villages in Worcestershire. There were regular drinks stations and the miles were clearly marked. It was well marshalled, partly by police, and there were a lot of kids watching, cheering us on and giving high-fives, which was great. Just a pity I didn't have a chance to tell them how I used to come last in cross-country at school.

At one point I was running so well I seemed to be on course to beat my time at Reading. When I approached the finish line I looked at my watch and saw this wasn't to be. I did, however, with a final sprint, get under 2 hours with a few seconds to spare. Bearing in mind I was carrying an injury and nearly pulled out, this was a fantastic effort if I say so myself. From his text message later, Anthony seemed impressed.

The really, really great thing about this event however was that I ran a strong race all the way round and at no point felt in any trouble. After the race I felt I could have carried on - in fact, I would probably have gone running again yesterday afternoon had I not been resting my hip. This has definitely not been the case in the past - I'm usually shattered at the end of a half marathon. At Swindon I nearly passed out, after Bath walking to get my burger was torture and after Reading I was just exhausted. The training I have done recently is obviously having the right effect - I am stronger and have more stamina.

As I write I am feeling fine - apart from the hangover of course. Needless to say I had quite a lot of wine on Sunday evening. I could have run tonight but decided to rest my hip in the hope that the next four days will really count.

On the way home I felt optimistic about the marathon in September - probably for the first time. I've joked about how I'll be going to hospital afterwards and should probably not book my holiday (2 weeks in Crete) for that reason. Anthony paid me a nice compliment in the week, saying he thought at first that the New Forest marathon in September would be too much of a challenge for me, and too early. Now he thinks I am pretty much on course. At the time I wasn't sure I agreed with him, but I do now.

I've still got it all to do in the next few months but I think it's safe for me to book that holiday after all, and put the champagne on ice. Provided I stay injury-free I think I'm going to run that marathon - and quite a few people are going to be impressed.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, May 2006

Highworth 5 Mile Road Race

2006-05-01T20:37:00.000Z

On Sunday, 30th April 2006 I competed in a new and interesting event for me - the Highworth 5 mile race.

It was new in as much as it was my first year at this excellent and well-attended event, but also my shortest event to date - intriguingly I have never run in a race shorter than a 10k.

For this reason I was quite apprehensive - at this point in time I am definitely built for endurance, not speed, and in a half marathon I sometimes don't feel warmed up until the 5-mile marker.

My training in the week before the race was not great either. Socially it was top drawer - I met Pete for a few beers and a curry in Bath on Monday and had a great time, apart from the train back being late. For the life of me I can't understand why more of my friends don't come with me on my nights out in Bath - hint hint!!

Tuesday I did a nice 4k on the treadmill and broke in my new trainers - all I had time for as I was meeting Suzie and Janna to see the excellent "American Dreamz" at the flicks. It had fairly mixed reviews in the press but we agreed it was great, a bit slow at first but very funny for the last half hour. Plus they got to drool over Hugh Grant (fine by me - keeping an end up for us oldies is Hughie!!) and I have to confess I wouldn't slam the door in Mandie Moore's face either..

Wednesday I did my only run of any real substance - a nice steady 10 miler. Should have gone out with the running club really, but wanted to do some distance.

Thursday I made a massive mistake - I spent a very tiring but enjoyable day at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham, picking up lots of freebies to brighten up my desk at work and meeting some of my contacts in the flesh for the first time. When I got back I went for a run by myself round the lake at Sparcells and had to pull up with a stabbing pain in my ankle. It was so bad I had to walk back to the gym. Needless to say I iced it up as soon as I got home, and while it disrupted my final training session before the race it hasn't re-occurred since.

So what did I see at the cinema Saturday, you may be asking: "Slither", a very silly but enjoyable horror comedy. The adverts described it as "the best horror comedy since Shaun of The Dead". As it turned out it wasn't a patch on that classic (if you haven't seen it please do so as soon as humanly possible - listening to "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen will never be the same again!!) but it did have its moments and a few quality one-liners.

For once I had a good night's sleep and arrived in Highworth with bags of time to spare - good job too: it meant I didn't have to drive around looking for somewhere to park like other people I saw later. I even had time to get my copy of The Sunday Times and read a couple of articles!

I had a good stretch before the race, making sure I was nice and loose. As it turned out I got a massive psychological lift on the start line: next to me were Jan and Sandra from the running club and Sandra put her arms around my upper body and commented that I had "hugely" lost weight. It was especially nice from her, as she has made a few choice comments about my weight in the past - I've lost count of the number of times she has said "Not being funny, Jon, but you're a big lad to be running". So it's nice that she can give compliments equally well, not something many people are adept at.

The scenery along the route was great - I was surprised at how quickly we were out in the countryside. One thing I like about races is the fact that if nothing else, at least you get a change of scene.

For the first three miles I was flying. By my watch I was averaging 8 minutes a mile, which for me is good - I usually struggle to maintain that pace for long. I couldn't maintain it for the last two miles, sadly, and the last mile consisted mainly of an exceptionally steep hill. So in the end I think I did very well to finish in 42 minutes. It means I can now realistically set my sights on a sub 50-minute 10k, which will be a huge landmark for me.

A gang of us from running club stopped at a local pub after the race for a quick drink, which made a nice change. We haven't done much socially outside the gym, which is something I would like to see changing. Maybe I will appoint myself club social events organiser!

Being the lunatic I am I headed to the gym for another 5 mile run on the treadmill. It was hard work and took a bit longer than 42 minutes! While I was there I got chatting to someone I had seen at the race, an athlete called Terry, who as it turned out had run the London marathon the week before. His time was 3 hours 20 minutes - doubt I'll ever be in his league.

As he left the gym he put on his medal from the marathon as well as the one he had acquired at Highworth. "I shall wear these with pride," he said. "As you should," I replied.

Hopefully this time next year I'll be wearing both those medals myself.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, May 2006

FHM Top 100 Sexiest Women

2006-04-29T20:24:00.000Z

Ok, just a bit of light-hearted entertainment while I chill out on the evening before my next race..

I always think the FHM Top 100 Sexiest is a lot of fun. I don't subscribe to FHM any more (too many copies lying round the house as it is) but I always buy it when the results are published and like to compare the tastes of the nation with my own. It invariably produces some amusing surprises!

The best example I can think of: Billie Piper came eleventh this year!! 20 places ahead of Jennifer Ellison and one place behind Jessica Simpson (who almost qualifies as a Swindon lass herself, the amount of time she spends round mine). I mean, all credit to her for making a comeback as an actress, and she plays the part of Rose in the excellent new series of Doctor Who with aplomb, but take it from me boys: I've seen her up close a few times and she's not really all that.

So, without further ado below are two top tens: the one in the magazine, and my top 10 of the top one hundred. So no place for Alicia Silverstone, alas - but with "Stormbreaker" set for release this summer, that could change next year..

FHM Top Ten.

1. Keira Knightley - the quintessential English rose, but a little too thin for my liking.
2. Keeley - who?
3. Scarlett Johansson. Who says the yanks don't have taste? She came top of the pile on that side of the pond.
4. Angelina Jolie. Quite popular with the ladies too, apparently.
5. Kelly Brook. No argument, but I like the girl next door look.
6. Cheryl Tweedy. Too much of a chav for me.
7. Beyonce Knowles. Like her better without the big hair.
8. Evangeline Lilly. I have honestly never heard of her before. Seriously. Is she in "Lost"?
9. Jessica Alba. Now we're talking..
10. Jessica Simpson. Nick Lachey's loss, some lucky man's gain.

JW Top Ten.

1. Scarlett Johansson (3). Great pout, great figure, great skin and she can act too.
2. Jessica Alba (9). An angel. Can't wait for Sin City 2.
3. Jennifer Ellison (31). Met her in London 18 months ago. Lovely, lovely girl. Hope she goes far.
4. Jessica Simpson (10). It seems one of your initials has to be J to be in my gang..
5. Kimberley Walsh (66). Or maybe a soft Yorkshire accent and a few curves will suffice. Can't believe she fared worse than the rest of the Fab Five, bar the ginger one.
6. Tara Reid (41). I never tire of all those late-night repeats of "Wild on Tara" on the E channel. I wonder why that is??
7. Myleene Klass (78). She'd be no good for me though - I read in an interview she's teetotal!
8. Kara Tointon (27). Making 'Enders watchable again.
9. Charlotte Church (40). Do yourself a favour Charl, ditch the fags and Gav and we'll see what a crazy chick you are next time I'm out in Cardiff..
10. Katie Holmes (79). The ultimate girl next door, she can climb through my bedroom window any time she wants. And she likes older men too! Enough to make anyone a Dawson's Geek..

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, April 2006

The Flora London Marathon

2006-04-23T19:13:00.000Z

I would love so much to tell you I competed in the world's greatest marathon this morning. Alas, no. Not yet. I'm not ready for a full marathon yet - pretty close, mind you.

What I can tell you, with a great deal of excitement, is that I travelled up to the London marathon expo with Anthony and Gary on Friday. It was a fabulous day out and gave me a real taste for the event.

We drove up in Gary's car (very plush) and I told them with some confidence that the best place to park would be in a cul-de-sac in Osterley and catch the tube from there. Unfortunately the powers that be in the area have wizened up to the likes of me and have introduced parking meters since my last visit. Oops. No worries however - plenty of spaces in the tube station car park.

We got to the expo just after lunchtime and Anthony picked up his race number for the big day. His excitement was palpable and if all goes to plan, all three of us will be picking up our race numbers next year - just think how cool that will be.

We had a quick look round before partaking of the pasta lunch - very tasty it was too. It provided me with a timely reminder of just how good pasta can be if you take time to prepare a good sauce to go with it, and how I must find some good recipes - pasta is going to play a big part in my diet over the next few months. On the stage behind us, James Cracknell was giving an interview about his ambitions for the big day. How exciting to be rubbing shoulders (well, almost) with an Olympic gold medallist.

We then proceeded to spend time (and a lot of money!) visiting the various stands at the exhibition. There were some bargains to be had - I got a great deal on some singlets, a new pair of trainers for my shorter runs and a 6 month subscription to Running Fitness magazine for £13.50 which came with a free running coat worth £40! Fantastic - knowing me I'll be cancelling the direct debit in time to get maximum value for money as well! These companies must hate people like me!!

I didn't do as well as Anthony however - by the end of the day he was carrying so many bags he looked like Alicia Silverstone in Clueless, just without the mini-skirt, legs and all-round cuteness - sorry mate.

Highlight of the day was arguably meeting the great Steve Cram and having my photo taken with him. I got a lovely compliment from him to boot - "you look like you're running (on Sunday)" were his words to me. Unfortunately I had to disappoint him but I did update him on my progress to date and my plan to run a full marathon in September.

I also visited the justgiving.com stand and got some good advice. Realistically I am not going to get a place for 2007 through the ballot system, so my best bet is to get one of the charity places. I have an idea how I can increase my sponsorship - all I'll say at this juncture is it's a good job I stopped for a chat.

It was great to spend some time with Anthony and Gary and as the day drew to a close I treated them to a coffee in the cafe overlooking the docklands. I hope we spend more time together in future as the friendships develop.

Eventually I had to part company with them - Anthony had to get home to Jo and baby Ben, and Gary had had an early start, but I had decided to avail myself of the opportunity to go to the theatre while in the capital. I plumped for a repeat viewing of the excellent "Blackbird" in the end - the subject matter is pretty unpleasant and frankly implausible (a man in his late fifties is confronted by a 27 year old girl he had sex with as a minor 15 years ago) but the acting was out of this world and the dialogue razor-sharp. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the theatre:

www.seeblackbird.com

Needless to add I had a couple of well earned pints in The Lord Moon of the Mall before heading home. Please don't mock me - it's hard work being on your feet all day and I needed some liquid refreshment.

I felt inspired on Saturday and headed off for a 15 mile run. The only problem was, I was still tired from the day before and it was a real plod to say the least. I half-planned to drive up to London today to watch the race but unfortunately I was so wiped out after my run I fell asleep in front of the TV and couldn't sleep properly after that, so I didn't get up until after 10 today. So it was too late to go up, but I did watch a fair bit of the coverage on TV - I never thought I'd be this excited about the marathon.

Never mind - I still got a good taste for the event and am now determined to make sure I am on the start line in 2007. What a turn-up for the book that will be.

Finally I'd like to say a massive WELL DONE and GOOD ON YOU to every single person who completed the marathon today, not least Anthony Davis (for very obvious reasons!) as well as David Morgan and Susanne Dansey, whose blogs I have followed with interest. I look forward to joining you in 2007.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, 23rd April 2006

Marathon training weekend

2006-04-17T19:48:00.000Z

My training for the New Forest marathon in September 2006 has now officially begun.

It wasn't until the Thursday after the Reading half marathon that I was able to run again (a nice, steady 6-7 mile run) and this was followed by a good, tough speed session with Anthony on Friday. Some people question my having PT sessions, but they are always tough (which proves I am getting my money's worth), and I look forward to them. Anthony told me recently he enjoys training me so it's a symbiotic friendship I guess.

We spoke about the training I need to do over the summer, and I decided it was time to get on with it straight away. Shame about the diet but hey, it was the bank holiday weekend. Back on the wagon Tuesday, honest.

Saturday was an interesting experience, to say the least. 3 hours of exercise: Spinning, followed by body pump, followed by the same run I did Thursday. Lunatic, I hear you say. I agree, but there was a method in the madness. Normally I would stop after the two classes but as I knew my stomach was empty I thought it would be good to force my body to dig into its fat reserves.

It hurt. I wanted to cry. I wanted my mum. (Nothing new there actually..sigh). But seriously, my body knew what I was trying to do and didn't like it. Nonetheless, I stuck with it and got round quicker than I did a few days ago. As someone kindly pointed out, I've certainly got the dedication. Damn right - I deserve to get into a 32" waist after all this. And to run a 10k in 40 minutes. And to get off with Kimberley from Girls Aloud. Ok, I'll stop there..

The intention Sunday was to do 2 10-mile runs. Yes, 2 runs in one day. Alas, it was not to be - I had a lovely long lie-in in the morning (when you can sleep for 10 hours it proves you have been working too hard and need a break) and managed to get booked in for a sports massage in the early afternoon. Hence I only had time for a 7-mile run, but it was a good run, I concentrated on picking up the pace, keeping myself nice and tall, and it felt good.

It is so, so nice to be running outside with nothing more than a vest on (at least where my upper body is concerned) and sunglasses. The cricket season has begun and summer is here at last. Well, almost..

After the massage I treated myself to the flicks and saw "Scary Movie 4". It won't win any Oscars, and I thought the spoof of "Million Dollar Baby" was a bit out of order, but I enjoyed it. Sometimes it's good to leave your brain at the door and enjoy something just plain dumb and funny.

Anyway, back to the serious business. Today I did 2 10-mile runs, or at least 2 runs of 90 minutes duration. Haven't got round to calibrating my distance monitor you see. The first was not too bad, again I enjoyed being out in the sun and it was nice to see an old mate hooting at me from his car as I was crossing the road.

I couldn't tell you I enjoyed heading back to the gym for the second run. I just wanted to stay at home and do something different. Chill out with a good book, perhaps? Anthony warned me that marathon training will be boring at times, but I've no doubt it will be worth it. I was never a gifted athlete, so if I can prove to myself I can run 26.2 miles, then anything else I set my mind to should be a piece of cake.

It was painful as well. I was sore, and my legs felt heavy. After an hour I was shattered, and did have to walk in a couple of places (obviously out of the view of any admiring females). I used a different route and when I got back to the gym I had been on my feet for 1 hour 20 minutes. My body told me to hit the showers. My heart told me to run 1o minutes on the treadmill. My brain had the final say and so I did the latter. It was 30 minutes until closing time and I kind of got off on the fact that I was the last man standing in there.

And so home to a salad and a glass of mineral water. Yeah right - haven't you heard, Nelson got his eye back? On long run days, you have whatever you want. I wolfed down a chicken tikka massala - I was so ravenous I didn't even notice it said "extra hot" on the label. It could have been a phall and it wouldn't have been on my taste buds long enough to make a difference.

So marathon training has its upside. Still, I have it all to do before September.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, April 2006

Day out in London and the Sugababes

2006-04-12T20:55:00.000Z

I was looking forward to the Reading half marathon for a reason other than the event itself: I had two days off work afterwards and was going to spend Monday in London.

I also had a ticket to see the Sugababes at the Hammersmith Apollo in the evening. I saw them at the same venue two years ago and really enjoyed the concert. When I found out they were playing there again the day after the Reading half marathon I thought that would be a perfect way to celebrate the race. As it turned out, I think I had good reason to celebrate.

I don't often go to concerts - I only really started a few years ago when I was working shifts and looking for things I could do on my own mid-week. I've been to some good ones - Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Christina Aguilera have been a couple of my other favourites.

The day didn't get off to a great start. My train was delayed by 20 minutes (always the way when you've rushed to the station). And I was feeling somewhat worse for wear after an excessive amount of beer and wine the day before.

Still, it could have been worse - I did at least have good weather for it. When I got to London I headed for Leicester Square and got myself a beer. I found I was really enjoying sitting in the sunshine, reading my book and watching the world go by, and so carried on doing just that.

I'd like to tell you I did something exciting or cultural but I'd be lying. I hadn't had a boozy day out for some time so just relaxed and enjoyed myself. I had a late lunch and an early dinner, and spent much of the time in between browsing in Waterstone's on Trafalgar Square - one of my favourite activities when in the capital.

I made my way to Hammersmith in plenty of time for the concert. The support act was fairly nondescript - I realised how spoilt I'd been when the Black Eyed Peas supported Christina Aguilera.

The concert seemed a little disappointing. It seemed to go very quickly, but in retrospect I guess that's probably a good thing because it proves I was enjoying it. In fairness they did a good mix of old and current stuff. I think I was expecting them to concentrate on tracks from the latest album, which IMHO is their strongest to date.

I don't know, the event didn't seem to have the same pizzazz as their last concert. Maybe I was expecting too much - sometimes anticipation can spoil an event like that. Or maybe beers in the sunshine had numbed my senses.

But even so I had a good, relaxing and well-earned day out in the sun. It looks like spring is here at last.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, April 2006

Reading half marathon - my best race yet

2006-04-11T19:36:00.000Z

On Sunday I competed in what was the biggest and best race of my running career to date.

I had heard a lot about Reading half marathon and had entered some time ago (last year I think). It is apparently the second biggest half marathon in the country after the Great North Run, with some 13,000 entries.

