Another wheezy week

Last week was lost to just being busy. What a rubbish excuse. Missing a week's training needs to be for something unavoidable and big. How does 'having a cold' shape up?

Well, it was probably flu really. I felt a bit rough on Monday and a bit shakey on Tuesday. My sore throat progressed to a cough and a runny nose and by Wednesday I was feeling very sorry for myself. No one else was - Tom and Finn overshadowed me with a couple of days of proper vomitting.

Fuelled by Lemsip, I went for a half-hearted, half mile jog/walk on Thursday - a pointless exercise (but a good pun). Friday I felt a bit better, but was still coughing like a chainsmoker. With half an eye on the Snaefell Fell Race, I tested my coughing limit with a run down to the village and (much more importantly) back up. I managed to keep running the whole way and felt 500% better than the day before. Once I stopped I coughed non-stop, but there was a glimmer of hope...

Saturday was a beautiful morning at work and apart from waking the residents of Cronk Elfin with a 4.15am coughing concerto, I felt pretty good. Snaefell and Clagh Ouyr looked sunny, benign and inviting on the drive back over the mountain and I could hear the 'why not - just jog round' voice much louder than the 'don't be daft - you'll feel awful' one. You can guess the rest. I did it. Despite a coughing fit on the way up in the car (brought on by laughing at Les Dawson on the radio) I got round without too much wheezing and actually felt quite strong.

Sunday's Manx 10km Walk Champs saw a small but quality field walking 12.5 laps of the NSC. Peter Kaneen and Marie Latham were the winners, but there were some fantastic walks behind them. Top billing goes to Michael George (in the photo don't his hands look like wax?) who set his third pb in two weeks (20km, 5km and 10km) and smashed the 50 minute barrier. Jock waddington was faster than ever to take bronze and Simon Capelen set a pb - 30 years after his previous one. Jane Mooney was one of just a few Parish walkers to contest the race (speed is important too folks) and was rewarded with a 61 minute pb. I had itchy feet again.