The Bigger Uglier Picture

I feel a bit ill, another cold perhaps. I don’t understand this; I don’t have one for around ten years and then suddenly get several in one winter. It’s not on really. Who do I complain to? I decide to cancel my planned run but then after getting up, I start to feel a bit more human. Making myself ill-er might stuff my performance at Huddersfield on Sunday, if we’re in it, but then again the ‘undulating’ course will probably do that anyway. I need to think of the bigger, uglier picture, e.g. the Reading Half Marathon next month.

So I run and it’s a horrible run but I did it all and didn’t feel too unwell at the end of it. Problem is now that I’ve left my car five miles away, so I need to run back to it as well.

You’re never too old. Even 83 year olds drink Jagerbombs.

I survive the run back to the car, which is at my parent’s house because there’s a football match tonight.

It’s a much improved performance but with the same result, which doesn’t bode well. We actually had several shots on target second half, more than we’ve probably had since Christmas, even if you add all the games together. We were for once the better side but still we lost the game.

In the end an injury to our goalkeeper cost us the game, as our nineteen year old substitute keeper misjudged a corner. Too much cost cutting you see, we no longer have an experienced reserve keeper.

We’ve had a call from Huddersfield. I'm afraid we're in. Oh goodie.

(Tuesday 22nd February)

A New Puppy

Doggo got a new football for Christmas and he’s like a puppy with a new toy. I’ve not seen him so animated about anything in years. Particularly not his agility competitions, sadly. Unfortunately our reborn puppy will be ten this year and he’s not really up to such shenanigans any more. Consequently he appears to suffer with a few aching limbs afterwards. I can sympathise. The same thing happens to me, when I think I can keep up with the youngsters in my 10k’s.

In the afternoon a rare victory for Derby at Preston is overshadowed by the antics of a duck. The duck in question being Deepdale Duck, Preston's mascot.



DD got in trouble for continually distracting Derby’s goalkeeper Stephen Bywater during the match. Bywater seem to complain to the referee who ignored his pleas at first, that is until the duck allegedly flicked two fingers at Bywater. The referee then requested that he be removed. Cue a couple of stewards trying to corner the duck, who was reluctant to be removed before finally he was marched down the tunnel and off the ground.

The duck has plenty of 'previous' but I won't go into that here.

We have a race tomorrow, finally, so we stay in but an intention to be AF doesn’t quite go to plan and quite a bit of wine is sunk. Which I shall regret if I’m down the field tomorrow.

(Saturday 1st January)