I wrapped up my training on Wednesday with a short run with Anthony. Then I enjoyed 3 days of complete rest. No running, no spinning, no body pump, not even a few sit-ups. Nothing more strenuous than a walk into town. Unusually for me, I found I quite enjoyed it. Normally I miss the gym but not this time.

It seemed to have the desired effect. By Saturday I was itching to go. Being the consummate professional he is, Anthony gave me a call to have a chat, answer any questions I might have, and make sure I had no worries or concerns.

As usual I went to the cinema in the afternoon. I find it just takes my mind off the race and relaxes me. I decided to see "She's The Man", an American teen comedy based on Twelth Night. It was great - not quite in the same league as "10 Things I Hate About You" - probably the best in the genre - but it was still fresh and funny and Amanda Bynes stole the show. Don't laugh, but I also love "What A Girl Wants" in which she stars alongside Colin Firth. She's a real cutie and if she treads the boards in London, as Julia Stiles did with aplomb two years ago, there's a good chance I'll be seeing her play a few times as well.

I didn't have the best night's sleep Saturday - drunks walking past my house kept waking me up. But I woke up feeling refreshed and headed to the gym where I met up with Grace, Dave, Gary and Anthony and his family. I gave Grace a lift - she was planning on taking the train but I offered to take her. I think it's important to cultivate friendships and as we are of similar ability we should run together more as well.

We drove down in convoy and parked up in the pre-booked car parks. I was immediately impressed by how well organised it all was - well sign posted and so forth - and how many people there were.

We had time to kill before the race - no bad thing - but it went quickly and before we knew it we made our way to the start. Anthony was lining up with the other elites and gave me a few last minute words of advice. His parting shot to me was "Sub two hours mate, don't let me down". No pressure, you understand.

He had made it abundantly clear that he wanted a sub 2-hour half marathon out of me, and yes I did feel under pressure. But I thought about this and eventually decided it was a good thing. It's no longer good enough to just get round, people expect good things from me. And there is healthy competition - there are people who want to beat me, and people I want to impress.

What can I say about the race? Not a great deal, actually - it just felt nice and controlled. I felt I was going at a good pace and for the most part, felt good. I had stomach pains for the first few miles - I wondered if this was because I hadn't eaten for nearly four hours. Oops.

The pains eventually subsided and I kept myself going by taking plenty of fluid on board, perhaps a little too much. The race was fantastically well organised and supported, and there were regular drink stations. The scenery was nothing to write home about however. But I had made the decision not to wear my MP3 player so I could soak up the sounds and atmosphere, and it proved a prescient move.

One thing I love about these events is that invariably you see or experience something that really makes your day. At about 11 miles I passed a young lad who was wearing a t-shirt he had had made for the event which had the words "It's all for you" inscribed on the back, and a picture of a lady, presumably a deceased relative, maybe his mother. Having been there myself, I know where he's coming from. I thought that was a lovely idea, and will probably do something similar for my first marathon in September. I tapped him on the back and said "nice one mate" as I passed him. He was wearing an MP3 and I don't know if he knew what I meant. I hope he realised later.

After 12 miles I was seriously hurting. I really, really wanted to stop. I had no idea of my time but knew then I had given it everything. Needless to say I kept going and as we went round in a loop I saw Grace ahead of me. She looked shattered and had started walking so I shouted at her to keep going. I like to think that's the sportsman in me, wanting other people to do well if they have given it their all.

Eventually we reached the finish line in the Majeski stadium. I'll never know where I got the energy from, but I managed to sprint to the line. By my watch I had made it in 1 hour and 59 minutes so I had achieved my goal. (I later found out my chip time was 1:58:54). I was exhausted but ecstatic.

As I queued for my medal and goodie bag I met Dave and Gary. I was especially pleased for Gary as it was his first half marathon, and he managed it in just over 2 hours. Fantastic work when you take into account that he was carrying an injury (his knee has been giving him gyp recently and was heavily strapped). I told him he should be very proud of himself. He's quite a bit faster than me over a 10k, but I think he was very nervous about whether or not he could complete this distance (it is, to be fair, quite a step up). Hopefully this will have given him a lot of confidence.

And so we headed back to Swindon. I dropped Grace off at the gym, picked up some lunch from Sainsburys and hurried home to watch the cricket highlights. Needless to say I was disappointed as I watched another capitulation by the England one-day team. It amazes me how such a fine Test team can be such a shambles in the other format of the game. It just seems, with the exception of Kevin Pietersen, that their hearts really aren't in it. They look like they've had enough of being on tour and just want to come home. And quite frankly, who can blame them?

Not all bad news as it turned out - I found out later the match had been abandoned and I was watching highlights of a previous game.

You really, really don't want to know how much alcohol I consumed Sunday afternoon. I think most people would be horrified. What I will share with you is that I thought it was time to settle back with a bucket of cold beer and my favourite movie of all time: “The Shawshank Redemption”. I hadn't watched it for some time and had almost forgotten just how good it is.

I'll write a separate article on the film another time, but there's a great quote in it: "I guess it comes down to a simple choice. Get busy living, or get busy dying".

I like to think I know which option I had taken on Sunday, 9th April 2006.

Copyright Jonathan Weedon, April 2006

Cancer Research 10k

2006-04-04T19:55:00.000Z

This Sunday I ran in the Cancer Research 10k at Longleat - the second 10k I have done there this year.

I booked the event some time ago as I thought it would be a good warm-up for the Reading half marathon. As it grew nearer, I wondered if I had made the right decision - there was a 10-mile race at Chedworth in the Cotswolds on the same day, which might have been more suitable. Oh well, I decided, it's booked and paid for so I might as well stick with the 10k.

I had a look through my race information a few days before the event. Along with my race number there was something to put on the back of your t-shirt, which displayed who you are running in memory or celebration of. At this point I remembered that one of the ladies who worked in the canteen at my company, Viv Billingham, had died of cancer earlier this year.

You would never have known that Viv had cancer. She was always so cheerful as she went about her work, and looked well for the most part. She had been battling with cancer for some time and had undergone chemotherapy; the only time I noticed a change in her appearance. What a brave lady.

I decided therefore that I would run the race in Viv's memory. On the Friday before the race I went to the canteen and told a couple of the ladies there, who thought it was a lovely idea. They said that they would get someone to send out an email to the site advising them of the event.

Whilst there was a sponsorship form enclosed in the race pack I wasn't planning on raising sponsor money. It's usually a pain getting it in after the event, and there are plenty of opportunities for people to donate money to good causes.

When I got back to my desk, however, I found out that one of our secretaries, Lizzie Turner, had sent out an email to everyone in the company in the whole of the UK telling them I was running a half marathon in memory of Viv, and to contact me if they wished to sponsor me! Several people had called already, and so it didn't look like I had much choice about raising sponsorship!

I spent the Saturday before the event much the same way I spend any day before a race - just relaxing - with one exception: I went to the gym and did Body Pump in the morning. I felt that a 10k is an easy distance for me now and it wouldn't hurt to train the day before. Besides, I get bored not being able to go the gym for a couple of days, and I need to maintain contact with my friends from the classes now that I don't go to them so often. And Body Pump is a pretty good class if you want to maintain muscle mass.

I also went to the cinema in the afternoon to see Basic Instinct 2. Save your money. 'Nuff said.

I had a good-ish nights sleep and a pleasant drive to Longleat on the Sunday. I was a bit disappointed with the weather - it was cold and raining as we lined up on the start line. Lots of people were running in memory of friends and relatives, which was pretty heart wrenching. It was obvious that most of them were not serious runners - 10k is quite a distance if you're not a serious runner so good on them.

I felt pretty good in the race. The course was challenging but my legs held up to it well, I didn't have any of the soreness or heaviness I'd experienced in my last two events, the Bath half or the 10k at Bowood.

I was a bit disappointed when I realised we had to run through a muddy field. I don't much like cross-country (which is why I didn't enjoy Bowood and consequently didn't write about it here) and thought to myself "Here we go again". As it turned out, there weren't too many muddy fields; it was mostly road, and a challenging course. I was puffing and panting a fair bit, so a more than adequate warm-up for Reading.

As I got to the last kilometre, which was the path to Longleat House, I worked out I could probably finish in less than 55 minutes. I gave it everything I had on that last kilometre, and as I crossed the line the clock read 54 minutes 55 seconds. A very satisfactory time on a tough course.

Anthony has said this week that he wouldn't be surprised if I was winning some of these races next year if I can lose all my excess weight. We'll have to see about that, but it's a very exciting prospect. One thing Anthony doesn't do is bullshit you, so there you go.

I was exhausted but happy after the race. I had had a good run, done something for a good cause in memory of a very special lady, raised money for charity, and hopefully raised my profile within my company. That warranted a few beers in the afternoon I decided.

As I drove back I passed the crematorium where my mother has a plaque and a bench in her memory, at the place where her ashes were interned. I thought about popping in but decided not to - I am usually pretty emotional after an event and feared I might get upset. This was a day for being happy and feeling good about what I had achieved, not for getting upset or crying. I know what she'd have wanted me to do. I did call in at my Dad's cottage, which they bought 30 years ago, but he wasn't in.

I called in at the gym on the way back - I was considering doing another 11k on the treadmill as people were under the impression I was running a half marathon. In the end I just did 6k - that made a total of 10 miles on the day, and besides, I wanted to get back for Eastenders. I had a good chat with one of the girls in sales there, Sarah, a very mature young lady for 18. Can't say what it was about, but it was nice for someone to talk to me about their problems for a change.

My good deeds done, I returned home and did indeed partake of a colossal amount of alcohol in the afternoon. I enjoyed watching a DVD - "The Island", an under-rated action movie starring the ubiquitous Scarlett Johansson. It had been a great day and I deserved a small celebration.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, April 2006

Back in the groove

2006-03-23T22:06:00.000Z

Finally, a good training session tonight.

This week has been rather painful for me to say the least. My legs have still been aching from Sunday's exertions and for the first time since I started running, my feet have been hurting. It appears the old, tough skin on the balls (don't laugh) of my feet became dried and cracked during or after the event. Ouch. So even walking this week has been hard work.

I managed to drag myself to the gym on Monday - knowing I was not going to be able to run, I managed to get into RPM. Quite a good class, even with no Alex, and we had a new release which featured some quite good music. At the risk of sounding bigheaded, spinning isn't a challenging workout for me any more, certainly not aerobically. Such has been the improvement in my cardio-vascular fitness resulting from my PT sessions.

Afterwards I had a sports massage on my legs, which was quite possibly the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life. Ali, who did it, said my legs were in "a pretty bad state" and that was probably why I hurt on Sunday. Simple lack of maintenance, which is something I will need to address in the months ahead. His neighbours probably think they have a serial killer living next door as a result of my screaming. It was like having spikes pushed through my legs.

I had a PT session with Anthony on Tuesday but we had to abandon just after half way through. It should have been a jog out, hills and sprints, a jog, then more hills and sprints before heading back to the gym. I was so knackered I had to stop and walk before we could do the second round of hills and sprints.

I treated myself to a day's rest yesterday to ensure I could make tonight's PT session count. And it worked. I was given a choice of hills and sprints or 20 hill reps. That's about double the hill reps than I have ever had to do before. I chose it because I thought it would be a good mental barrier to break down, and it is closer to the marathon training I'll have to do after the Reading half marathon.

I didn't think I could possibly manage 20 reps on that hill but I did. Six months ago I was doing half that number on a hill not as steep or as long. So after the disappointment of not getting a sub-2 hour time on Sunday it was a timely reminder of just how much progress I have made.

As usual, Anthony was talking and giving advice the whole time and most of it was about my diet. I can't say that I liked a lot of his suggestions (self-abnegation is just not my bag, baby) but I am so focussed on running now I'll try anything to get my weight down.

He also made a very good point which I hadn't really thought of before, and that is that running must be the only sport where Mr Average can compete in the same event as world-class athletes (I was talking about the elites I had seen on Sunday). I mean, a five-a-side player can't play in the same match as Beckham and a village green player can't take the same field as Flintoff can he?

I forgot to mention previously that the deaf and blind runner I had seen at Longleat was running the Bath half marathon, as was the elderly gentleman in the picture my sister had spotted in a local paper with the caption "Age was no barrier in the 10k race".

As I have stated previously, these people make me feel very humble and make me realise what a truly great hobby I have found.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon March 2006

Bath Half Marathon - My biggest event yet

2006-03-21T20:24:00.000Z

This Sunday I competed in the 25th Bath Half Marathon. It was very much a dream come true.

I think my ambitions of running a half marathon go back a few years. Very often over a pint or 5 I would say to one of my mates "Fancy training for and running in the Bath Half Marathon next year?” We would make pledges to do so, which of course never came to anything. We missed it this year, but there's always next year, we would tell ourselves. If I'm honest, at the time running a half marathon was about as realistic a goal for me as flying to the moon.

But why Bath you may be wondering. Why was it the Bath half marathon I wanted to do?

The reason is simply my love of the city. Growing up in Melksham, which is about 10 miles from Bath, I spent a lot of time there, especially as a teenager. I would spend many Saturday afternoons in Bath, walking round the shops and spending my pocket money on the latest Madonna 12”, or a trip to the cinema.

As well as the wonderful architecture and its Roman history, Bath has some lovely little shops, especially in places like the corridor, and some great pubs. I remember celebrating finishing my A levels in the Crystal Palace (my personal favourite, especially in summer when you can sit in the beer garden) and I still go there now, usually when I meet up with Pete for a mid-week drink.

I got my place for Sunday's event last September, before I had completed my first half marathon. I was very pleased to do so, as it is notoriously hard to get a place - it sells out quickly and I went online as soon as applications were open. I think it says a lot about the event that it is so popular.

My last half marathon was in November and whilst I have trained hard since then - increasing the duration of my long runs - I did feel nervous leading up to the event. I did a 10k at Calne the week before, which proved to be less than ideal - advertised as being on road, it was mostly cross-country. I had to take it pretty steady, as it was not worth risking an injury.

Anthony said in my last session with him that he would be surprised if I didn't complete Bath in less than 2 hours. Whilst this was obviously a compliment it did mean I felt a little pressure not to disappoint.

The 10k at Calne aside, my final preparations seemed to go well. I wrapped up my training with a steady run on Wednesday and then allowed myself 3 days complete rest. I thought this would mean I turned up feeling fresh on Sunday. I also had a fantastic sports massage on Friday to make sure I was nice and loose and suffered none of my occasional lower back problems.

I woke up nice and early on the day and made my way to the station. The train seemed the best way to travel (the traffic going into Bath can be a nightmare, and parking is not great either) and I travelled down with Grace, a lady of similar ability from my running club at the gym.

The runners "village" was in a familiar spot for me - on the cricket ground where I go to watch Somerset play a one-day match every year in June! I had never seen so many runners – 1600 people had entered the Swindon half marathon, but there were around 10,000 entrants for Bath. Everything seemed well organised and we dropped off our bags and made our way to the start.

As we lined up I noticed what a great day it was. The weather has been miserable this month, and the forecast for Sunday had not been good. What a welcome surprise then, to see a clear blue sky.

I set off at a fairly decent pace, allowing myself a couple of miles to warm up and trying not to go too quickly at first. I was therefore alarmed when my legs started to hurt soon into the race. The rest days did not seem to have worked. I hoped the pain would ease off but it didn't. It soon became obvious that I had a choice of not completing the race, or just biting the bullet. No prizes for guessing which one I went for.

It was agony. My legs often feel heavy during a long run but this was different. In the end I decided that running a marathon is going to be agony (especially the last 6-8 miles) so this would be a good test of my mental strength, if nothing else.

I did manage to keep smiling however. It was great to see some elite athletes in action (especially those from overseas). I saw them overtaking as I was finishing my first lap (they were obviously on the second and final lap!). It was great to be part of such a major event, and nice to see people in fancy dress, including one guy in a Sumo wrestler costume!

The event was extremely well marshalled and there were 4 drinks stations on the course, some of which were manned by people in Army uniforms. Obviously the local regiment had agreed to help out. What a great idea to hand out lucozade sport as well as water - but would someone please explain why some people were pouring it on the ground??

My second lap did go a bit quicker. I think I just got a boost knowing I was halfway and could start counting down the miles.

At about mile 10 it really started to hurt. I kept telling myself to keep going, how much I had wanted to run this race, how I could wear my race t-shirt with pride afterwards, and how I could treat myself to a Schwartz burger (best burgers ever!) and as much booze as I liked after the race.

It must have worked because despite all the pain I got to the line. I will always remember turning into Great Pulteney Street for the home straight, seeing all the people, smiling broadly and sprinting to the end.

According to the clock I had made it in 2:03:41. I later found out my chip time was 2:00:50. Gutted not to have got round in under 2 hours but Anthony said earlier that had I had fresh legs I'd probably have cruised round in 1 hour 50 mins. I don't know about that.

I did indeed treat myself to a burger and a couple of quick pints before heading home. A special race calls for special beer and I had bought some "Schneider Weisse", a dark German wheat beer that I used to drink on my year abroad as a student in Regensburg. It did taste lovely but I managed to save a few bottles for the Reading half marathon in 3 weeks time..

So was it worth all the pain? You bet. Will I be doing it next year? Come hell or high water I will.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, March 2006

A big hundred at last..

2006-03-18T18:57:00.000Z

What a pleasure it was to see Andrew Strauss return to form with a big hundred in the third and final test against India this morning.

England have not had an easy time of it in the sub-continent this winter, to say the least. Much of it, certainly as far as this tour is concerned, is due to the loss of key players - Simon Jones, who last summer established himself as a key part of England's awesome pace attack, has been unable to take part in either tour due to injury, and nor has Ashley Giles. Michael Vaughan, the captain, has had to return home from India due to a recurrence of his knee problem, and Marcus Trescothick, the most dependable of England's batsmen for the last couple of years, has returned home for personal reasons and will also miss the one-day series.

It seemed losing Steve Harmison to injury, just as he seemed to be getting back to his awesome best, would be the final nail in the coffin. Certainly it will be a lot harder to bowl India out twice without him.

The other main reason why England have struggled in Pakistan and India, in my view and that of many pundits, is the failure of the batsmen to post big totals, especially in the first innings. Most of them have looked good at some stage or other, and by and large they have all got starts. There have been positives, such as Alistair Cook's hundred on debut and Paul Collingwood's 134 not out in the same match. In Mohali, however, no one scored a hundred and England lost.

This was especially disappointing when you take into consideration the fact that all of the top seven got into double figures in the first innings, and a score of 300 looked well below par.
Consequently all the talk before this match was of the need for someone to score a big hundred. If England were going to end the series on a high, someone really had to step up.

