25

Its very easy for me to dig into the statistics for the Syd Quirk Half Marathon as I completed a database of all results (apart from one year) a long time ago and so the hard work has been done. I've also compiled the race results for the past few years so it is easy to update and re-publish.

I've always been proud of one of my times in the race when I dipped under 71 minutes in 1981. I knew it was still well up on the overall rankings but was surprised, when I revisited the stats on Monday evening, to realise that I was 6th best and to see just how little change there has been to the ranking list during the past 15 years.

I was two or three weeks past my 25th birthday when I did my time. Officially I was in a rest period after a very long season of race walking which finished at the end of September with a 9.38 100km. I raced the York 7 miles (recent visitor Peter Ryan pipped me for 3rd) and the first winter league walk in October but I had a quiet month. I slipped in a couple of lunch time runs around the Southern 100 course (I was working at Ronaldsway Aircraft Company at the time) and that was my preparation for the Syd Quirk. I was blown away by Steve Kelly and Dave Lockley on the first lap but I managed to get past Dave Newton. Then Dave L dropped out and I chased Steve from a distance of a third of a mile - close enough to see him most of the time. My run barely got a mention in the newspaper because Steve was setting such high standards.

This year the race is four days after our son Robbie's 25th birthday. He made his debut in the race last year and was very proud to win the merit award. He has entered this year but unfortunately won't be taking part now and his birthday today is not quiet as happy as it should be. Hopefully he will be back in action later in the winter in the cross country and the Ramsey Firemans which he won last year.

A few family matters kept me away from the website and football on TV last night. Not least when my mother-in-law got her key stuck in her front door. I was hoping that nobody with a camera would see me trying to break into her flat in Windsor Terrace!