2006 - February

[El Gordo]

Hang on Sweder, you picked up a 10K PB just a couple of days ago....

Still, I do take some comfort from the thought that I've not been the only naughty one.

It's not really an alcohol thing with me. As I've often said, it's not that I drink much, or frequently, it's that my diet goes to pot. I find it hard to have a beer without gobbling crisps and peanuts, hard to have a glass of wine at home without wanting to get the cheese board out. It's these high-fat snacks late at night that seem to suck the enthusiam out of me at times. I wake up next day just feeling bloated and demotivated.

But let's not turn this into a crisis. It's a blip. In your case, if I'm honest, I don't think it matters that much. You'll get round Paris in a comfortable time. It doesn't matter overmuch if you're 5 or 10 outside your PB. I'm a bit more anxious because I'm likely to get hauled off the course, which I'll hate, but I suppose if it happens, it's not the end of the world. I'll just have to do an autumn marathon to get that qualifying time for next year.

There are worse things happening in the world than the temporary loss of rhythm in a running training plan.