Some of the news from Ramsey

I know that there were at least 48 starters in the 4 lap race at Ramsey last night because I was handed finisher number 46. I only passed one runner and one dropped out.

I was among the last three to start the race and such a contrast in ages. With me was Kevin Vondy who like me is the wrong side of 50. We found it staggering that at our ages there was nobody starting behind us on the handicap. Incidentally, Kevin was pleased with his time of 3.01 for the marathon in Belfast. I had forgotten that he had been suffering from shingles and they can linger for months and sometimes years. He went to the race expecting to run 3.15. He knew that it would be tough from 20 miles but he hit the pain barrier earlier than expected at 18 miles but was relieved that he did not have to walk. He was also very pleased to finish 29th in the rally last weekend - his best ever finish.

I didn't see Kevin after the first lap last night. I tried to follow him but my lungs were on fire on the hill in my first race since London and my legs reacted to four morning runs last week after virtually nothing the two weeks previously. I had a stinker and finished in 25.25 which was more than 2 minutes slower than in the opening round and almost four minutes outside my best.

One thing I like about the Ramsey handicapping is that I won't move up the handicap next time around. Its up to me to get myself to a race in my best form and I shouldn't be rewarded with a generous handicap next time around for failing to do so.

The other starter at the back of the field, thankfully, did have youth on his side. 15 year old Oliver Lockley may have started a little quick but he got into his stride and like Kevin caught quite a few of the field.

On my third lap I saw Tom Melvin sitting on a bench on the seaward side of the park holding his leg and looking in pain. He was still there next time around, generously, encouraging all of the runners on their final lap but I understand he may have incurred a nasty injury so best wishes from all the runners to him. I was chatting to him before the start and he seemed to be fairly pleased with his running after an illness that required an operation last year and a number of previous injuries.

And talking about operations, I was aware that Bernard Cannan's father, Michael MHK David Cannan, had an operation last week and I heard the detail from Bernie last night. His dad had gone to Liverpool for an eye operation but when they carried out the routine tests they discovered a heart problem and he was rushed to a different hospital for emergency treatment and he had a pacemaker fitted. He is back at home in Ballaugh but best wishes to him too.

I thought I would amuse Paul Curphey by telling him that I had been as slow as he had in the opening round only to find that he had recorded another personal worst of about 25.45. We crawled around the course one more time for a warm down and found a search party on the hill looking for Eric Lee's tooth that had dropped out during the race. I hope that it was found.

I was nearly late for the race because Robbie was stuck in the bathroom for ages before we left. He had returned in the afternoon from a four night holiday with eight others, organised by Autism Initiatives, in Edinburgh. He spent a couple of hours with me in the office waiting for me to take him home. Because he had not eaten lunch he went out to buy a snack and came back with bread and jam. I suggested he did not eat too much but I didn't realise that he had bought diabetic jam and ignored the warnings not to eat too much. I didn't know about the affects that diabetic jam can have on your stomach. Neither did Robbie but he does now. And after continuing to get stomach pains during the race the bathroom was occupied a lot more last night!