This Sporting Life

I've been trying to write about the whole Olympic/Paralympic phenomena that swept across the media over the Summer but I couldn't get my own take on it down right . So anyway...

I enjoyed the Olympics as always and there was an extra  special feeling about it being held in London. I do wish, as I have written previously, that I had made more of an effort to attend the Games.

I will watch the Olympics next time round in Rio. But will I go to an Athletics meeting? Will I watch a Diamond League event.Possibly but no more so than I would have done anyway.I enjoyed the Paralympics but I doubt I will watch the Rio games anymore than I watched the Beijing games.

I don’t know if there will be a big boost in participation in athletics, swimming etc. There has been much talk of inspiring a generation but the athletics season has now ended and we are headed into the cold of winter. The much talked about big boost for cycling was in fact already well under way and had been for years at least here in the North East.

And so we are left with the football. With all it promise of glory but in reality a big con trick on us all. We sort of know it but because football seems to be in our DNA we always forgive it for letting us down. Like that good friend who is never really around when you need them. And so I am off to see Posh again next Tuesday against Bristol City. I know we will probably lose but I'll give them just one more chance. Just one more, honest.

Contrary it seems to most of the press and public I thought England played well against Ukraine this week and were unlucky to only get a draw. My son, who was  there in the Stadium  thought the same. But the latent anti Roy Hodgsdon media tendency , led on 5Live by Alan Green, wasted no time in getting the knife stuck in Roy’s back.

Maybe we should be more honest and accept that some of our English  players are made to look good by the foreign players they play alongside in the Premier League.

I remember the days of League 1 and Two football with Posh  ( soon to be revisited , I fear) where there are few foreign players. I used to call it proper  football and it consisted ( and still does) of big kicks up the middle and running around like headless chickens after the ball and crunching tackles.  That is a generalisation I accept but the rare players of quality stood out a mile and weren’t there very long anyway as the bigger clubs came in for them and paid well over the odds fees that keep the little clubs afloat for another season.

This weekend is Great North Run weekend. I am approaching this year with more than a little trepidation. I have been plagued by injury and little niggles( heels, calf, groin) all year which has affected my training. This year I have the added pressure of my brother and sister in law coming up to run it, in my sister-in-laws case for the first time and for my brother- in- law the first time in 10 years.

My sister- in- law has the zeal of the convert and I suspect will finish before me quite easily. Not so sure about my brother- in- law. He is dogged and determined but not that fit these days.But he always used to beat me and I have become complacent these days about the half marathon and need the thrill of a marathon ( like last years) to inspire me. I predict my time will be around 2:10. The  7k  run home from work tonight felt good and I hope will set me up for Sunday. It's on the BBC. You might spot me. I'll be the middle aged bald bloke with a grey T shirt on. There's not many of us so I should be easy to see!

I have for the first time entered the Ballot for the London Marathon. I hope I get a place. I have always had a secret desire to run this one since watching the first one all those years ago, before I even started running.