The man who stepped up on this occasion was a certain Andrew Strauss. Whilst he has struggled on this tour, and scored just 44 runs in two tests against Pakistan, you always know that with a player of his class a return to form and a big hundred is always just round the corner.

Strauss, or "Brocket" as he is known to his teammates, can consider himself unlucky not to have been appointed stand-in captain on this tour. The reasons for this, I believe, are two-fold. Firstly, I think making Flintoff captain was a shrewd move by Duncan Fletcher to ensure he would not fly home during the series to attend the birth of his second child. Fletcher knew he would rise to the added responsibility of captaincy and put the needs of the team first. Secondly, Strauss was going through a lean patch for the first time in his career as an England player, and this was clearly not the time to complicate matters further by saddling him with the captaincy.

I have no doubt that his time will come, however. Strauss seems born to the captaincy - he is an extremely bright individual who, after graduating, turned down a career in the city to play professional cricket. He is 100% committed to the cause, and no one should forget the contribution he made to England's Ashes triumph last year. Being the only player on either side to score two hundreds was a fine riposte to Shane Warne's claim that he would be the next Darryl Cullinan (Cullinan was known for struggling against spin, especially when facing Warne).

Another nice thing about the first day's play was seeing Owais Shah playing well on debut, reaching a composed half-century before retiring hurt with cramp. Whilst England have lost to Pakistan and can no longer win the series against India, some of the debutants have been superb - Cook and Panesar previously, and now Shah. Having a large pool of talented players and the concomitant competition for places augurs well for England's ambition of usurping Australia's position as the best team in the world.

And how nice, also, to see the Indians attending to Shah when he was suffering from cramp. As one of the commentators said, which other sport would you see that in?

Hopefully Shah will come out tomorrow and build on his good start and England will go on to score an imposing total. But things can change rapidly from one session to the next in this game, which is another thing I love about it.

Not long now until the cricket season begins here in England. I have my tickets for Lords, a one-day match against Sri Lanka in June, and the Saturday of the Test match against Pakistan in July. I can hardly wait.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, March 2006

And the winner is..

2006-03-06T22:34:00.000Z

Well, I don't think Reese Witherspoon winning Best Actress at the Oscars last night surprised anyone did it?

I, for one, was delighted. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Reese and she has made some wonderful films over the years that have brought me great entertainment. It's hard sometimes to remember she is still only 29 - it seems like she's been around forever.

It seems particularly fitting that the award has come just after Reese has overtaken Julia Roberts as the highest-paid actress in Hollywood (she will earn $30 million for appearing in Our Family Trouble).

I remember seeing her in a film for the first time quite well. My friend Matt and I were a bit bored one rainy day, so we decided to go to the video store and rent a film. We chose Fear, a low budget thriller in which Reese starred alongside Mark Wahlberg. Neither of us had seen her before, and we were so smitten we went back to the video store to see if there were any other films with her in! There were - we rented Freeway and watched it the same day.

For me, the hallmark of a good actor or actress is the ability to play different characters with equal aplomb. It's hard for me to think which of Reese's many roles I have liked the most - the innocent virgin in Cruel Intentions, the obnoxious over-achiever in Election or the ditzy blonde in Legally Blonde (the execrable sequel being probably the only blemish on her record thus far).

Another thing I like about Reese is her down to earth nature - she admits having been in therapy (who doesn't have issues, she argues - fair point) and having attended marriage counselling with her husband Ryan Philippe. They have problems like any other couple, she maintains.

Most of all I like the way she never seems to bad-mouth any of her contemporaries. If she speaks publicly about anyone else it always seems to be complimentary. I remember seeing on a documentary about Britney Spears how chuffed the pop princess was that Reese had said something nice about her in a magazine. “That made my day,” Britney proclaimed. Also, I was very impressed to read somewhere that Reese had described working alongside Dame Judi Dench on the set of The Importance of Being Earnest as "like being in the presence of royalty".

You could argue that this is a sign of insecurity or low self-esteem on Reese's part. I like to think it is more a genuine appreciation of her profession and the people in it that she regards as her role models.

Talking of being in the presence of greatness, I have very fond memories of a day when I saw Reese in the flesh. A couple of years ago she was in Bath filming Vanity Fair. I had a day off and read about in the paper. Having nothing better to do, I jumped on a train and decided to have a look at the film set. It was a fantastic experience, seeing how they had made a part of the city look as if it were in the 19th century, as well as all the extras in their costumes. I only saw Reese from a distance – nowhere near close enough to get an autograph - but it was still very exciting.

From what she said about Dame Judi, I can only surmise that she plans to tread the boards at some point in her career, so hopefully it won’t be the only time I ever see her in the flesh.

For most actresses winning an Oscar would mark the apogee of their career. In the case of Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon, I can't help but feel this is only the beginning.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000702/

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon March 2006

Personal Best

2006-02-27T21:10:00.000Z

Yesterday (Sunday) I competed in my second race of the year, a 10k at Bourton-on-the-Water, a picturesque village in the Cotswolds.

I did well to get a place - this is a popular event. The main reason for this is that it is a very flat, fast course, so a lot of athletes take part in order to get a personal best at that distance.

For this reason I had mixed emotions about the race. I was looking forward to it, but at the same time felt under some pressure to get a PB, and ideally get under 55 minutes for the first time. I had a pretty good build up to it - I had a good session with Anthony on the Thursday (speed and hills, but for the first time he was making me jog between sets instead of getting full recovery). On the Friday he cancelled our session - his reason being he felt there was no point me risking an injury in the cold, and I'd be better off running on the treadmill in the warm. Or maybe he just couldn't face another 45 minutes of listening to my bad jokes..Anyway I just did 8k at a nice steady pace. Easy peasy.

Sometimes the Saturday before a race is quite tedious. I can't train because I have to rest and conserve energy. Alcohol is obviously a no-no (really I should abstain for about a week beforehand but I find if I drink plenty of water the day before I don't suffer from dehydration). Usually it's a case of pottering round the house, doing a bit of shopping and maybe a trip to the cinema.

This Saturday was actually a pretty good day. I finally bought myself an MP3 player (Nike 260 PSA run) and it arrived with the post. I need to go through the manual to learn all the functions but I managed to load a few CDs on to it so I could use it in the race. Sugababes, Girls Aloud, Joss Stone and Hilary Duff were the ones I chose. Noticing a trend here??

I also had a Willy Wonka moment - I received my tickets for the cricket at Lords. I got the tickets I wanted - a one-day international in June and a day at the test match in July. Not as thrilled as I was when I got my tickets for the Ashes, but still pretty chuffed.

In the early evening I finally got round to seeing Walk The Line with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. What a treat that was! I don't really know much about Johnny Cash (contrary to popular belief I'm not old enough to remember him) and was only interested in seeing it because the reviews I had read were so good. I loved it - it was essentially a love story, a tale of how a good woman saved a man from destroying himself with drugs and alcohol and wasting his talent.

It was interesting to read in the credits that Johnny Cash passed away 4 months after his wife's death. It could have been for other reasons, but I'm a great believer that some people really do die of a broken heart.

And so home to a big pasta meal, washed down with a sports drink (not a patch on a nice glass of Wolf Blass!) and an early night.

When I woke up I asked myself why I keep putting myself through such hell on a Sunday morning but anyone who knows me understands how much I am getting out of this running malarkey.

It was a nice drive up to Bourton - I hadn't been up the Fosse Way for some time and had forgotten how lovely the scenery is up there. I found the race no problem - bit annoyed at having to pay £2 to park in a pay and display mind you! I soon found some friendly faces from the running club, which was nice - I've been to a few races where I know no one, and don't speak to anyone, and it's never the same.

As we lined up we certainly weren't enjoying the most propitious of weather - it was actually snowing!! I switched on my MP3, tuned into Girls Aloud and told myself to just enjoy the run. At the end of the day you can only do your best, no point beating yourself up about the time.

I did, however, push myself hard. I knew I had trained hard and it was time to make it count. Fortunately the weather improved quickly - after about 20 minutes it stopped snowing and the sun actually came out. I made a conscious effort not to look at my watch, as I didn't want to worry about my time, instead I just focussed on pushing myself round. For the first time I never stopped at any point. I was careful not to drink too much water before the race so I wouldn't need the toilet. Also there was no water station half way. Funnily enough I didn't actually notice.

The race did seem to go quickly and to be honest the end couldn't come soon enough. Normally I try to pick up the pace for the last 2-3km but I was too exhausted. I only just managed to sprint over the finish line. When I did look at my watch I was elated to see I had finished in less than 55 minutes for the first time. Girls Aloud must have had the right effect! I saw a few of the ladies from running club cross the line and one, Amy, timed herself at 54:58 and I reckoned I had finished a good minute or two before her. I could well have got round in 53 or even 52 mins, a big improvement on my previous best of 56.

I duly headed home, stopped at Sainsburys for my paper and something for lunch, plus nibbles and more beer for the afternoon. This was a good result for me and I was going to celebrate. Luckily there was cricket on the telly when I got in so I probably celebrated a bit too much..but hey, it's not every day you knock a few minutes off your personal best.

On a different note entirely I had another good experience today (Monday). My friend Susie Emery, who had last year gone to start a new life in Spain, is back in Swindon and today started her new job with her old employer (and my current one!). I met up with her in the canteen and we had lunch and a brief catch up. You don't make many friends like Susie and whilst I'm very sorry things didn't work out as planned for her in Spain it is lovely to have her back.

Copyright Jonathan Weedon, February 2006

A Grand Day Out

2006-02-19T20:21:00.000Z

No not the one Wallace and Gromit had.

I myself had a fantastic day out in London yesterday. I go up there a lot - when I was on shifts I used to go up there quite a bit on my days off because very often I was bored - I mean what is there to do in Swindon on a Tuesday?

A couple of weeks ago I received an offer to see a play called "Honour" starring Diana Rigg (who I remember most fondly for being the Bond girl in my favourite Bond film, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"), Martin Jarvis and the lovely Natasha McElhone. £25 is cheap for a ticket to see a West End play on a Saturday so I thought, why not.

My train ticket was also good value - just £19 for an apex return! I can think of a lot worse ways to spend £44. A night out in Swindon is one!!

The day had a slightly sad feel to it in the morning. Alex Garrett, a freelance instructor who teaches Body Pump and an excellent spinning class was teaching there for the last time on a Saturday. He leaves this week to take up a position as a manager at a health club in Newbury. I've attended his classes for a couple of years now but recently have been going less frequently to concentrate on my running.

It was at least fitting that I got to sit next to my friend Nicole during spinning and catch up. We used to go to Alex’s daytime classes when I was on shifts and she was at college. Despite the age gap (she is 19) we seem to get on very well and these friendships are something I’ve gained from Alex’s classes.

We are all very sad to lose him but I'm sure everyone understands he has to think of his long-term future. Knowing him as I do I know he has been thinking about this for some time, and I am delighted that he is moving on to bigger and better things and am sure he will excel in his new role.

Anyway, refreshed after 2 hours of exercise I grabbed a sandwich and headed for the station. I decided to go first class (on a weekend you can upgrade for £10 each way and occasionally I like to treat myself). On the way up no one came to check my ticket so the upgrade was free! Result!

First port of call on any other day would have been a public house to quench my thirst. Yesterday it was the Nike store on Oxford circus to buy some running gear. How times have changed. I got myself a couple of tops, running socks, some new trainers and went on a gait analysis machine. More good news: it transpires I am a "neutral" runner i.e. I don't over- or under pronate, which apparently is quite rare, and means I can wear any trainers I like.

I also got some stuff for Anthony who, true to form, gave me some advice over the phone on picking my trainers. There can be very few personal trainers who take such a keen interest in their clients. I just hope word doesn't spread at the gym that I've been doing his shopping or people will start to think I'm his bitch!! :)

That over with, I was glad to repair to one of my favourite haunts, "The Lord Moon of The Mall", a Wetherspoons pub on Whitehall. Not the most salubrious of places perhaps, and not somewhere I would take Jessica Alba for a drink, but I like it. I sat down with a beer and read my book, "Tales From A Long Room" by Peter Tinniswood. (Anyone think I might be planning to write a book about cricket??!!).

When I'm in London on my own it's always a bonus when I get chatting to someone. Yesterday I met a nice German couple who briefly shared a table with me. It was a welcome opportunity to practise some German. I'm starting to forget my German and must make some efforts to practise more often.

It was then time for a bite to eat so I headed to another of my favourite places, Wong Kei on Wardour Street. Wong Kei is basically a Chinese version of Macdonalds. Again, not somewhere I would take a girl on a date but excellent portions, very tasty and cheap to boot.

I then had time for a glass of wine before the play so went to another Wetherspoons pub on Leicester Square, The Moon Under Water. I like to think it says a lot that I manage to befriend some of the staff in these places and yesterday got to know one of the barmaids working there, even though it was very busy. It always makes my day when a pretty girl flirts with me - you could say she is just doing her job, but I didn't see her paying the same attention to anyone else in a pub full of blokes on a Saturday night. Hopefully I'll see her again, but if that was just a one-off, so be it.

I like to think that now I'm a runner, I'm a lot happier and more positive than I used to be, and give off better vibes, which people respond to. I don't know. Maybe I'm thinking too deeply, as usual.

The play was excellent. I love dramas that make me think. This was about a middle-aged man leaving his wife (the eponymous Honour, played by Rigg) for a younger woman (McElhone). The performances were flawless (no less than I expected) and the dialogue was cracking. As a writer, I learn from these plays.

The play was 1hr 40mins with no interval so I had time for another drink and to see my girlfriend before heading to Paddington.

It was a bus service from Reading and I duly fell asleep but managed to stagger up the hill before collapsing in bed. It had been a long day, but one I'll remember for some time yet.

And in case you're wondering, yes I did do my long run today (3-4 miles outside, 5k on the treadmill, another 3-4 miles outside) and yes I did suffer, being slightly tired and dehydrated from the day before. But I think it was worth it.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, February 2006.

Thirst for Life - 40 jours sans l'alcool

2006-02-11T18:18:00.000Z

http://www.thirstforlife.org/

First of all I have absolutely no idea what caused me to break into French just now.

Yes, believe it or not I have signed up for the above and I urge as many people as possible to do the same.

Having said that, there is bugger-all chance of me going 40 days completely drink free. In the period concerned (1st March to 9thApril), I have 4 races and a trip to Jamie Oliver's restaurant, Fifteen. So I will add 5 dry nights to the end to make up for it.

Ok, you ask, but what have my races got to do with it?

It has become de rigueur now that I partake of beer and wine after a race. It’s all part of the event - going to Sainsburys the week before, choosing some tasty beers for after the race, putting them in the fridge before I set off and, when it gets tough during the race, thinking how much I will enjoy it later.

My Sunday afternoon after a race usually consists of lying in a radox bath with a few bottles of Beck's before relaxing in front of the TV with the Sunday Times and more beer. I enjoy it all the more because I know I've earned it.

It is a symbiotic relationship - sport and alcohol, do go together like cheese and biscuits after a big dinner. Almost all the runners I know enjoy their booze. Even Anthony, an elite athlete, makes no secret of his predilection for a nice bottle of red wine or a night out on the beer. He drinks infrequently though, and being the consummate professional he is, he never drinks when he is running the next day, even if it is just a jog round the park with me.

The wallpaper on my monitor is a picture of the England cricket team celebrating the Ashes win. Andrew Strauss is pouring a bottle of budweiser over Michael Vaughan as he raises the urn. The team got completely slaughtered that night, and the next day as they enjoyed their open top bus tour through London and a visit to No 10. And we all know what state Andrew Flintoff was in by the time the team arrived at our prime minister's abode. But then, if ever a man deserved to party all night, it was the big man.

There is a dark side to all this however. Binge drinking causes many social problems, from minor arguments over trivial matters to brawls and accidents, which keep our A&E departments busy on Saturday nights.

Many people forget that alcohol is a depressant. It may make you feel good at the time, but I soon notice after a heavy weekend of drinking I feel nervous and anxious for no apparent reason. After a few days on the wagon, I am much happier and more positive again.

And there is also the spectre of alcoholism. I don't know much about the man, but George Best is a great example of a sportsman who liked a tipple but went down a slippery slope, which is all too easy to go down.

I have read a lot about some established writers and it appears many suffer from alcohol and drug-related problems. Stephen King, for example, cannot remember writing Cujo - he was off his face the whole time. He talks candidly about this in his excellent autobiography On Writing (a must-read for any aspiring novelist).

As an aspiring writer myself, I worry about this. I am concerned I have the makings of an alcoholic, and if I ever write full time (my goal) I could easily become one. The thought terrifies me. Which is why my running will become increasingly important the more I write, to keep me on the straight and narrow. I also like to think I have enough friends around me to look after me if ever there’s a problem.

So having a few well-earned beers after a race is fine, but it's time for a de-tox. My liver will thank me for it, and my credit card bill will be a lot lighter at the end of it. And with any luck, so will I.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, February 2006

Longleat 10k - first race of the year

2006-02-05T16:58:00.000Z

This morning I competed in my first race of 2006 - a 10k at Longleat, nr Westbury, Wiltshire.

I had been looking forward to the event for some time, having not run in a race since last December, the Bromham 10k pudding run. That was not a good experience - I had been out the night before, for Maxine's birthday party, and ended up getting completely slaughtered. Hence I ran the race the next day with the grand-daddy of all hangovers, which was not pleasant - I tell you, you won't catch me in a nightclub the night before a race ever again, unless Jessica Alba is giving free lap dances somewhere in Swindon..

So anyway, my running seemed to be coming on in leaps and bounds since then and I was hoping to get a PB and go less than 55 minutes for the first time. I didn't have the greatest of rest days on Saturday - I had to move a load of stuff upstairs from the breakfast room ready for the decorators to arrive Monday to fix the damage caused by a bust pipe before Christmas.

Still, I did get to bed early (I tried watching Catwoman on sky movies to see if it was as bad as the critics had made out and the answer was a resounding "yes"). So I woke up early and refreshed and met my brother-in-law, Rich, at his house in Melksham and travelled the rest of the journey in his car.

There were a lot of people at Longleat (about 1500 runners at a rough guess) and we soon lined up at the start line and were off.

It was a tough race - very hilly, and the number of competitors made me realise early on that a personal best was out of the question. I'm not making excuses - I gave it my all and by the time I finished was sweating profusely - but having to zigzag past people to overtake them did not help.

