Ok chaps! Here's my first and probably last race report.

Last Sunday I ran my 7th marathon in Belfast and finished in

4.21.11. I never felt better after a marathon for two

reasons:

1. It is a lovely course. Monday was a perfect day for

running and my time was slow, even by my standards which

brings me on to the second.

2. About 6 months ago I went for a 4 mile run around where I

live with a friend of mine from Limavady in Derry. He had

taken up running and said he wanted to run a marathon. To

shorten the text, we found ourselves in Belfast on Mayday at

9am and he completed his wish. We were tipping along well

until he hit the wall at 18 and we walked, ran the last 8

miles. As we were caressing a few pints that night in

Limavady, he said he would have probably dropped out if he had

been on his own. I was delighted with that and we were soon

planning our next assault on 26.2 and he vowed to do more long

runs, hydrate better, eat more carbs (you know the usual!!!) I

advised him that joining a running club was essential!!!

On the 20th Feb 2002, I ran/walked three laps of a track in

Vlasenica in Bosnia. This was my first ever run for runnings

sake. The man who introduced me to running is still a good

friend and we even breasted the tape together at Connemara 05.

Last Monday i met Colette O Hagan at the start and she told me

she was running marathon no 130. I met her at Chicago 03 and

she stayed with us for Connemara 04. She told me she had met

Ray and I looked for him to congratulate him on that

inspirational run in London but could not find him.

This load of waffle is my way of saying that running is a

great hobby, you meet some very sound people and even though

my Marathon times are very moderate, they keep giving me

medals so I must be doing something right. I am halfway to

the grand slam but wife, toddler, work, baby no 2 in Sept are

the obstacles in the way of Longford and especially Dublin.

Answers on a postcard please.

All the best,

Paul.