88 reasons to miss cross country

As I journeyed on the train with my brother between Birmingham and Droitwich yesterday afternoon, we passed the huge site of the former Longbridge Rover car factory before seeing Cofton Park to the right of the train. "That's where the Pope held his open air mass in 2010" said Mike. "I know" I replied. "Its also where the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships are being held tomorrow and I wish I stay to watch".

I had several moments like that when I was in Birmingham but I was back on Manx soil soon after 11 today on a replacement FlyBe plane after the first one developed a fault. How I wish I could have had a more leisurely  breakfast with the 90 minutes that we were delayed.

Not that I needed too much breakfast as I was also out for lunch at 12.30. It was my mother-in-law's 88th birthday and we went to the Palace Hotel. Given how close she was to passing away last September her birthday was well worthy of my principal celebration for the day.

After going for a drive and falling asleep (thankfully not at the same time) it was only a short time ago that I got around to watching Keith Gerrard's masterly display in the Inter Counties Cross Country.

Due to Keith's successes, some of the other fine performances by Manx athletes are being overshadowed but I can't help that - particularly when it is so hard to find the results from these big budget meetings. If Manx meetings can do it why can't others get the results published with easy to find prominent links?

Cameras missing

Believe it or not, there is another member of my family who can take more photos of a single subject than me - its my brother Mike. And yet we spent several hours together with his family at his house in Droitwich today and neither of us took any photos - not even of his younger grandson who I had not seen before!

We made up for it tonight at Birmingham Hall when we watched Fairport Convention together for the first time ever. They are my favourite band and have been together for 45 years. Founder member Simon Nichol (left) has a beard to match Mike on the right.

More photos  http://isleofman.in/p587865402

The All England Badminton Championships are being held a stone throw from here. I wonder if there are any Manx here? I'll be running along the canal in the morning before the equivalent of a supermarket trolley dash for breakfast as I reckon I only have 10 minutes to fill and empty my plate if I am going to catch the train and the plane,

All day breakfast - as long as its not breakfast time

I've had the morning to myself in Brum and having failed to secure an early check in at my hotel I set off for something to eat. It did amuse me that a couple of pubs nearby were advertising all day breakfasts but didn't open until lunchtime! Thank heavens for Weaherspoons.

I do enjoy re-learning my way around city centres, wandering around shops and museums. I'm staying close to the National Indoor Arena, a famous athletics venue in which I have not yet seen the inside of. Jess Ennis is not here today of course because she is in Turkey doing rather well so far.

A second attempt to check in has failed so I'm using the wi-fi in the hotel lobby before meeting my brother Mike at New Street Station.

Away day in Birmingham

I'm spending the day in Birmingham but unfortunately I missed the chance to stay over to watch the inter counties cross country tomorrow.

I have just seen Sarah and Katie Astin, who are in the Lancashire team, with their parents in the departure lounge, They didn't enjoy getting up at 5 am today. I had a short run at 5.15 this morning, one of my earliest ever.

Keith featured in AW

If you don't subscribe to Athletics Weekly, it will be worth buying this week's addition to read the full version of this article about Keith.

Parish Walk day

Manx Telecom are holding their media/sponsor's lunch today and I am attending. So I won't have time for any lunchtime updates today and I will be focusing on the Parish Walk this evening.

Thanks to David Griffiths for his latest cross country statistics which I published earlier this morning.

I met the former punk who featured in the recent oldie photo when out training this morning - in Athol Street of all places.

Emails worst for a while

After having so many things on the agenda last week and then two athletics events over the weekend it was inevitable that I would start to go backwards with my email for the first time for a while. I have two different "things" to attend tomorrow, one professional and one social but in fairly formal surroundings, that I am going to go backwards before forwards. And no more video editing until at least Thursday.