One thing I love about these races is the cross-section of people you get. At Bromham I saw I guy who must have been in his eightieth decade cross the finishing line. Today I saw a deaf and blind man running round with his trainer. For the most part, he was ahead of me (not that I'm that fast my any means, but I'm not that bad either) - I only managed to overtake him at the 9km marker.

Things like this make me feel very humble. I just think, when I see people achieving things like running a 10k race despite such massive obstacles, it makes me realise what a total fuck-up I am. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on myself but I mean, come on, for someone with my abilities, what have I really achieved in my 37 years on this planet? Not a lot.

And it makes you thankful. I spent some time with my sister Fiona (Rich's wife) and her family and visited my Dad as well. As I was driving back to Swindon the sun shone and I started thinking about the days in the summer I can enjoy, at cricket matches at Lords, soaking up the sights, sounds and atmosphere. Can the man I referred to earlier say the same? No. As Dad said, we don't know we're born at times.

Oh well. A good day all in all and I shall enjoy a few more beers and probably a pizza before I'm done. A good start to the year - I have a few races to look forward to over the next couple of months, including the Bath and Reading half marathons.

After that it's marathon training here I come - I've got my place for the New Forest marathon in September. Quite how I'll cope running four times the distance I ran today I've no idea but we will see..

Oh and there won't be too many updates on here for a while as I have finally started on my first novel. I'm in the early planning stages but at least it's a start. But let's face it, if a deaf and blind man can run 10k, running a marathon and writing a book should be a piece of cake for me.

No excuses. Maybe I should make that my motto for 2006.

Marathon Man

2006-01-11T21:38:00.000Z

I've written on this blog previously that I intend to train for and compete in the Abingdon marathon in October. Since then I've been doing some surfing and had a bit of a rethink.

Basically I came across details of the New Forest marathon in September. I felt it would be more scenic than the Abingdon marathon and the timing would be slightly better - I would be able to have a two-week holiday somewhere in the Med afterwards (I've no doubt I'll need to put my feet up for a couple of weeks afterwards!).

I wasn't sure, however, whether Anthony would agree - I had a feeling he might think it would be too tough a course for me (it is described as "undulating", which in my experience is a polite term for "bloody hilly") and maybe a month or two too early.

As it proved, I should probably have had more faith. I asked him tonight about it after one of the toughest sessions he has ever put me through. He was all for it, saying it is a great marathon to do and even offered to run it with me (and by that I mean he will actually accompanying me around the course, not running his own race). How many personal trainers do that? Fingers crossed we both get places..

It's still a long way off - before I start training for it I have two 10k races to do in February, followed by the Bath and Reading half marathons in March and April respectively. The next few months are going to be crucial in terms of getting my weight down and laying some serious foundations for marathon training (not that I haven't already, but you know what I mean).

Wish me luck!

http://www.nfma.org.uk/

Holiday Reading Part Three - Lisa Jewell

2006-01-03T21:27:00.000Z

Whenever I tell people about my ambitions to write fiction, I am invariably asked the question "So what sort of books do you want to write then?” It's a question I have struggled to answer - maybe because I've never been really sure myself. So I've just replied with "lad lit".

Since my holiday last October however, I think I've figured out exactly what it is I want to achieve, what I really aspire to, and it's one hell of an ambition: I want to be the male Lisa Jewell.

Why is this? Well, having read Lisa Jewell's latest novel, Vince and Joy, during my holiday last October, I have come to realise that her books are nothing other than a master class in story telling.

In my opinion, there are three main elements to this: firstly, she creates realistic characters that you really identify with and root for. Secondly, she throws in so many plot twists you never really know how the story is going to unfold. Thirdly, and most importantly, she has a knack of making the reader want to keep turning the page. More than that: she leaves the reader wishing there were more pages to turn once the story is over.

I can't remember how or when I first discovered Lisa Jewell's work. I do know that I started with her first book, Ralph's Party. I loved it. It deals with the inter-crossing lives of the six residents of 31 Almanac Road. Ultimately, it's a love story between two of the main protagonists, as you will discover.

Lisa writes with enormous pathos and emotion, and the dialogue is fantastic. For me the scene in Ralph's Party that sticks most in my memory is Karl's emotional outpouring during his radio show. I won't give away any more than that, but I think there was a lot in that scene that many of us will identify with.

I actually own two copies of Ralph's Party. I made the mistake of lending my first copy to someone who never gave it back, and was so keen to read it a second time I bought another copy. I don't think I've ever bought the same book twice.

Thirtynothing was the next offering from Lisa Jewell that I duly snapped up having loved Ralph's Party. It is about two friends, Digby and Nadine, who have been best friends from school, but whose latent adoration for each other has never been fully requited. There were twists and turns along the way, and the ending, whilst slightly predictable, was one of the most touching I can ever recall reading.

Lisa's most underrated novel, to my mind, is One Hit Wonder. I remember vividly reading it in a restaurant in Gouves in 2002. I was gripped in a way I don't think I had been by a book for many years, if ever. So much so, I read over 200 pages in one sitting - normally I only read 40-50 pages in one go at the most.

One Hit Wonder is a wonderful journey of self-discovery. The main protagonist, Anna, travels to London to try to find out why her long-lost sister, Bea, had recently committed suicide, and on the way discovers her true self.

Now a story about loss and bereavement may not sound too jolly, but I think this novel showed Lisa Jewell's true strength as a writer. Her previous books had been largely romantic and humorous; One Hit Wonder had these elements too, but it was also a very sad, and in places, shocking read.

That is what I mean when I say I would like to be the male Lisa Jewell - I would like that sort of variety in my work.

I'm not sure I really understood A Friend Of The Family. Maybe I was looking forward to it so much the anticipation got the better of me. I liked the family Lisa created; I just didn't feel that the eponymous character was fully explained. Maybe I missed something, I don’t know. I lent it to some friends who loved it so maybe that was the case.

Vince and Joy, on the other hand, was anything but a disappointment and along with Mike Gayle's Brand New Friend, made my holiday. This may seem a churlish thing for an aspiring writer to say about an established, best-selling author, but Lisa's writing style seems to have matured since I last read one of her books. The descriptions just seemed much more vivid, and her use of vocabulary was quite beautiful.

No time for looking up any words I didn't know or highlighting any passages of text I particularly liked however (such are the activities of an aspiring writer, and yes the fun does go out of reading at times) - I was instantly hooked. This is a love story at its purest, a tale of two people who meet and fall in love at a very young age, only to be torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. Years pass, and it seems they are destined never to meet again. Fate, as well as a cat, ultimately has other ideas.

As always, Lisa creates realistic characters - it may be a long time since I was 17 but I immediately identified with the young Vince - shy and self conscious - and the gauche but beautiful Joy with whom he falls in love while on holiday.

We follow their respective plights as they grow older, and as I have come to expect from Lisa Jewell, there are plot twists that I could never have predicted. The revelation about Joy's father, for example, throws in an element of sadness, but makes the story stronger for it.

Some might say this is hardly an original theme and the ending is ultimately predictable. To me it doesn't matter. (If anything, I think the ending leaves the story nicely poised for a sequel). Lisa Jewell makes sure you keep turning the page - again, I read hundreds of pages in one session, oblivious to anything else. And, as the comments on her website will bear witness, she gives her readers plenty of enjoyment and leaves them longing for more.

Ultimately that's all any writer can hope to do.

http://www.lisa-jewell.co.uk/

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon January 2006

My A-Z of 2005

2005-12-21T22:13:00.000Z

A is for Ashes, naturally. What can I say that I haven't already written? The two best cricket teams in the world lit up the summer with the greatest series of all time. There were some wonderful performances from both sides, whilst playing this most cerebral of games in the best spirit possible. Unsurprisingly the whole nation went cricket loopy and I wore my England shirt with pride. I wouldn't have missed it for the world and will never forget it.

B is for books. I've read some great ones this year. Not as many as I would have liked, or should have read - Stephen King's advice on becoming a writer is "read a lot, write a lot". Brand New Friend by Mike Gayle and Vince and Joy by Lisa Jewell were my joint favourite.

C is for cinema. I've seen some great movies in 2005. Sideways, Million Dollar Baby and, more recently, King Kong form the triumvirate of my favourite films of the year.

D is for Donna. She admits she hated my guts when she first met me (found my sense of humour a bit odd, apparently) but in time we became the best of mates. She, along with Helen, kept me sane on night shifts, encouraged me to keep on writing, and has kept in touch since leaving my company in September. Not many people do that.

E is for Eddie, my uncle, who I met for the first time in 2004. I visited him a few times this year in his South London flat, but to my shame admit I found his loneliness, depression and desperation too much to bear. He has since moved into sheltered accommodation. I hope he'll be a lot happier there.

F is for Flintoff. The man won us the Ashes with 24 wickets and 400 runs, and then went on a 24 hour drinking binge. A true sporting legend.

G is for Graeme. Probably my best friend, I have known him for about 16 years now. I don't see him as much as I'd like, but I know he is always there for me. Has been a great source of encouragement with regard to my writing, and was extremely gracious when I creamed him in the Swindon half marathon. So much so, he invited me round for dinner, allowed me to destroy his supplies of wine and I have no idea how I got home. Great night.

H is for half marathons. Before this year it was always my ambition to run one. Never seriously thought I'd ever manage it mind you. This year I managed not just one but two. Just goes to prove, never, ever doubt yourself.

I is for inspiration. Mine is my mummy, Jean Weedon. She's been gone for nine years now but I still think of her every day.

J is for job. At the start of the year I had one I hated and didn't know how long I was even going to have that one for. Now I have a much better one, doing something I always wanted to do, with hours that allow me to have a life. And as someone said, I don't have to work with muppets any more.

K is for Kriti. That's German for Crete (c was already taken). I love this island and enjoyed yet another wonderful holiday there this year, seeing some old friends, as well as enjoying some great food and wine, and reading some fab books. I haven't given up on my dream of moving there - but right now I have stuff to do here.

L is for London. I've had some wonderful days out there this year and never tire of the place. It'll take a lot more than a few terrorists to spoil this wonderful capital city of ours.

M is for mates. I'm lucky enough to have some really great ones - some I've known for years, some I've met this year, and the ones I'm going to meet in 2006.

N is for Nessa, my sister. Her blog inspired me to set up my own, and she has given me some great encouragement with my writing and running, and was effusive in her praise of my efforts in the Swindon half marathon - something most people struggle to do. And she gave me some great words of comfort and advice when I was shaken up by an accident outside my house. See you soon my dear, I hope.

O is for Oliver, Saint Jamie. My runner-up man of the year, second only to Flintoff. His school dinners programme was a revelation, and he single-handedly shamed the government into addressing the issue (not that they'll admit it). I love watching repeats of The Naked Chef on UKTV food, not for the cooking advice, but because I love his energy and enthusiasm. This year I also bought his series of Jamie's Kitchen on DVD and was amazed. I think he took on that project not just to give a handful of jobless Londoners a chance, but to send a message out to all of us - you can be anything you want if you want it badly enough. I’ve signed up for a trip to his restaurant, Fifteen, in March 2006. Wouldn’t it be something if I met Saint Jamie in person!

P is for Phoutsady, Anna, a.k.a. Spanner. A beautiful young Thai girl I used to work with in my old job. I told her often that she was the only girl I ever truly loved. Sadly she didn't seem to feel the same way. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that my declarations of love usually took the form of text messages, most of which were sent at about 2am on a Saturday morning.. If you’re reading Spanner – I love you!

Q is for quickly. This year has passed incredibly quickly. But they say time passes quicker as you get older so I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised. But hey, it’s been a fantastic year. Oh and I was also driving too quickly on my way to the Downton half marathon and got a speeding ticket - £60 plus three points on my licence. Not so fantastic.

R is for races. As well as two half marathons, I've also competed in four 10k races. Can't wait for the next race on 5th Feb. The best thing about this running malarkey is, I've found a hobby I love.

S is for Scarlett. The very pulchritudinous Ms Johansson is the new Monroe, and I have a feeling 2006 will be a great year for her. Can’t wait to see Match Point when it opens in cinemas on 6th Jan. Bit miffed she turned down a role in a West End musical, mind you. S is also for swearing - something I do too much, but not as much as Helen. You wouldn't believe what I have had to listen to this year!

T is for trainer. Yes it has been mainly down to my own determination that I have done as well as I have in my races this year, but it would never have been possible had it not been for Anthony, his guidance, encouragement and sage advice. He thinks I have the mental toughness to run a full marathon - one of the greatest compliments anyone has ever paid me. Make sure you have a few glasses of wine on me over Christmas, mate.

U is for unforgettable. There have been some unforgettable moments this year – such as the euphoria of finishing my first half marathon and the look of pride on Anthony’s face as I approached the finishing line. And of course, seeing Michael Vaughan lift that little urn. But there have also been some unforgettable parties this year – the two that spring to mind are a) the cocktail party at Fahim and Maxine’s house on the eve of my birthday and b) Funji’s birthday party where he amazed us with his magnificent cooking and the wine flowed freely all day long. Cheers guys – look forward to more great parties next year.

V is for vandalism. My car has been the victim of it twice this year, and it makes me sick. What is wrong with these sad people? If you're jealous of the things other people have worked for, it's down to you to earn them for yourself. I want a better house and a better car, and to be able to provide a good standard of living to the woman of my dreams, if she ever turns up. Which is why I'm working to make my dream of becoming a writer a reality.

W is for weight. Now that I'm running half marathons, and am eating and drinking less (due to my more regular lifestyle) it is starting to come off. This time next year you won't recognise me. Well, you probably will. I’ll be as irrepressible as ever.

X is for Xmas. It’s been a great year, so why does something always have to come along and spoil it? No I’m not a great fan of Christmas. I just feel it puts too much pressure on people, financially and socially. But I’m looking forward to a great day at Graeme’s, a drink with my friend and neighbour Anthony on Boxing Day, and a trip to the theatre in London to see Patrick Stewart in Scrooge. And a well-earned break – I’ve worked hard this year.Y is for young. Which I am not, let’s be honest. Even though me and Anthony do get cries of “Go on boys, you can do it!” from girls while we’re out running. But do you know what? I think life actually gets better as you get older. No, seriously. You know what you want, care less what other people think and generally don’t get hung up about stupid stuff. I’ll raise a glass to that over the festive season.

Z is for zzz... Now I don't work shifts any more I am enjoying my sleep like it's going out of fashion. And I feel so much better for it. A corollary of this is I am training harder and writing more. Things are at last starting to come together for me.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, December 2005.

Sports Personality of the Year 2005 - Vol 2

2005-12-17T16:28:00.000Z

Having paid tribute to Freddie Flintoff's triumph earlier in the week, it would be churlish not to honour another deserving winner, that of International Sports Personality of the Year - the great (how many times have I said that?) Shane Warne.

Today seems especially fitting to do so, as earlier this morning, on the other side of the world, he broke the record for the number of wickets taken in a calendar year. Warne has now taken 87 wickets this year, overtaking the record set by another legend, Dennis Lillee, in another famous Ashes year, 1981.

Warne was, along with Flintoff, one of two superstars who brought joy and entertainment to many in the Ashes series. It was just a shame he was on the losing side. Having said that, had these two been playing for the same side, it is highly unlikely the series would have been as close and exciting!

A few weeks ago I met up with my good friend Roger for a (long overdue) day out in London. A main talking point was of course, the Ashes series, and we both agreed he had risen considerably in our estimation throughout the summer.

His performances speak for themselves - Flintoff may have been the difference between the sides, but most all-rounders would settle for Warne's end-of-series averages: 40 wickets at less than 20 a-piece, and 249 runs at more than 27 per innings.

More importantly was the spirit in which he played - I'll always remember him applauding Flintoff on his way to the pavilion after another outstanding knock and how he congratulated Kevin Pietersen on his wonderful 158 on the last day which put the Ashes out of Australia's reach. It is well known that Warne and KP are friends, but I still maintain Warne would have done that to any of the other England batsmen had they played so well - maybe not to the established ones (Vaughan, Trescothick) but certainly to any of the other men playing in their first Ashes series, of which there were a few.

As an aspiring writer, I have enjoyed Warne's column in The Times for several years. Recently he talked about whether his dropped catch when Pietersen was on 15. He was suitably philosophical about it: "It just wasn't meant to be,” he wrote. Great, great attitude. There's no point getting hung up about these things - what's done is done.

What is not so well documented is the huge courage of the man. His performances were phenomenal, no two ways about that - but when you consider his problems off the field that only makes his efforts even more remarkable. No matter his talent, or his passion for the game, it must have been so, so hard for him to turn up and play the way he did when part of him must surely have been with his estranged wife and children in Australia.

In 2006 I plan to compete in the Abingdon marathon in October. I'm still not sure if I have the mental toughness, but my trainer Anthony thinks I have it in me (something I take as a massive compliment). I know that the training alone will be hell. To help me get through it, I plan to bear in mind Warne's motto "Never give up. Absolutely, never give up".

There are a lot worse places to look for inspiration than the truly great Shane Warne.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, 17th December 2005

Sports Personality of the Year 2005

2005-12-12T21:08:00.000Z

Well, what a surprise Sunday night's result was! NOT!!

I of course, was delighted and it goes without saying I was part of the masses who voted for Freddie Flintoff. I'm not really sure what impressed me the most - the fact that during this year's test series against Australia he took 24 wickets and scored 400 runs, or his performance after the series - i.e., staying up all night drinking yet still managing to take part in the open-top bus parade before turning up at Number 10 completely paralytic and (allegedly) being sick in the toilet and falling asleep on the swing. Hardly being deferential towards our Prime Minister, was he?!

I'm joking, of course. What I love about Freddie is the entertainment and joy he has given people, this year in particular. Moreover, he has made cricket fashionable. As I have previously written in these pages, a lot of people have enjoyed watching cricket this year who had never done so previously. Even my massage therapist and friend, Louise, who said six months ago she didn't like cricket, is currently borrowing my copy of "Freddie's Fireworks" on DVD.

His performances were spectacular. The over during Australia's second innings in which he dismissed Langer and Ponting was, to my mind, as good as anything you'll see, easily on a par with Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal to win the Rugby world cup or David Beckham's penalty against Greece to put England in the finals of the world cup.

But it wasn't just what he did that made him a truly deserving winner of the prestigious award. It was the way he played the game - always with a smile on his face, and in good spirit. The way he consoled Brett Lee at the end of the Edgbaston test ushered in a new era for the two teams - one of mutual respect and admiration.

Freddie Flintoff is as nice a man as you'll ever meet. Not that I've met him - I hope I do one day. It's just obvious from the way he conducts himself in interviews. And he has more between the ears than you might think - not many people know this, but as a boy he played chess for Lancashire. And he once beat former England captain and cricketing legend Michael Atherton, a Cambridge graduate, in a match.

