London Marathon - No problem!.........I'll just blog it. by RichEvans

Completed a 6.03 mile run in 53 minutes and 16 seconds.

After last week discovering the beneficial effects of pasta for long distance running, I have since eaten no more pasta. Well - it would be like cheating.

Consequently, last night I went for the more unorthodox marathon dietary choice of large sausage in batter and chips.

I placed my order, and the man kindly scooped out a generous portion of chips and placed the sausage on top. ‘£2.40 please’. Bargain. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a large handful of ‘stuff ’, not realising until it was too late that I had accidentally flung a small tub of Vaseline across the counter, towards the shop owner, which had neatly landed on the chip paper in front of him.

A frozen look of panic set on both our faces. We had left the normal confines of the chip shop man – customer relationship. How do you effectively communicate, that the reason you carry a small tub of Vaseline in your pocket is because you are an athlete, which you need to prevent your legs chaffing when on long runs, whilst all the time he’s is holding your freshly ordered large sausage in batter and chips?

As it turns out, you don’t. What you do is reach over the counter, pick up the Vaseline, place it back into your pocket, and pretend the whole thing never happened.

I’ve always thought the chip shop up the road was better anyway; sure it’s a half a mile out of my way, but much better.

If nothing else I have at learnt a valuable lesson; shop keepers don’t take tins of Vaseline in exchange for goods or services.