London Marathon 2010 by Phoenixnight

What a delight it was to get back off holiday from Portugal to find that the long hot summer that we had been promised in the UK had finally arrived - not! What a great country Portugal is. Fantastic weather, uncrowded roads, uncrowded beaches (if you get away from the tourist hotspots), plus you don't get that wall of heat that you get in some other European countries that make it stifling.

I've developed a passing interest in surfing and Buddhism over the years, so my holiday read - Saltwater Buddha by Jaimal Yogis - barely made it to the second day of the holiday. I couldn't put it down. What an interesting life the guy has led, far more exciting than mine. Now I know I'm rubbish at surfing, but anyone who has ever ridden a wave will know that feeling of exiliration you get when you finally stand up and ride that first wave. You feel like you're King of the World. But Jaimal pointed out that when we surf, we probably spend less than 1% the time actally standing up on the board. So 99% of the time is actually spend paddling and waiting for the wave. That hit me like a sledgehammer - but believe me, that 99% effort makes the 1% of pleasure all worthwhile.

Managed to get some running in, though the heat and the incessant strong breeze don't make for great running conditions. So it's back pounding the streets of Bolton this week.

Arrived back just in time to watch Tom Watson's final round at Turnberry. Turnberry is the only Open venue I've played. so I was reliving my round as well, though it's fair to say that Tom took fewer shots than I did. When I was a young lad in the 70s, Tom was a hero of mine, and I've always thought the way he has conducted himself over the years has shown that my hero worship was not misplaced. What a tragedy that his approach to the 18th just roled a few inches too far into the rough, and then he couldn't ole the return. But at 59 he provided true inspiration for all of us who think we may be too old to reach our former glories...it's never too late!