There is another aspect to Flintoff that explains his popularity: that of the underdog in him. People don't generally like success. We are naturally jealous and find it difficult to give effusive praise of people who have done well for themselves. What people do like, however, is when the underdog comes good - otherwise, why was Rocky such a success at the box office?

Flintoff has a bit of the underdog in him. It certainly hasn't been an easy ride for him. It is well known that he has had problems with his weight and self-denial is not one of his strengths (something I can certainly identify with!).

A lot of people say this all turned around when he received a talking-to from one or two people around him. I like to think it all happened a bit differently. I think the turning point in his life was meeting his wife, Rachael. It's often said that behind every great man is a great woman, and that's certainly true in Freddie's case. She is not only pulchritudinous, to say the least, but extremely driven - when she met Freddie (or Andrew, as she prefers to call him) she was running her own company. I think it's safe to say she has had a lot to do with the turn-around in Freddie's fortunes.

The couple were married a few months before the Ashes series and are now expecting their second child. So you see, the story of Freddie Flintoff is just the same as all the other great stories. In the end, it's just a love story.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, December 2005

Bad day

2005-12-12T19:40:00.000Z

This has been a bad day for me. Or at least the first half of it was. When I dragged myself out of bed at 7.30 this morning I could not have comprehended what a terrible morning it was going to be.

I discovered last night that I have a severe plumbing problem. There was damp in my breakfast room and a hissing noise coming from one of the pipes. Fortunately (there is some good news) I managed to get someone round quickly (a friend who installed a new bathroom for me a couple of years ago). He had to take up the floorboards (typically, it had to be in the room I use as a storage room for junk) but did manage to locate and replace the broken piece of pipe.

As he was doing this however, I went to fetch my car from the garage (there is nowhere to park in Old Town nowadays after a certain time of night). As I was parking up I heard a collision behind me and saw a young man had come off his bike (motor bike). At first I thought he had hit the kerb but then I saw that a car had been turning out of one of the side streets onto our road.

It was immediately obvious that he was badly hurt. I started to call for an ambulance but someone else got through before me. Fortunately they got to the scene within minutes. All I could do to help was two things: firstly help some other men lift the bike off him (his leg was trapped underneath it), and secondly, comfort a girl of about 10 who had seen the accident and was quite distressed.

I hope he'll be ok. He was able to move his legs so no spinal injuries I assume. He was severely concussed however and I imagine there'll be some broken bones, even if it's just his ribs.

The accident upset me for the rest of the day. It was very difficult to focus on anything else when I got to work. I guess it just came as a reminder of how fragile we are, and how life can change in an instant. It certainly put all of my problems in perspective.

In Her Shoes

2005-12-04T20:37:00.000Z

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388125/

It's not often these days that I go to see a film more than once. The reason for this is twofold: Firstly with the Cineworld Unlimited Card it seems a shame to see the same film twice - I prefer to see something else, happy in the knowledge that if it's rubbish, it didn't cost me any extra.

Secondly - and this may seem a contradiction to the above - I really don't have time. That may sound pretentious, but I'm so busy with my job, my training and my writing (of which reading plays a huge part) I really don't have as much time on my hands as I used to. God knows how I'm going to manage when "Just Like Heaven" with Reese Witherspoon and "Match Point" with Scarlett Johansson come out - maybe the cinema will give me a bed there?

I was determined though, to make time to see this film twice. I saw it a couple of weeks ago, and wasn't really sure if I was going to enjoy it. I didn't know too much about it. I find that's usually the best way to see a film.

At first I certainly enjoyed seeing Cameron Diaz in various skimpy outfits. But the storyline was a lot deeper than I expected.

I love stories (be it books, cinema or real events) that are journeys of self-discovery. My favourite book of the last five years, One Hit Wonder by Lisa Jewell (separate article to follow) is one such example. In this film, you get two. When Maggie (Diaz) seduces Rose's (a role played with aplomb by Toni Collette) boyfriend, she is thrown out on the street and so heads to Miami to meet a grandmother she has only just discovered she has. Rose gives up her job as a lawyer and starts dating a former colleague. Eventually the two sisters are reunited but find themselves two very different people.

I don't want to tell you too much more about the plot - I've probably spoilt it for you as it is. But I will say this film has a lot going for it. It has wonderful warmth and a very mellow humour. There are some cracking one-liners (e.g. "We're a couple. Like Sonny and Cher". "Only they split up".)

It also has a certain amount of sadness. Again, I don't want to ruin it for you but the scene that really brought a tear to my eyes involves a box of books.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised I enjoyed the film so much. It was based on a book by an American author, Jennifer Weiner. I find that women tend to be my favourite authors. Some people have expressed concern about my penchant for "chick lit". I just find women like to write about real things, people, relationships, sad things, happy things, day-to-day things, you know what I mean.

I haven't got a copy of the book. I must get it though - maybe it would make a wonderful Christmas present from someone.. (Hint hint!!)

Try and catch it while it's in cinemas. If you don't get a chance to do that, buy or rent it on DVD when it comes out. (Or, if your name is Graeme Reynolds you'll doubtless wait for me to buy it and then invite yourself round to demolish my supplies of wine while you watch it). One thing is certain; I'll definitely be adding "In Her Shoes" to my DVD collection in the New Year.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, December 2005.

Just another half..

2005-12-01T21:48:00.000Z

Last weekend I competed in my second half marathon, at Downton, near Salisbury. I reserved my place online, via the runners world website.

The idea at the time was to get another half marathon in before Christmas (God how I hate the c-word) to keep the momentum going. I have my places for the Bath and Reading half marathons next year, but that won't be until March/April.

My final training session was on the Thursday beforehand, a fartlek session with Anthony. As always, it was tough but I thoroughly enjoyed it (although he did make me feel tired even thinking about the training he has planned for me next year to get me ready for a full marathon).

For some reason, though, after that I really couldn't get motivated for the event. I sort of wished the weekend away. Not being able to enjoy my wine on a Friday and Saturday night was a big part of it, and I kind of had things on my mind.

But I guess the real problem was the event was never going to live up to the excitement of the Swindon half marathon. I had had that date in my mind for so long, so much so I could hardly sleep the night before, and in my nervous state was cracking my usual bad jokes on the start line (e.g. "I'm more frightened than Charlotte Church when she is told the restaurant is non smoking").

To try and take my mind off things I went to see "Flightplan" at the cinema on Saturday night on my own. Good, but hardly worthy of an in-depth review. But I will forever be dreaming of Erika Christensen as my in-flight attendant..

Anyway, back to the race. I awoke bright and early, had a good breakfast and set off on my way. By this stage I was feeling strangely optimistic. I had a good drive down and found the place quite easily.

The race was obviously a small affair, I estimated about a couple of hundred participants (I later found out there were 163 finishers).There wasn't even a horn - we were just off.

For the first three miles I felt awful - my legs felt heavy (despite two days' rest), and I generally felt out of breath and, well, knackered. About the five-mile marker, however, I really hit my straps. I started to feel comfortable with what I was trying to achieve and with my surroundings.

The scenery was indeed beautiful. We were on the edge of the New Forest and at one point I even saw ponies on the track. The weather was also good - cold and crisp, but dry at least and no ice underfoot. This, I thought, is what it is all about - out in the open air, enjoying miles of beautiful countryside. Now I know what my mate Pete was on about when he said being in a spinning class could never match the great outdoors. Amen to that.

The race was tough - some of the hills were challenging, to say the least. But I took it at my own pace, aiming for a 2hr 10min finish. At no point did I feel faint, as I did in the latter stages of the Swindon half.

In the end I was very happy with my 2hrs 5mins time (a lot more so later when all the boys from the running club concurred it was a lot tougher than the Swindon half marathon).

So after a well-earned cup of tea and a bun I picked up a copy of the Sunday Times and headed home. I decided not to undo the good work and only drank diet coke when I got home.

You didn't REALLY believe that last sentence did you??!! Have a word with yourself!! I of course enjoyed my beer that afternoon like it was going out of fashion. And I think I had every right to. To do a race like that, when you are revved up for it, physically and mentally (like I was with the Swindon half) is one thing, but to do it when you are not looking forward to it and are praying for snow so you have an excuse to not turn up, is quite another. At the end of the day it's all in the mind.

More importantly, it proved the Swindon half was not just a "one-off" and I am getting comfortable with the distance.

Marathon training in 2006?? Bring it on!!

Sugababes - Taller In More Ways

2005-11-23T23:15:00.000Z

Another highlight of my holiday this year was being able to enjoy the Sugababes' new album, Taller In More Ways.

Now I'm no music critic - I simply don't understand it well enough to write about it. And my taste is very eclectic, which would suggest I don't appreciate any particular kind of music, it's just whatever appeals at the time.

I've always liked the Sugababes though. I think they are different from a lot of artists in that they are fairly original (apart from borrowing the odd bit of 80's music for songs such as "Freak Like Me") and their tunes, while catchy, are never really alike.

I went to see them live at Hammersmith Apollo in 2004, a concert I really enjoyed. I had a really good seat in the stalls, close enough to make eye contact with the girls (I swear to this day Kaisha was waving at ME at one point). It was marred only by some idiot behind me shouting out how much he loved Heidi and how he wanted to marry her (yes mate, you're behind me in the queue) and paying an extortionate amount for a pint of diet coke (it was lent at the time and I was abstaining, believe it or not).

Anyway, back to the new album. I thought it was a lot stronger than the previous one, "Angels with dirty faces", which I also own. There are a number of good tracks on there, such as their recent hit "Push The Button" (love the video) and a cover of the 80's track "Obsession" - damned if I can remember who sang the original though - most unlike me.

The best track (IMHO) however is the sixth track on the album, "Ugly". This beautiful ballad is, I assume, about bullying, and the lyrics certainly ring true. Take the chorus for example:

"People are all the same
and you only get judged by what you do
Personality reflects name
And if I'm ugly then so are you."

And also, sadly:
"I grew taller than them in more ways
But there will always be the one who will say
Something bad to make them feel great".

And:

"Everybody talks bad about somebody and
Never realise how it affects somebody and
You bet it won't be forgotten
Envy is the only thing it could be".

I'm delighted to be able to tell you, in case you didn't already know, you'll be hearing the song pretty regularly soon as it is being released as a single a week Monday. Look out for the video - I saw it the first time on MTV hits last weekend and loved it. Great message from the girls at the end too. Not so sure about Heidi's hairstyle mind you..

As fate would have it, I did an internet search at the weekend and found out the Sugababes are doing a UK tour early next year. Suffice it to say my ticket is booked for Hammersmith Apollo! And, as luck would have it, it's the day after I will be competing in the Reading Half Marathon! So I can have a day out in London the next day, have a few beers and enjoy the concert in the evening. That should keep me going during the race :)

www.sugababes .com

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, November 2005

Happy Birthday Scarlett!

2005-11-22T22:47:00.000Z

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0424060/

I doubt she's reading this but you never know..

It seems odd that she has just turned 21..somehow it feels like she has been around a lot longer than that. And if you look at her filmography its easy to understand why. Whilst I have seen one or two of the films she made while still a little girl, I first remember seeing her in "Ghost World" and then in "Eight Legged Freaks" (a weird choice for the world's biggest arachnophobe!). But, like many people I guess, I really fell for her when I saw her in the wonderful "Lost In Translation", for me her best performance to date.

She has entertained me in numerous films since, and not just with her incandescent beauty. In my humble opinion, the mark of a great actor or actress is the ability to play different roles with equal aplomb. Ms Johansson can certainly do that. Her character in "The Perfect Score" - a rebellious Goth - could hardly have been more different, from say, her character in "A Good Woman".

Whilst it met with indifferent reviews (to say the least) I greatly enjoyed "The Island". I heard somewhere that some critic had said a "soap actress" could have played the role as well. As far as I'm concerned, Scarlett did everything that was asked of her in that role - mostly to look incredibly hot in a leather catsuit. (Well, she managed to usurp Alicia Silverstone's position of my official dream woman in the process, so she did a pretty good job of it).

I'm really looking forward to seeing "Match Point" when it opens in the UK next year, in which she plays a femme fatale. Judging by its' score on imdb.com it'll be worth the wait.

There's also a rumour that Andrew Lloyd Webber is in talks with this incredibly beautiful young woman to star in a stage version of "The Sound of Music" in London next year. If that's the case I'd better start getting some of my writing published PDQ - I'll need all the extra cash I can get.

You can read more about Scarlett here: http://www.scarlettjohansson.org/

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, 22nd November 2005

Holiday Reading Part Two - Mike Gayle

2005-11-16T21:00:00.000Z

A Mike Gayle novel seems almost an essential part of my holiday reading nowadays - a holiday without his latest bestseller would be like a holiday without sunshine - almost unthinkable.

In the last few years I have come to love his writing - I think I was introduced to his work by a friend who recommended "Turning Thirty". This I enjoyed because I had (in the not quite so distant past) had the experience of entering my fortieth decade and there was so much in there I could relate to, for example "turning thirty means only going to the pub when there is somewhere to sit down", or the horrified looks on your friends' faces when you suggest going clubbing on a weekday night.

Like many of my favourite authors, I think Mike Gayle's work has matured with time. Certainly I think he has tackled some of the difficult issues people face in relationships. I loved the hilarious "Mr Commitment" (probably a bit too much in there I can relate to!) and enjoyed "My Legendary Girlfriend" - although I did find the latter rather sad in places.

His last three books, however, have been his best, to my mind. On my last visit to Gouves, in late 2002, I read "Dinner for Two". This is about a couple who are trying, unsuccessfully, for a baby. At this time the male protagonist discovers he has a 13 year-old daughter from a one-night stand he had on holiday at the age of 17. Gayle tackles an extremely sensitive subject with pathos and humour, makes you feel for all of the characters involved, and I couldn't put the book down.

Last year I read "His N Hers", which is a love story told from both sides, over several years. Basically this is about a couple meeting, getting together, splitting up, meeting new partners, then regaining contact (due to the ill health of a cat) and realising they really were meant for each other all along. A great read, but hardly an original storyline I felt.

This year, however, I had no idea I was in for such a treat. "Brand New Friend" (bet he listened to Lloyd Cole when he was younger!) is, to my mind, his best novel to date. This tackles so many aspects of the male and female psyche, and is extremely amusing to boot.

Rob, the main protagonist, is reluctant to leave London to be with his girlfriend, Ashley, in Manchester, because he can't bear to leave his mates behind. Eventually he agrees to give it a go, and tries to make new friends, but with limited success. He even puts an ad in a local paper and goes out on "bloke-dates". In time, however, he does find a "brand new friend" who he feels completely comfortable with. There's just one problem - she's a girl..

So the book also tackles the age-old issue of whether men and women can just be friends without sex - or love, for that matter - getting in the way, but with a refreshing difference. Like any great writer, Gayle throws in some interesting plot twists, for example the heart-wrenching revelation: "There are things you can have and things you can't..It takes one to know one." (You'll have to read it to find out what I'm referring to).

Once again Mike Gayle has created characters to whom you can relate, who you feel for and who you root for. You really get emotionally involved with these people. I can't remember the last time I read a book written by a man where I wanted to cry when I reached the end. (Only I didn't because I was in the beach bar at the time and the sexy Greek waitress was heading my way so I had to keep my stiff upper lip).

The really great thing about Mike Gayle's writing style - and it really shows here - is his use of short, snappy chapters. I think this is a great technique. I just think because most people are so pressed for time these days, its much easier to read an extra chapter if its just a few pages long. And when you're on holiday it works too - you find yourself just turning the pages, wanting to find out what happens next.

That to me is the key to being a good writer - it doesn't matter what you write about, or how flowery your vocabulary is, or how factually accurate you are, you have to make the reader want to keep turning the page.

And you have to leave your reader waiting impatiently for your next offering. Mike Gayle certainly does that for me.

http://www.mikegayle.co.uk/

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, November 2005

Jean Weedon, 22 January 1929 - 05 November 1996

2005-11-05T17:35:00.000Z

It will be obvious by now why I don't really celebrate Guy Fawkes' night. No fireworks at my place. Just a quiet night in by myself.

It seems unbelievable that nine years have passed since my mum passed away. I know for a fact I still haven't got over it - the fact that she still appears regularly and vividly in my dreams is testament to that. I suppose at 28 I wasn't ready for it. I guess you never are, really.

So anyway, let me tell you a few things about this wonderful lady. She led an entirely selfless existence. In fact she spent most of her life doing things for other people. She was a teacher most of her working life (at least in the time that I was alive), teaching a variety of subjects including R.E. and working with special needs children. In her last post, at the John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge, she became a head of year and was feared by many of the children at the school. Funny really.

You'd think that would be enough of a challenge for most people, but not my mum. She also brought up five kids, mostly on her own. Dad was working in other towns a lot of the time you see, and would often be home only at weekends. When I was in my first year at Comprehensive school he was away at University and we only saw him in the holidays. How Mum coped on her own I'll never know. And now there's me, barely able to look after myself.

Even in the summer, our holidays would usually be spent in her hometown of Batley in West Yorkshire, where we would look after her mother, my Nana, while Auntie Shirley and Uncle John were on holiday. It must be the fact that I am half Yorkshire that has given me my love of cricket and beer.

It's easy to say that someone was "too good for this world" but in some ways I don't think it's unfair to say that about my mum. She was meant for someplace else. Somewhere bad things don't happen. One of my most vivid memories of her was when I had just passed my driving test and was allowed to drive her Metro. We were in the car one day and I was driving. We passed my sister Amanda's ex-boyfriend's house and Tanya, Amanda's little girl, was outside playing. Ian (Amanda's ex) wasn't her real Dad but had she had come to regard him as such. Anyway, mum asked me what I thought she was doing there. I replied, nonchalantly, "Just visiting her Dad, I suppose". This set mum off crying. She couldn't stand the kind of sadness you see on a daily basis. Funny the things you remember.

67 is no age to die. (Christ, I want at least another 50 years, not 30). Not only that, but mum became very ill not longer after she retired and was pretty much housebound for most of her retirement. It seems shitty and unfair that someone like that, who spent all her life working and looking after other people, should not only die at a young age but also not get to enjoy her retirement properly. She should at least have been allowed that.

I guess that's why I have a relaxed attitude about certain things. That's why I go on holiday and not care about the expense, for example. I might not be able to do it when I'm older. And there’s no point having lots of money in the bank when you're dead.

