They did

As predicted, there are more than 400 entries for the End to End Walk now - 406 to be exact.

I've never been a fan of opening ceremonies at major games - tickets are usually harder to obtain than for the sports. To me it would be a bit like going to the cinema and leaving after the adverts when I would avoid them if I could.

Nevertheless, I watched the BBC's streaming of the Commonwealth Youth Games opening tonight. Sitting in a warm kitchen eating my evening meal, I quite enjoyed it. I think the issue is that the host country is always very proud of their own efforts whereas most of the visitors just want to get to the action.

I have the utmost respect, however, for all of the people who worked so hard to stage the Games in the Isle of Man and they should be proud tonight.

I'm afraid that I am not so proud of my website efforts but its been a long day. As part of my training for the Amsterdam Marathon I have made two 6 am starts this week and this morning I ran twice around what we used to call the Fireman's course. With a dog leg at the beginning and end it is 12 miles but when you reach Summerhill for the first time and feel knackered at less than four miles, you know its going to be a long day.

It must have been a long day for the visiting athletes too as there were plenty to be seen in their tracksuits on the promenade between 6 and 7 this morning.