Dizzy - Tommy Roe

I don't know what my Welsh Granddad would have thought about me running round (and round and round round and round and round .etc for another 99.4 times) his home town in Jenner Park, Barry but I know what I think! It was a bloody hard day out... yes the laps are soul destroying and somewhat lonley compounded by having just 22 runners.

A shame really as it's the oldest running race in the UK and there were some great performances there yesterday with two world records and a certain J A Salter winning the Welsh Ultra Running Championship, even beating the blokes... a right Paula eh?

Anyway... back to the laps and I was really pleased with my 3:44:25 for the 26.2 miles that I did. It was actually my 21st best marathon ever so that can't be bad. I was thru 10 in 1:18 so I can do a sub 3:30 again in my lifetime and want to have a go at this before I am 50.

I think I will have to join my local running club to do so though! Watch out Long Eaton...

More later...

Fire - The Crazy World of Arthur brown

My daughter, Pearl is 6 on Tuesday and on the way to Cardiff today, evergreen Tony Blackburn was on Radio 2 doing 'Pick of the Pops' from 1968... when I too was 6. Jenny didn't know what to make of some of the songs I am sure, especially 'The Legend of Xanadu' by Dozy Beaky Mick and Titch...pure class and with whip crack no less!

I did try and explain but she also hadn't heard of Tiger Feet by Mud from '74, so I stopped trying...

Talking Tiger Feet, I'm going to need them tomorrow round the Track in Barry. I have dipped out doing the 26.2 rather than the 40 mile option but it will hopefully keep me around the same pace as the pack...well hopefully eh?

It will be a good test of my fitness and a great day out I'm sure...more tomorrow as I am off to get my stick-on side burns and back comb my hair! Now where's that whip?

Depeche Mode - ULTRA

My daughter Hannah reminded me of this one earlier today and it got me thinking about Dave Gahan who is the same age as me... looking back at the Videos he was just so clean cut and all the members of DM were all so terribly pretty as I remember...

From there, seeing him go thru a number of overdoses and self mutilations always made me feel really sad for him.

They did make great music though and they had and still have a massive global following.

I wonder if that will happen for son George with his band Toxic Federation... if anyone knows Joe Elliot or Mutt Lange btw please let me know as these boys rock! Note to son... don't do Speedballs!

More tomorrow from Carbo-loading land...

The Wall - Pink Floyd

We've had a great day out on Hadrian's Wall today looking at the possibility of an off road marathon on the one of the UK's most prestigious trails... it's early days as yet with our planning and add a date of Sunday August 7th to our diary... you heard it first here!

As you can see from the picture on Flickr, the wall was just stunning in the spring sunshine and the trail is just awesome... a real runner's dream.

We went to the aptly name Wall and on thru Housesteads and onto Cawfields, which would make a great start.

We'll keep you posted on this one and fingers crossed eh?

Planet Earth - Duran Duran

Do you ever go clubbing these days?... We were talking about our 'Clubbing Days' earlier today. Mine were at a time when dry ice wasn't needed as most people smoked... also your clothes smelt terrible when you woke up the next day...

There certainly weren't 'E's back then or shots, just pints of lager to get you dancing to the latest 'New Romantic' offering... Hey those were the days...

I wonder what happens now... looking on, people get far more trollied than we ever did and it now costs a small mortgage to 'have a good night out' when it used to cost 'a fiver and still have change left over' to get pretty hammered and make a fool of yourself.

My how times change... You dancin'?

Life of Mine - Toxic Federation

I did a V02 Max 'Cooper Test' on myself today and went thru the pain barrier to predict a 3hrs 20mins marathon... yes, it hurt but it was very interesting to see where my own performance is right now before running a track marathon at the Barry 40 at the weekend.

From here till then it's resting and carbo-loading so that I can have a go at a over 40 personal best. We'll see eh?

It will be nice to have a sort of rest before then as the weekends London ULTRA has left me somewhat fatigued. So it's an early finish (2113hrs) finish in the ULTRArace office tonight and time to hang up the laptop before 2200hrs for once.

More later...

Fade to Grey - Visage

During my Power Hour on the treadmill today, I suddenly became very aware the everyone in my ield of view was wearing Grey Tracky bottoms... Whoever designed these has no idea of a) fashionable b) sizing c) wicking ability.

They are simply AWFUL imo... does anyone know when they arrived on our shores or where they came from... as I want to send them back. Don't give me the comfort, warm and cosy cheap line about them as none of this is relative to just how much I loathe the very sight of their baggy, grey appearance.

Ron Hill Tracksters are a light year more preferable and even they are old man trousers. Even I am too young for those bad boys!

Designers... have a rethink... Grey tracky bottoms are off to Room 101 and I am off to bed!

More tomorrow...