I can still remember the day she died quite vividly. I hope I never have a day as bad as that ever again. The previous evening I was playing squash when I got a phone call telling me to phone home. The news was that mum had gone into hospital again. I think I knew then I was never going to see her alive again. When the phone rang early the next morning, I knew the news was going to be bad.

I remember going to see her for the last time in the chapel of rest. Needless to say I got very upset. But I don't think it sank in then, or at the cremation for that matter. I know when it hit me - in the days after when I went for dinner at my parent's cottage in Melksham for the first time since her death. I remember breaking down crying in the kitchen and Amanda (always the strong one) having to look after me.

Time now to pay tribute to some of the people who looked after me and kept me going in those dark days. My best friend, Graeme, and his ex-wife Mia (I never got on with her but to be fair to her she was good to me at that time) took me for a slap-up meal at the Running Horse (I call it the trotting donkey myself) with their kids, Carl and Anders who were infants at the time. The idea was just to try and cheer me up. It did, if only for a short while. Looking back, it was an incredibly kind and thoughtful thing to do. As I say, it’s funny what sticks in your memory.

I remember saying to Graeme a couple of years ago on a train back from a boozy day in London, it was a shame he never met her. Despite the amount of whisky entering his bloodstream, he told me that in a way, he felt he already knew her. He said I was a very kind and gentle man and he imagined mum would have been just the same. I'll always remember that.

Another thing about her was her remarkable courage and determination. Not long before she passed away, my sister Fiona got remarried to Richard. The service was held in the church at the end of our street. Mum was pretty much bedridden by then. There was no question of her attending the reception or party in the evening, but she was damned if she was going to miss the service. And so despite everything there she was, maintaining her dignity and enjoying the day, despite being in a wheelchair. Does it make you feel humble? It does me.

Her spirit lives on. Whilst today has not been a great day, tomorrow I'm doing something in her memory. Growing up I used to spend many weekends in a village near Melksham called Bradford on Avon, either going swimming at the leisure centre there with my sisters, having afternoon tea with mum and dad in the tearooms or walking by the canal. So it's kind of serendipitous that there should be a race there this weekend.

It's going to be hard - a 12km multi-terrain run. Quite unlike the ones I've done before. I have to run through a river at some point - should be interesting! It'll be fun though. I'm determined to enjoy the event, my beer afterwards and the day in general. I think she'd have liked that.

Holiday Reading Part One - Nick Hornby

2005-11-03T21:10:00.000Z

Time to write some reviews of the books I enjoyed whilst on my hols..and time to pay tribute to the works of some of my favourite authors..

I've always been a big fan of Nick Hornby. For me he is the King of "lad lit" - the genre to which I aspire. "High Fidelity" is right up there in my all-time top 5. I remember loving it so much when I first read it I lent it to a young lady friend of mine, Sam (17 at the time), beseeching her to read it. She did, as did her mum. They both loved it.

"About A Boy" is right up there as well. If anything I felt I identified a little bit with the main protagonist, Will. And I don't mean the positive bits - rather his shallow, self-centred and introspective existence. Maybe someone will come into my life one day and “show me the way” as Marcus did..

I have never read "Fever Pitch" believe it or not. No Sir. I should, I know - it's just that I don't much care for football so can't see how I could fully appreciate it. If anyone thinks differently, please let me know.

So it was only to be expected that I would be champing at the bit to read "How To Be Good". To be honest, I was disappointed. I didn't identify with any of the characters and couldn't really see the point of it. I guess we all read books now and then, which are actually very, very good but for whatever reason we just don't get into them.

This year I was hoping for a return to form with "A Long Way Down". The reviews I had read seemed positive enough, and I read in the paper that Hornby had sold the film rights before the book was published. The man clearly knows his business. So I bought my copy from www.bol.com (great prices, poor selection) and saved it for my holiday.

Whilst it was not my favourite read of the week, it was certainly worth the time and the money (and then some). As you may know, it focuses on four main characters, Martin, Maureen, Jess and JJ, who meet under inauspicious circumstances - attempting to throw themselves from a tower block on New Year's Eve.

Hornby tells the story from each of the character's perspective and here lies his skill - he creates characters that you may not identify with, but who grow on you, who you feel for and make you understand what makes them tick. Whilst the story is heavy going at times, it is well paced and the dialogue is cracking. Some of the barbed comments and swearing (I like swearing in books; I think as a writer you need, occasionally, to use the language people speak). The writing style is superb: easy going without being patronising, yet intelligent enough to keep you interested.

So why was it not my favourite? I suppose a lot of it was down to timing - I was on my holiday, in one of my favourite places. I had found a way out of a job I hated and had a new challenge. I had just achieved a major ambition, running a half marathon and was still very much on a high. (Drug addicts everywhere: take up running. It's cheaper). Life could only get better if Jessica Alba was sunbathing by the pool. So I guess I really felt I had nothing in common with any of the characters and the idea of ending it all was complete anathema to me.

Having said that, I did sympathise with the characters. Hornby makes it impossible not to. I'd like to give an example by citing a paragraph from page 154, told from Maureen's perspective. I hope Nick doesn't mind. Maureen, in her fifties, had sex only once and as a result has a severely handicapped son who needs looking after 24/7. So she hasn't had much of a life and come New Year's Eve, felt she could no longer cope.

At this stage in the novel the four main characters have decided to go away on holiday in Tenerife. As you can guess, Maureen has never had a holiday (Christ, I'd be in a padded cell if I didn't get away every year!). This is what she thinks about the prospect, and I thought it was a particularly brilliant (yet, on the face of it, astonishingly simple) piece of writing:

"I wanted to tell Jess that I hadn't even seen an English beach since Matty left school; they used to take them to Brighton every year, and I went with them once or twice. I didn't say anything though. I may not know the weight of many things, but I could feel the weight of that one, so I kept it to myself. You know things aren't going well for you when you can't even tell people the simplest fact about your life, just because they'll presume you're asking them to feel sorry for you. I suppose it's why you feel so far away from everyone, in the end; anything you can think of to tell them just ends up making them feel terrible."

Now creating characters and then getting inside their heads like that - that's a special gift. Thankfully it was given to Nick Hornby.

Jon's Hols

2005-10-26T21:01:00.000Z

So, back to reality..groan..Oh well, time at least for me to record and reminisce about events over the last 8 days.

Arrived in Gouves fairy late Tuesday evening. Had a comfortable stay at the Gatwick Belmont Hotel on the Monday and a reasonably pleasant flight to Heraklion. It was quite late by the time I arrived at the Klio apartments, and I was hungry and in need of beer, so I literally dropped my bags in my room and headed on out. It was my third time in the resort and my second time at this hotel, so I knew my way around.

I had timed my holiday to provide a week of rest and relaxation after the Swindon half marathon (which proved quite prescient of me - more on that later). At the same time however, I was aware there would always be disadvantages to going away so late in the season.

This became manifest on the first evening - the place appeared to be a ghost town. Most of the bars were dead. The bar where I had previously spent so many happy evenings, run by a friend of mine, Stavros, was closed down. As was the Blue Sky restaurant, on the main strip, where I had enjoyed so many excellent meals. I found somewhere else to eat (also very good) and headed back to the bar at my hotel. Experience has taught me that a big night out on the first night is rarely a success, as the alcohol hits you so much harder after the travelling.

An Englishman, Peter, now ran the bar at the Klio. It transpired there were more brits living in Gouves now, something that doesn't surprise me one iota. Peter told me of his reasons for leaving the UK (I'm sure you can all guess correctly) and his plans for the future. I had kept Stavros' number in case I ever decided to jack it all in here (or if I got made redundant and had nothing to lose) and sell up and move out there.

Whilst I have put such ideas on hold while I attempt to train for a marathon and give my writing a go, I haven't given them up entirely.

The next day I set out to explore a bit more. There was a new bar on the seafront but apart from that the place was much the same. I headed to the Porto restaurant, which was still being run by a German lady, Renate, who remembered me from my last two visits. Sadly I didn't see much more of her as she closed for the winter a couple of days later.

Later on I asked Peter where was good to eat. He suggested, among other places, the Pella restaurant on the seafront. I went in there on the third day, found a table outside and when my waiter arrived, I looked up to see none other than Stavros, who I had mentioned earlier! He had given up the bar and was now on his own, having separated from his wife, and was working quite contentedly at the restaurant.

This made a big difference to the holiday. I ate at the Pella every evening for the rest of the week (as well as at 5pm on the last day before my pick-up). Whilst I actually quite enjoy holidaying alone (ok, I'd prefer it if Scarlett Johansson came with me, but that's just not the hand that life has dealt me, is it??) I really hate eating alone in a busy restaurant. So the fact that Stavros could sit with me, have a chat and share a raki made all the difference.

Another of my old haunts was still open and had some of the old staff: the Blue Sky cafe bar on the beach. As before, I ate breakfast there (usually at about noon) as you can sit at one of the tables on the beach. I also started having a late lunch and early afternoon beers there, as the view was so nice. Oh, and you could look out to sea which was also quite pleasant..

And so after I had settled in the days just kind of melted into one another and followed a similar pattern. I went for a lot of walks - one thing I love about Gouves is the coastline - a mixture of sandy beaches, rocky coves and craggy edges. I always enjoy walking along the rocks and looking into the little pools for little fishes and crabs - I guess it just reminds me of seaside holidays as a little boy, a time when life was so less complicated and stressful.

I tried running a couple of times but it never really came off. I didn't really feel normal until about a week after the race, which shows how hard I pushed myself. I think I can be very proud of my efforts in the Swindon Half Marathon.

As always, a lot of my time was devoted to reading. As Stephen King says, the only way to become a good writer is to "read a lot, write a lot". It's especially important to steep yourself in the genre to which you aspire. My week was lit up especially by reading Lisa Jewell's "Vince & Joy" and Mike Gayle's "Brand New Friend". (I bet I'm one of the few people who can remember the hit song by Lloyd Cole of the same name!).

I'll write more about these two books and their authors later, but suffice it to say I'd recommend them to anyone who is an old romantic at heart. For my money, Mike Gayle is unparalleled in his insight into human emotions and Lisa Jewell's latest offering, like many of her previous ones, is just a masterpiece in story telling. Whilst I fully believe I can write a novel worth publishing, I know I have a lot to do if I ever want to be in the same pantheon as these two fine, fine authors.

Before I knew it, the week was over and the last day was upon me. I told myself not to get upset and try to enjoy it as if it were the first – which I did. I never seem to learn – one week is just too short. A lot of people return to Gouves regularly, for reasons, which should by now be obvious. Stavros told me that one of the people I met on my first visit, Cameron, had been to Gouves no less than three times this season, each time for two weeks!

Maybe I’ll return to Gouves for two weeks next year. Right now I can’t think of a single reason why I shouldn’t.

The Big One

2005-10-16T15:17:00.000Z

I remember on New Years' Eve 2004 telling myself 2005 was going to be a great year for me. And so it has proved so far (mostly): England have won the Ashes. Whilst I have not yet got myself published, I have got my writing career off the ground, and am at least writing for an (hopefully!) appreciative audience, and I have made a career change - call centre monkey to marketing. Not bad eh?

But more importantly, I have learnt something this year. I think I have it cracked. I now know how a smoker can give up cigarettes. I know how an alcoholic can give up the demon drink. I know how an addict can give up drugs. I know how Freddie Flintoff can make the most of his talents, take on Australia and come out on top. I also know how someone like me can achieve something he thought was way beyond him - run a half marathon.

The common denominator is this: the person in question has to really, really want to achieve their ambition. Now I'm not saying I'm the same as dear Freddie. Heavens no. He is 10 years younger than me, better looking, bigger, fitter, and stronger, has a beautiful wife and family and is a public hero. Oh and he plays cricket for England.

But in some ways we're not that different. Running a half marathon, at any course, in any circumstances and in any time is no mean feat. Swindon half marathon is universally accepted as one of the toughest courses in the land. Despite a bad night's sleep I managed it in a very respectable 2 hours, 4 minutes and something seconds. Not bad for a first-timer, eh?

Thankfully the weather was almost perfect (dry, not too cold, nor too hot or humid). But the race was still hard going. It was every bit as hilly as people made out. But I had faith in myself, thanks in no small part to Anthony. He has been fantastic - pushing me to my limits, making the occasional jibe about my weight (and rightly so - I have a lot to lose, and I'll be a different person for it. At least he tells me what he thinks rather than looking at my belly and pulling a face like most people do!!) But all the while he has filled me with confidence in my own ability.

And he has been great fun to work with. He is under pressure - his girlfriend is expecting in the New Year - a lovely pressure, but pressure nonetheless and to his enormous credit he has never let it show. I've always admired his sense of perspective - whilst he clearly wants me to achieve the best I can, he still encourages me to have the odd glass of wine and a few beers after a race.

Anyway back to the race. Yes it was hard, bloody hard. After about 8 miles I was running on empty. I had severe stomach pains (possibly because I had burnt off the carbohydrates I had loaded up on the last few days). But I kept thinking about what this means. And so I carried on.

About the 12-mile marker I experienced something I had never experienced before: I felt dizzy and faint. I was scared for the first time ever during a run. So I stopped and walked for a couple of minutes and I was fine. By the time I got to the finish line I was spent. Totally. I'll never know how I did it, but I managed to sprint the last 400 metres to the line.

So why did I put myself through this? Well, for me this should be a turning point. It’s about doing something you don't think you can do. Today it was running a half marathon (on a notoriously hard route, in a storming time). Next up it'll be getting ready for the London marathon and writing my first novel. Anyone want to bet against me?

In the meantime, I have earned a break. So I'm off to one of my favourite places, the peaceful resort of Gouves in Crete. It's lovely there. A short drive from the capital, Heraklion, the beaches are long and sandy, the people are lovely, the food is great and the beer is cold.

It won't be a complete break however. I will take my trainers in case I get restless, and I will be honing my writing craft by enjoying the following great reads:

Andrew Flintoff - Being Freddie
Rising From The Ashes - Graham Thorpe
A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby
Vince and Joy - Lisa Jewell
Brand New Friend - Mike Gayle
The Understudy - David Nicholls

I'll let you know what I think. Right now though, I'm off to my mate Graeme's house (he ran the race today, his third half marathon, and did very, very well considering his lack of training) for a magnificent Sunday roast. I think I've earned it.

About this time last year I went to another part of Greece, the resort of Nidri in Lefkas. I remember texting Graeme to say I felt "physically sick" at the thought of coming home (due mostly to the situation at work and the impending redundancy). This time I'll have a lot to look forward to when I get back: more running, more races, a new job, cracking on with the writing, and spending time with my friends, old and new. What a difference a year makes.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon October 2005

Wallace & Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

2005-10-15T20:31:00.000Z

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312004/

Sorry, not as much of an in-depth review as I would have liked - I am currently working on another piece (to be published shortly) and am my usual disorganised self getting ready for the big day tomorrow and a well-earned break in Crete almost immediately after. God am I looking forward to a large plate of moussaka washed down with a few glasses of cold mythos..

Anyway, I went to see this today after my pre-race massage and felt it my duty to write a few words about it on here. How about these: GO AND SEE IT!!

Seriously, I can't remember the last time I had so much fun at the cinema. Going for the 5.50pm performance, I knew the place would be packed but as it turned out it didn't matter a jot - all the kids (including the 37-year old one writing this) were totally engrossed in the movie. How could they not be? It was fabulous - the animation is a work of genius. Pay attention to the expression on Gromit's face when he turns on the radio and finds the song being played is "Bright Eyes" (you know - from Watership Down??) How do they do that??!!

I've just realised - the irony would have been wasted on the vast majority of people in the cinema who were too young to have seen the film version of Watership Down, or will never read the book anyway. You read it here first - when I'm famous I'm going to start a one-man Jamie Oliver-esque crusade to get kids reading. They don't know what they're missing.

Anyway, the thing I love about these films is the fact that while they are ostensibly for kids, most of the jokes are for the benefit of the adults. "Kiss my ar-tichoke!" "May contain nuts". And in this film, the jokes come thick and fast. So much so, I am sure a repeat viewing or two will be required. The 90 minutes (or whatever it was) flew by. Even the thoughts of the self-imposed torture I am going through tomorrow were pushed out of my mind.

So, just to make myself clear: If you have kids, take them to see it, whatever their age. You should be stripped of parenthood if you don't. If you're a big kid, go and see it. If you think you're not, or it's not your cup of tea, go and see it. If this doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, October 2005

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - why I love this film

2005-10-09T21:04:00.000Z

About a year and a bit ago I did a smart thing - something I should have done ages ago. I realised I was spending too much money on home entertainment (DVDs) and so I signed up to UGC's unlimited card, which meant I could go to the flicks any time I wanted, no extra charge. Whilst I have seen a lot of films I would otherwise not have bothered with, there have been a few films that I would have dearly loved to own, and have instead waited patiently for them to come on Sky movies (a luxury I doubt I could live without).

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind probably tops that list, and by a distance. It’s a film I never tire of watching. Why is this I ask myself? Yes it boasts a great cast (Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood and Mark Ruffalo) but is, to many people, quite confusing. It starts almost at the end, goes back in time, nips back and forth in time, and then ends up where we started. Confused? So was I the first time. And there are some very surreal moments.

So what’s it all about? Well, Joel (Jim Carrey) is devastated when he finds his girlfriend Clementine (Winslet) has had all her memories of him and their relationship expunged from her memory following a break-up. He then decides to undergo the same procedure himself, when he realises he has not been the victim of an elaborate hoax.

Things however, do not go as planned. As the treatment takes place, Joel realises he does not want all his memories of Clementine erased. His subconscious fights the erasing procedure, and tries to hide his memories of her in the deep recesses of his mind. This is where the film gets pretty weird, but is brilliantly done. Buildings are wiped out, books lose their titles, and the two protagonists are reduced to the size of children as the technicians performing the erasure (Wood, Rufflalo) chase them through Joel’s memories.

Finally they succeed, but not before the two lovers agree to “meet me in Montauk”. And so back to the start of the film, whereupon Joel phones in sick at work and gets on a train to Montauk. The two meet and fall in love, all over again.

But there’s a very clever twist. During the erasure, Mary (played superbly by the very alluring Kirsten Dunst) discovers she has had the procedure herself. Her former lover is none other than her boss, Dr. Howard Mierzwiak (Wilkinson) who she has a crush on. She is, needless to say, distraught and in a fit of pique goes to her place of work and sends all the companies clients’ files back to them. Joel and Clementine are awakened to their past and reminded of each other’s failings, and are faced with a dilemma.

So what is it I like about this film so much? Well, I’ve always liked stories that have a powerful message. My favourite film of all time, The Shawshank Redemption, has several, which I’ll go into another time. The message of ESOTSM is about memories, and how you deal with them. We all have painful memories at some point in our life, usually when a loved one passes on or a relationship ends. And I’m sure most of us have wished we could have the pain erased. If only it were that simple.

A poignant moment of the film for me is when Joel is waiting in the reception at Lacuna, with all the personal effects that remind him of Clementine. These are to be taken off him so he has nothing in his house that will remind him of her. Next to him sits an old lady who has all her dog’s things. She has lost a beloved pet and finds the pain so unbearable she wants the memories erased.

But in the long term is that the right answer? It is a truism that time is a great healer, and eventually you hold on to the good memories and think less of the bad ones. Even the bad ones can be put to good use – sometimes when I’m out running and it gets tough I remember how I was bullied at school because I wasn’t very good at sport. I’m not one to bear a grudge but “I’ll show those ****ers” is usually the thought that spurs me on.

Life is memories. That’s why we all try to record them on film or videotape. Without them we don’t have much. They should be kept and treasured. Always.

Talking of memories, look out for my next entry - Sun 16th October 2005 is a day I'll have exceptionally fond memories of, for a very long time.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, October 2005

Racing and more racing..

2005-10-02T19:58:00.000Z

How nice it will be having all my weekends free from now on - no more being crossed off people's lists of names to invite to social gatherings (I hope).

However I've no doubt some weekends will still be dull and uneventful - unlike this one (1st/2nd October). On the Saturday I tried my hand (for the first time) at Go-Karting. Thankfully I managed to catch a lift off Phil Cogan - otherwise I'd never have found the place in a million years. It was basically a disused air shelter or something, not signposted at all, on the outskirts of Wroughton. The other great thing about getting a ride with Phil is that whilst I was in fear of my life all the time in the car at least I know what a good driver I am by comparison - sorry Phil!!

And so to the karting - there were about 20 of us taking part, in 2 groups of 10. Most of my buddies from spinning and body pump at the gym, plus the instructors, Alex, Ali and Paul. Nicole, at just 19 the baby in our gang, brought four mates along with her. Nicole - if you're reading this sweetheart, next time bring girls who are cute but haven't got boyfriends and who are crap at karting, ok?? :)

Anyway, before we were let loose we had a 5 minute lecture which was basically all about what the various flags meant if they were waved at us. No use to man nor beast really - what I could have done with was some tips on how to drive those bloody things and how best to take the corners. I was useless at it. For the life of me I couldn't get the hang of how best to control the things and get round the corners (of which there were too many).

But hey, who really cares?? We had a great day out - I've been going to various gyms and exercise classes ever since I left Uni and gave up Karate and I've never met such a good bunch of friends as these guys anywhere else. This year we've been to the cinema, been to parties at each other's houses, been out for meals, had nights out etc etc. Special thanks to Maxine who seems to end up organising most of these.

After the karting we stopped at The Sun at Coate water for liquid refreshment. Unfortunately I was unable to partake of any alcohol as I had a different sort of racing to do in the morning - another 10k run at Cricklade. Still, we all had a good time and I managed to get some good tips on running and training from Gerry, who started running a year ago and this year has managed two marathons.

No company at the Cricklade 10k unfortunately - Anthony was unable to make it on this occasion. Still, it was probably about time I did one on my own, and in the end I wasn't fazed by it. I found the place ok and had a good run. It was a much flatter course than the two I had done previously and while I'm not sure of my exact time I think it was about 55-56 minutes - a personal best for me, but one I hope to improve on considerably.

I let Anthony know about this by text and true to form he congratulated me and reminded me to enjoy a few beers today. At the time of writing I had a couple of beers with my tea (after going to the cinema to see Red Eye - recommended) and plan to have a glass or two of wine before retiring. First day at my new job tomorrow so can't afford to be too hung over.

I've been thinking all day about how I'll feel two weeks from now, when, all being well, I'll have finished my first half marathon (Swindon). As long as I can still walk I'll be going on holiday the next day so I doubt I'll be too worried about the hangover then. To coin a phrase, I dare say I'll be well and truly "freddied" before the night is over.

Ashes 2005 - The Greatest Series Ever?

2005-09-23T22:44:00.000Z

This month saw the climax of arguably the greatest series of test match cricket ever seen to date – and possibly the greatest series many of us will ever see. It seemed fitting that it lasted until the final session of the last day, a true reflection of how closely contested the series had been between two very fine sides.

At the beginning of the year I told some of my colleagues in an email that in the summer of 2005 “a titanic struggle between the two all-conquering superpowers of world cricket, England and Australia” would take place. At the time I’m sure this sounded more than a touch hyperbolic – little did we all know what a spectacle this Ashes series would turn out to be.

So much has been written about this great sporting event by some great sportswriters – Simon Barnes, Derek Pringle, Michael Atherton, to name but a few – writers from whom I continue to learn so much – that is hard to know what, if anything, I can add that can be of value. In truth, there isn’t really anything, so I’d just like to highlight the key facets of the series, which made the Ashes 2005 such a special and unique event.

Individual Performances

1981 will forever be remembered as “Botham’s Ashes” and it is conceivable that 2005 will, in a similar manner, be referred to as “Freddie’s Ashes”. However, while the burly Lancastrian deservedly won the player of the series for a remarkable all-round performance, what made the contest so remarkable, for my money, was that there were so many wonderful contributions from the players involved.

On the first day at Lords Steve Harmison and Glenn McGrath both gave fabulous displays of fast bowling, and got their names on the honours board with 5-wicket hauls. England’s fast bowler lived up to his moniker of “Grievous Bodily Harmison” quite literally, as all of Australia’s top three batsmen sustained blows to the upper body. Later on, Glenn McGrath, the metronome, simply blew away England’s top order and any realistic hopes of the home team starting the series with a win.

Staying with the bowlers, what can I say about Shane Warne? Not a lot – we all ran out of superlatives quite a while back. 40 wickets in a five match series, plus useful (and at times, infuriating) lower order runs simply defies belief. The greatest slow bowler of all time made a mockery of suggestions that, approaching 36 he was past his best and that his wicket-taking ability would be stymied by problems off the field. I feel privileged to have witnessed a true genius at work – and indeed, to have met him at a county match during his first season at Hampshire - and a little sad that he won’t be playing another test match in this country.

One player, however, upstaged Warne with his all-round performance. Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff had never played in an Ashes series before, and held the dubious honour of the most caps earned by an England player never to have faced the old enemy. He knew that to deserve the title of the world’s greatest all-round cricketer he would have to deliver in this series – and deliver he did. Remarkably he managed not only to rediscover the form he showed with the bat against the West Indies last year, averaging over 40 in the series, but also was England’s leading wicket-taker with 24 scalps. For me his two most important contributions were his century at Trent Bridge, which led to Australia being forced to follow on for the first time in 192 tests, and his spell of bowling on the penultimate day of the Oval test which denied Australia the first innings lead everyone expected – and which could have ended England’s hopes.
Freddie is most definitely NOT the “new Botham” – I’ll scream if I ever hear that awful phrase again – he is the one, the only, Andrew Flintoff – the best all-round cricketer in the world.

Talking of centuries, the last time England played Australia most of them seemed to flow off the bat of Michael Vaughan. Not so this time – several players made it to three figures at important times. Vaughan only made one – a sparkling innings at Old Trafford – but now even I am happy to concede that it is worth him making fewer runs with the bat for his superb captaincy. England’s future captain, Andrew Strauss struggled against Warne initially but managed to record two centuries in the series – the only player on either side to do so. Ricky Ponting played a heroic innings at Old Trafford to avoid going 2-1 down in the series, and the two Australian openers, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden re-discovered form at the Oval to ensure they would keep their places in the side.

The best innings of the series – and probably the best I have ever seen – was saved until last. Kevin Pietersen was a controversial selection for some, but not for me. I remember asking a fellow spectator at the Nat West series final “Do you think they’ll pick him (Pietersen) for the tests?” “Well,” came the reply “I wouldn’t want to be an England selector living in this country if they don’t.” Enough said.

KP justified his selection in the first test with back to back half-centuries in a losing cause. After that, he seemed to lose his way somewhat. But I kept thinking of what Warne had written about him in his column for The Times: the England selectors, he argued, would be making Australia’s task much easier if they didn’t pick “the most dangerous player in England”. Pietersen’s innings on the last day was not merely dangerous – it was explosive. After a nerve-racking morning in which four wickets fell, his pyrotechnics after lunch very quickly put the game – and with it The Ashes – out of Australia’s reach. He was simply awesome. So many times he hit the ball into the air and I thought to myself, that’s going to be caught, only to see the ball land twenty rows back. Obviously I had forgotten who was at the crease. I wonder how much sales of Red Bull have soared since that day?

But lets not forget one man who never made a century in the series: Marcus Trescothick is the only player in the current England side to have featured in two losing Ashes series, and in doing so averaged just 29 against Australia. The old enemy clearly had the wood on him and Shane Warne had claimed that “everyone” knew how to get him out (a rare injudicious remark from the great man). Well, it could be that Tres had worked on correcting the technical flaw that “everyone” knew about, but I like to think he went into this series feeling more relaxed, knowing there were other players down the order capable of putting a big score on the board, and bowlers who could defend those runs. Trescothick’s highest score in the series was 90, but he nonetheless averaged a very healthy 43 – beaten only by Pietersen – and gave England solid starts. It is difficult to imagine how England could have dominated all but one test without his contributions at the top of the order.

Surprise package of the series was of course a young Welshman by the name of Jones. Without wishing to gloat, I told people before the series he could produce something special and indeed he did – 18 wickets at 21 apiece. No mug with the bat either, as a series average of 33 suggests. It was such a cruel blow that he was ruled out of the final test with an injury – a match I feel England could otherwise have won – and preventing England naming an unchanged side in an Ashes series for the first time in 120-something years. Hopefully he will recover in time for the winter tours and his modelling career will also continue to blossom, giving the game greater exposure and making it easier for me to persuade young lady friends to sample a day at a test match.

Whilst there have been so many outstanding individual performances in the series, it is doubtful whether England could have won the biggest prize in cricket without a very important asset: team unity. The importance of this became manifest in the one day series that preceded the test matches: when Simon Jones became involved in a confrontation with Matthew Hayden, having inadvertently hit him in the chest while fielding off his own bowling, he was swiftly backed up by Collingwood, Flintoff and Strauss. The message was clear: take on one of us, and you take on all of us. Also a key moment during the second test was when Flintoff, bowling the penultimate over on the third day, made sure with his fielding off the last ball of the over that Michael Clark, the last specialist batsman, would remain on strike in the last over so that Harmison would be able to dismiss him. This England side play as a unit: no amount of superstars will ever make up for this.

How the series captured the nation’s interest

In the build up to the Ashes series I tried to get many of my friends, who don’t follow cricket, interested in the game. At the time I saw this as doing my little bit to getting the whole nation behind the team. As it turned out, I needn’t have bothered. Whilst there were no other major sporting events this summer that would have competed for the public’s attention, I am flabbergasted at the amount of interest the game has generated.

I received my application forms for Lords last year, and managed to return them by the deadline just before Christmas. I knew that all five test matches would sell out; such would be the interest among us aficionados of the game. What I never expected was to read about tens of thousands of people being turned away from the last day of a test match, or to see people watching from rooftops or trying to catch a glimpse of the action through the gates of the Oval on the last day.

I recall on the first day of the Lords test arriving at the gym for a PT session; a group of the staff were assembled around the television in the juice bar watching the end of Australia’s first innings. Whilst I was slightly surprised by this, in the following weeks the interest I witnessed whilst going about my day-to-day activities just snowballed, and it was a joy to behold.

Before I knew it, everyone was talking about cricket. It soon got to the point where I could no longer go out wearing my England one day shirt without people coming up to me and asking what the score was. (This was fine during the last four tests, but when I was drinking in pubs in London after my two days at the Lords test, where England had not fares so well, it was rather less welcome.) By the time of the Oval test I was having fairly lengthy discussions about cricket with complete strangers in pubs. Not something I had ever experienced before and definitely not something I expected. Even now, at the time of writing, nearly two weeks since the end of the series, a gentleman delivering local papers spotted me wearing my Ashes t-shirt and struck up a conversation about the series.

I remember at the end of the fourth test walking back from my garage, a short walk from my house. As I passed the pub a man sitting on one of the benches outside asked me if I had been watching the cricket. I simply gave him the thumb’s up. And then, as I passed the little park behind my house, I noticed a small group of young men playing cricket with a makeshift bat and ball – beach cricket, except they were playing on a concrete basketball pitch. I have read about people playing cricket in similar circumstances in India – I had never seen it with my own two eyes though.

One particularly nice thing that happened this summer was when a former colleague and friend of mine, Jim, with whom I had lost touch, sent me a text message saying how much he was enjoying the cricket. At work I had become used to him taunting me about how boring cricket is and the lack of success enjoyed by the national team. We managed to rekindle our friendship, due in no small part to our new-found mutual interest, and one of my fondest memories of the summer will be of watching the nail-biting finish to the fourth test at Jim’s house while enjoying a pizza lunch.

Many of my other friends became interested, even without my help: I recall asking my massage therapist, Louise, at the beginning of the summer if she would be watching any of the cricket and was told in no uncertain terms that she was not vaguely interested. That changed, of course, and in due course she was telling me how she had watched some of the action, as well as the victory celebrations in Trafalgar Square (how I wish I’d been there) and she was able to name several of the players – they are well on their way to becoming household names.

Even the players’ wives have started to become celebrities: Rachael Flintoff has appeared on the National Lottery programme and this week was the centre pages pullout in Zoo weekly. She, along with Matthew Hoggard’s wife Sarah, has also written a column for The Times. Kevin Pietersen has also done a photo-shoot for a magazine with his mum, Penny.

My only hope is that the players don’t get carried away with their newfound celebrity status. I doubt they will – they all seem very down to earth, family-orientated men. And they are clearly loyal to their mates: how touching that the leader of the barmy army be invited to join the players in the celebrations in Trafalgar Square.

The spirit in which the series was played

Has there ever been a sporting event quite like this I wonder? One which started with open hostility, the champion trying to assert his superiority over the young pretender, and the contender making a statement that he is not going to be bullied. The two heavyweights slugging it out to the last round, the mutual admiration and respect growing as the rounds pass. The crowd, willing the local hero on, taunting and jeering at his opponent, only to find themselves later expressing admiration and even love for the defending champion as it becomes clear that a great era is approaching its end.

And so it was with the Ashes 2005. The Australians arrived here in June, having not lost a series for four years, and holding the Ashes for 16 years. England have improved beyond all recognition since the two teams last met in 2001, and were the only team to be undefeated in test cricket in 2004. Australia were still the world champions however, and the benchmark against which England’s progress would be measured.

England enjoyed a crushing win in the teams’ first meeting, a Twenty20 encounter at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. One thing, more than the not insubstantial margin of victory, stood out for me: The bowling of Andrew Flintoff to Brett Lee. There was clearly some rancour between the two, perhaps a result of Lee’s over the top celebrations at dismissing Flintoff in a semi-final the previous year. Little did I know what was to come.

England made their aggressive intentions clear in the first test at Lords. Ricky Ponting sustained a nasty blow to the head courtesy of a bouncer from Steve Harmison and was unlucky to be cut on the cheek as a result of the grille smashing into his face at the point of impact. It was noticeable that as he removed his helmet and blood dripped onto the pitch, not one England player showed any concern. This was a deliberate and calculated show of aggression.

As it turned out, Australia went on to win the match easily and made their usual boasts of a 5-0 predicted victory. The teams moved on to Edgbaston, and things changed. Australia were down for the count on the fourth morning, needing 107 runs for victory with just two wickets remaining. They nearly bloody got there as well, thanks largely to Brett Lee, England claiming the last wicket with Australia needing just two runs. The crowd erupted and the England players rushed to congratulate each other. Except one, that is – Andrew Flintoff elected instead to console his stricken opponent, Brett Lee, who had fought so hard to lead his side to victory. Flintoff has come to recognise Lee as a kindred spirit – someone who plays the game with aggression, giving his all, but at the same time always with a smile on his face.

Since this outstanding moment (which will doubtless appear in more photographs when Flintoff wins the Sports Personality of the Year Award), the respect between the two sides has been palpable. There was applause and handshakes when an opponent had played well, and concern when a player was hurt: for example, Shane Warne congratulating Flintoff on yet another fine knock, and Kevin Pietersen showing concern for Katich when he was hurt fielding.

This newfound respect was no more apparent than in the final test. A match that was so vitally important to both parties: England needing only a draw to regain the Ashes – Australia needing a win to hang on to them. A single moment of this match summed up the spirit of the series: a mutual recognition of each other’s efforts between Matthew Hayden and Andrew Flintoff, when the latter had dismissed the former. One said: well-bowled mate. The other: well-played mate.

And so it continued. Even when Pietersen hit his amazing 158 to ensure the Ashes came home, the Aussies applauded. Shane Warne, who had dropped him before he got off the mark, made a point of running after him as the left the field. What he said to him was, apparently “Enjoy this moment, it is special.” You could argue that he did it only because Pietersen is his protégé, a member of his Hampshire side. I beg to differ – I think under the circumstances, Warne would have done something similar to any of the England batsmen. After the game – as I believe was the case after most of the matches since Lords – both sides had a beer or several together in each other’s dressing rooms. If these two sides had a drink together in recent times, I certainly never heard about it.

Perhaps the greatest contribution to the spirit of the match came from England’s 12th man: the crowd. Whenever I have been at an Ashes test match, the only noises emanating from the crowd regarding the great Shane Warne have been in reference to his waistline, his ability to “bounce on the ground” and more recently – endearing themselves to no one – the well-being of his estranged wife, Simone. It wasn’t until the final act that the crowd acknowledged the true genius of the man and he was greeted with chorus after chorus of “there’s only one Shane Warne” and “we wish you were English”. So do the selectors, no doubt. Glenn McGrath also received applause from the crowd on returning to the boundary. Neither of them will play a test match in England again. And as this pair of legends left the field with their arms around each other, it was reminiscent of Courtney Walsh and Curtley Ambrose leaving the exact same stage together five years ago, and many a tear was no doubt shed around the ground.

Maybe, just maybe, more tears will be shed around the world when Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff walk off the field together for the last time?

And finally..

Can there have been a more wonderful way for Richie Benaud to say goodbye to the millions whom he has graced with his inimitable commentary for the last 42 years? His farewell was immaculately timed (but not for Kevin Pietersen), understated, and like his commentary style, quite beautiful.

Oh, just one other thing..

This is quite funny actually, looking back: when I received my application form from Lords I returned it, applying for days 2 & 3 of the test. My rationale at the time was, I would have relocated to Munich by then, and so if I was coming back to England for the cricket, I may as well make a mini-break out of it. With hindsight, would I have missed the Ashes series 2005 for a job in Munich? Don’t be silly. Would I have missed it for the world? Nah.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, September 2005

Pastures new

2005-09-23T19:56:00.000Z

Well, now seems as good a time to mention it as any: I am currently working the last of my shifts as a breakdown controller for MAN ERF UK. On 1st October my job will be redundant, as the company has decided to move the operation overseas. Personally I think this will be an unmitigated disaster - some of the people over there have a less than perfect grasp of the English language, and an even worse knowledge of our geography - something that will no doubt infuriate many of our customers and workshops. The words "fly on the wall" spring to mind..

However I am pleased to announce that this no longer vexes me in the way it used to - I have been offered a job elsewhere in the company as a Marketing Co-ordinator for the parts department. I will therefore go back to a more organised lifestyle i.e. 9-5, Monday to Friday. Yippee!! No more working weekends, no more getting up at 5am, and no more night shifts (although I doubt I'll be able to antagonise my new co-workers as much as I used to aggravate Donna and Helen with my witty anecdotes whilst working nights together..)

There will be a lot of things I will miss about working shifts - being able to go shopping when the supermarket is quiet (enabling me more time to chat up the girls on the check-out), Alex's excellent lunchtime spinning classes, days out in London, being able to chill out at home with no annoying lodgers around. But there will be a lot of things I won't miss - mainly feeling wiped out half the time due to the havoc being wreaked on my sleeping patterns. I don't think I could have carried on doing shifts even if I wanted to.

Hopefully my new position will prove enjoyable, challenging and stimulating, and will also allow me to concentrate more on the things that matter to me: my social life, my running and other training, and of course my writing. I look forward to the next chapter.

"Something tells me I'm into something good" (sung)

2005-09-13T20:14:00.000Z

This weekend saw me compete in my second road race - the Aldbourne 10k. I chose this one because it is close to home, and I was keen to see more of this picturesque village and the surrounding countryside.

My preparations had seemed to be going well. I had been doing regular 6-7 mile runs and on a few occasions had managed to extend this to roughly 10 miles. I have a session with Anthony (my trainer) once a week and on the Thursday before the race he put me through a very demanding fartlek session, made even more exhausting by the humid weather. I did a light body pump on the Friday and then had a day of complete rest on Saturday, visiting the gym only for a back, neck and shoulder massage.

Doing as much training as I do and spending so many hours at a computer I am prone to a bit of back pain so I find that a massage the day before helps to ensure it doesn't flare up during the race. As always my therapist, Louise Mills, did a fantastic job of getting rid of any knots and tension so no worries there.

There was a slight cause for alarm the night before the race: as I can't really have a few glasses of wine, which I would normally do on a Saturday in, I had planned to go to the cinema to see "Cinderella Man". Unfortunately I felt suddenly very tired and had a slight stomach upset, and was worried I might be going down with some kind of bug. As it turned out I was fine, and the tiredness was more likely due to the nerve-racking tension and excitement that is the Ashes series (more on that in a separate entry).

Despite this I slept well and enjoyed my usual pre-race breakfast of scrambled egg on toast. I drove to the gym where I met Anthony. Today it was just the two of us competing, so he drove us to Aldbourne.

The race didn't seem as well organised as Pinewood. Had it been me driving, I would have missed the car park, which was not that well sign-posted and walking through the village we had to ask for directions to the start point. But we found it in the end, Anthony got his race number and we started warming up together with a jog through the village and round the football field.

As the start approached I felt more confident. I had done this distance before, and a lot more in training. We were soon called to the start point and the race began. Going through the village I felt good. I was keeping up with the bulk of the pack, and was keeping my breathing under control. A short hill followed, and we were flanked by on-lookers giving us warm applause.

And then we got to the second hill. This was by far the steepest and longest hill I have faced to date during a run. I dropped down to a canter, and found myself breathing hard, but was determined to keep going. It paid off, and as the slope became less steep I was able to increase the pace.

After about 6km the worst was over, and I started to feel really good. I looked at my watch and worked out I was still on course (no pun) for a sub-hour finish. I started to stride out and felt the benefit of my sessions - my legs were holding up and my breathing was still under control. I was feeling good, really good. I was enjoying the race and the thought occurred to me that I have just about got to the point where I am really, really enjoying my running.

As I made my way down the last hill to the finish point I decided it was make or break time. Whilst being careful to avoid slipping on the wet gravel underfoot, I started to sprint to the line. Unfortunately I hadn't counted on there being another lap of the football field to do. Happily Anthony was there to cheer me round, but on that last lap I had literally nothing left in the tank. It was sheer force of will that got me to the finish point.

There were several positives to come from this experience: firstly it shows I am learning to pace myself during a race. If I can reach the end having given it my all, then I can only improve. Secondly, and this is something I didn't notice myself at first - Anthony pointed it out - my recovery was excellent. From being bent double and feeling almost sick I very quickly regained my composure and went off to collect my reward of a glass of water, mars bar and a commemorative t-shirt. This shows how much my cardio-vascular fitness has improved in recent months.

Thirdly, and most significantly, was the enjoyment factor. My next major race will be the Swindon half marathon on 16th October. After that, I hope to run the Reading and Bath half marathons in early 2006 and then train for the London marathon in 2007. Now that I am starting to enjoy races I can think of no reason why I shouldn't achieve each of these goals.

Another good thing about today was being able to spend a bit more time with Anthony, getting to know each other better. Whilst I see him most days at the gym, his client base is expanding at such an exponential rate I rarely get to chat to him for very long. On the way back we talked about various things, including our mutual appreciation of good wine. On arriving back at the gym I urged him to take the wonderful Sideways from the DVD library. I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did.

I myself returned home to enjoy a few well-earned cold beers and catch up on events in the Oval test match.

Which leads me to my one area of concern - what am I going to do now there's no cricket to look forward to after a race?? At least Anthony and I have decided to get a few of us together for a beer after the Swindon half marathon next month. Hopefully many of you reading will join us in celebrating the next landmark in my new hobby - you would be very welcome and your support is much appreciated.

Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, September 2005

"You came here no 1 in the world, and you're going home no 2.."

2005-09-02T23:31:00.000Z

It's funny, I never much liked Geoffrey Boycott, but my opinion of him changed slightly when he made the above comment to an Australian on the Sunday morning of the fourth test at Trent Bridge.

On the face of it he would seem to have a point. Since the Australian team's overwhelming victory at Lords, they have been outplayed by England in each of the three subsequent tests. The matches have been exciting because of the standard of cricket played throughout, and also because in each match, Australia, staring defeat in the face, have fought tooth and nail to avoid it. Both Shane Warne and Brett Lee, in England's second innings at Trent Bridge, clearly believed that between them they could skittle England for less than the 129 runs required for victory, and came frighteningly close, but the tail-enders held their nerve and saw England home.
When the Australians arrived here at the start of the summer and headed for France to pay their respects at war graves, I wondered if they had any idea that this tour could mark the beginning of the end for them, at least in terms of their hegemony in world cricket.

Knowing what I know now, I doubt it. After Lords there were boasts from their camp that they could win the series 5-0. How they must have wished they had kept their mouths shut, especially when England went 2-1 up, rendering it impossible for Australia to win the series.

This boils down largely to complacency, which is reflected in the make-up of their team. For example, they assumed they could make do with four bowlers. This is all well and good if all four are fit and in form, but not when their leading seamer, Glenn McGrath, falls over a cricket ball during a warm up, misses a match, and then having made a miraculous recovery to take part in the next test, goes down with a recurring elbow injury in the fourth.

Jason Gillespie has been a shadow of his former self, and in the first test it was palpable that he had lost the pace and zip that broke the finger of the England captain during his last visit to these shores in 2001. England's batsmen wasted no time in exposing the weak link, and after taking 3 wickets for 300 runs, Australia were forced to make changes while England kept an unchanged side. Dizzy had, quite literally, been hit out of the attack.

Similarly, two of Australia's most destructive batsmen, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, have failed to inflict the kind of mayhem that was expected of them. Hayden has now not scored a hundred in his last 30 innings. Australia made no contingency plans should his poor form continue during this tour, and, as there is no other specialist opener in their squad Hayden will almost certainly keep his place at the Oval - but I think it is equally certain that Justin Langer will have a new opening partner after this tour.

Gilchrist's case is rather different I feel - he is a unique talent, but is nonetheless human, and being the pivotal player that he is, England have left no stone unturned in working out how to deal with him. England's best bowler, Flintoff, has now dismissed him four times in as many tests and the best keeper/batsman of all time is rapidly becoming his "bunny". A corollary of this is that Gilchrist's confidence has been dented, and the other area of his game - keeping wicket - has suffered. He is spilling catches he would normally snaffle, which could be put down to pressure, but if he struggles with one side of his game he can never be completely relaxed in the other. He will retain his place after this tour, but time alone will tell if he keeps his reputation as the world's most feared batsman.

It seems that England have now become masters of "mental disintegration". More importantly they went into this series believing Australia were fallible. I'm not sure the same can be said of other England teams in Ashes series since 1987.

At every stage of the series Australia have stated that they had been following England's progress over the last year or so, and knew they were up against a much-improved team. It is clear now that they have a healthy respect for their opponents - the fact that the players have been sharing a beer after tense matches such as the Trent Bridge is testament to that - but I'm not sure Australia knew just how much England had improved in areas such as mental toughness. More importantly perhaps, I don't think they stopped to consider the scope for improvement that existed - and still exists - within the team.

After the first test Australia made no secret of their plans to target Ashley Giles so that Vaughan would have no option other than to increase the workloads of Harmison and Flintoff, thus wearing them out. Best laid plans and all that - they clearly hadn't reckoned with a muscular Welshman by the name of Jones stepping up to plate and taking 18 wickets at an average of 21.

I am particularly pleased with this. Not just because young Simon attracts a great deal of female interest in the game - always a good thing! No, I am delighted for him because I feel it is just reward. It has taken a lot of hard work, determination and sheer guts for Jones to come back from that horrible injury at Brisbane in 2002, and he sets a fine example to us all. I told a few people earlier in the summer he could be the surprise package of the series, and I was right. Funny to think that England's hopes of finally regaining the Ashes seem to depend on whether he recovers from injury in time for the Oval test. I'm quietly confident he will.

My prediction for the fifth and final test? Keep watching this space.

Goodbye Dearest Holly (book review)

2005-08-31T21:37:00.000Z

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0907633021/qid=1125524326/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/202-1025626-8554246

Everyone remembers the summer of 2002 for all the wrong reasons - the disappearance of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the discovery of the bodies and the subsequent arrest of Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr.

3 years on, reading this was a fairly surreal experience for me. Normally I can't wait to get stuck into my next novel - I hoard books like you wouldn't believe, saving my favourite authors' latest offerings for my next beach holiday. The reason I love reading so much is, I believe, I can always identify with the protagonists in some way and always want the best possible outcome for them. Escapism - that's all it boils down to. As an aspiring novelist, that's exactly what I want to create for my prospective readers.

This was very different kind of reading for me. I knew that the protagonists were real, and that there was no happy ending (there is a section at the end that explains what happens to their son Oliver but that's about it). There was no point rooting for them.

The book explains in agonising detail everything the Wells family went through, and instead of getting involved, I felt myself trying to distance myself from their experiences. Had I actually dwelled upon the fact that these people actually DID go through all this and that lovely little girl in the pictures actually IS the girl who died at the hands of a paedophile the system so catastrophically failed to root out, I believe I would have broken down in tears too many times to enable me to finish reading.

But don't let that put you off trying - this is a story that deserves to be heard. For me, most poignant is the family's wish not to be treated any different from anyone else - Kevin talks about how people crossed the street when he and Nicola walked through Soham after the tragic event and how people went silent in the queue for the aeroplane as they were about to embark on a holiday to Gran Canaria. There is a message here - sometimes it is best not to treat people any differently. I remember how I returned to work nearly nine years ago when my mother had died - the people who made it easiest were the ones who made me feel that while I had their sympathy, I was important to have around and it was good to see me.

At the end of the day, there's nothing you can say to a bereaved person to make them feel better, so just let them know you care.

Anyway, on a very different note entirely, I recall how I reacted angrily at the time at how Ian Huntley was being treated by the prison system and that, as I seem to remember saying, "there's only one place he should be sent, and it's called the gallows". Not everyone agreed with me.

I have changed my stance since then. In the meantime I have read Jeffrey Archer's excellent prison diaries (volumes I, II & III) and now know what happens to paedophiles and sex offenders in British prisons.

Execution would have been far too merciful for Ian Huntley.

Something for the weekend..

2005-08-22T13:39:00.000Z

One of the downsides to working shifts is that you don't get all that many weekends off - you are at the mercy of the roster. And when you do, you often end up not doing very much at all, as people tend to write you off socially, assuming you will be in work. And it's sod's law that if I do get invited anywhere I am working, and there is nothing going on when I have a weekend off.

This weekend, thankfully, proved rather different.

On Saturday I went out for a meal with Fahim and Maxine from the gym, and their friend Dave (who I had already met at parties and other events). We went to the Swindon Rendezvous, a vastly underrated Chinese restaurant in Swindon town centre. For those of you that haven't been, I highly recommend it. The food is superb, better than a lot of Chinese restaurants I have been to, and the service is second to none, fast and efficient whilst remaining extremely friendly. At no point were we made to feel rushed in any way. The Swindon Rendezvous also offers excellent value for money - you can take advantage of the "all you can eat buffet" which will cost you £18 at the weekend and £15 on weeknights. All in all, an excellent venue for a work do, night out with friends, or something more romantic..

On the subject of things romantic, I had a cinema ticket for Sunday morning to see a preview of the highly acclaimed "The 40-year old virgin". This was a special showing for UGC unlimited cardholders.

The film was highly enjoyable but did not quite meet my expectations, especially as it has achieved an average vote of 7.9 out of 10 on imdb.com. For me the film took too long to get going, used too many clichés (drunk girl throwing up over the protagonist, protagonist attracts nubile yet mentally deranged girl) and the makers didn't seem to know which way to go with the humour - it was somewhere between gross-out and the more subtle, melancholic humour of Sideways. Either would be fine with me, but I had the feeling the producers weren't really sure what sort of film they were making.

In the afternoon I ventured into Bath with my current lodger, Hannes, who is doing a work placement at BP in Swindon, and his friend Julia (pronounced You-lia). I always enjoy a trip to Bath - these days I usually go there to meet up with my friend Pete for a drink, but the aim this time was to show Hannes and Julia the sights. So as well as doing a quick bit of shopping I showed them Pulteney Bridge, the Abbey, the Roman Baths (being impecunious students they chose not to pay the entrance fee and so didn't go in), the Royal Crescent and the Botanical Gardens (one of Bath's lesser known attractions and somewhere I regularly used to go for Sunday afternoon walks with my parents).

When they had had enough of sightseeing I took them for what I hoped would be a special treat: a burger from Schwartz Bros, next to the theatre. Unfortunately Julia's meal didn't go down too well - something Hannes put down to too much beer the night before.

I had anticipated that we would spend the evening in Bath and visit some of my favourite pubs that I have been frequenting for the best part of the last 20 years - the Crystal palace, the Huntsman, the Roundhouse, and some of the newer ones such as the All Bar One. Unfortunately Hannes and Julia were not in the mood for drinking after a late night the previous day and so our day in Bath ended earlier than expected. Had I brought a good book or a paper I would have been tempted to stay in Bath without them, but alas this was not the case!

There was one surprise remaining however - in the lounge at the station was a man bearing an uncanny resemblance to the actor Bill Nighy. I was tempted to approach him but felt that if it was indeed the famous thespian, it would be politic to respect his privacy. I like to think that if I ever achieve fame and fortune (it could still happen!!) people might do the same for me..

A Captain's Innings (or three)

2005-08-16T06:34:00.000Z

What a fantastic series the Ashes is turning out to be. Australia running away with victory in the first test at Lords, then England coming back strongly to level the series at Edgbaston, denying the aussies an historic win in the process. Yet, in the first two tests, no batsman on either side had scored a century..

With the series level at 1-1 there was everything to play for in the third test at Old Trafford. I think many people forgot that from the players' perspectives, there were also reputations at stake in this all-important encounter.

Michael Vaughan, the England captain, so dominant in the previous series between these two sides, had looked horribly out of form in the series thus far, clean bowled three times in four innings. With a player of his class however, you always know that another great innings is just around the corner. And so it proved at Old Trafford, as he notched up 166 runs to help England to a first innings total of 444, putting them in the box seat.

Another England captain, the future one, Andrew Strauss, was another player who, so far in the series, had been unable to reproduce the serene form that gave him one of the most prolific starts to a test career by an England batsman. It seemed he was in thrall to the great Australian leg-spinner, Shane Warne. In the second innings however, he survived a nasty blow to the head and a cut ear to record his first century against the old enemy, enable England to declare, and dispel any doubts about his ability to cut it against the best bowler the world has ever seen.

Whilst these two magnificient knocks would normally be contenders for the man of the match award, the greatest innings of the series was still to come. Australia were set a world record 423 to win, needing 399 of these on the last day. There were only two likely outcomes - a draw (the most likely) or an England victory, if they could take all 10 Australian wickets in three sessions.

In the end England came tantalisingly close to pulling off an amazing win and going 2-1 up in the series. As it was, they were denied victory largely by one of the greatest innings from a captain when it was needed most. Ricky Ponting will return to his homeland with a scar on his right cheek to remind him of this tour, and still could return home without the Ashes. To add to his woes, there were rumours of mutiny within the Australian camp and of a heated argument between himself and Shane Warne, also regarded by many as the best captain Australian never had. However he was resolutley determined not to lose his grip on the urn just yet, and scored 156 runs off 411 balls in a Mike Atherton-esque innings, surviving seven hours at the crease and withstanding the fiercest pace attack in world cricket at the moment. Brian Lara may hold the world record for most runs scored in an innings, but in the context of its importance to a side, this was as good as it gets.

Will it prove in vain? Can England still win the Ashes? With Vaughan and Strauss back in form, I wouldn't bet against it. But only a fool would write this Australian team off just yet and another knock or two like that from the touring captain and the nation's dream could be put on hold for a couple of years at least.