Sue's Sports Starter by Sue_Thearle

Hello gang. After the genius of last week’s marathon story involving the pregnant woman who ran a very respectable marathon before effortlessly having her baby, this week brought a couple of other marathon stories that are well worth their weight in gold. There was the 100-year-old man who completed the Toronto Marathon in a perfectly decent time. Major respect goes to him, especially as he only took up running again seriously when he was 81.....as you do. Blimey. And then my personal favourite is the story about the man who ran most of a marathon, before running off the course at 20 miles and catching a bus. He then rejoined the race near the finish, where he jogged back into contention and finished 3rd overall. And he would have gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for those meddling fellow bus passengers and spectators, who watched the unfolding drama with open mouths, before dobbing him in. Medal and prize money swiftly withdrawn. Mind you, I know how he feels. I felt like catching a bus after 20 miles of my marathon.

Not you understand that I am advocating cheating of any kind, but I just think the bare-faced cheek of the guy is impressive. I suppose the fact that I will never run a marathon again, no really – you won’t persuade me - and fair play or the lack of it, has been on my mind this week. It was brought sharply into focus after watching Wales slide agonisingly out of the Rugby World Cup following a red card for their captain Sam Warburton. I was sat outside my daughter’s swimming class last weekend listening to the closing stages in the car. I must admit I was torn, on account of the fact that I’d had an each way flutter on France a fortnight ago. So with my bank manager on one shoulder and Max Boyce and a giant leek on the other, I found it almost impossible to listen to....

If I’m honest I would have liked the Welsh to go through, because they were by far the better side. But that is one of the marvels of sport – it’s not always fair and the best team doesn’t always win. Well thanks to the wonders of modern medicine yours truly is edging ever closer to a return to the netball court. Six weeks of physio has worked minor miracles on my achilles injury, which is soooo much better. Indeed so much so, that I am now in the rehab stage. In fact I now have a wobble board –and no I didn’t know what they were either. But every evening I am to be found perched precariously on it, trying to strengthen my calf.

Apparently I have lost quite a lot of muscle definition as a result of the injury (I was thrilled to find out I had a muscle down there at all). So that is why I am dicing with death on this board and stretching on the stairs at every opportunity. I have also had my regular back check-up this week (blimey this blog is fast turning into an episode of Holby City). And all is well, so my brief return to the running machine didn’t do too much damage. Heaven forbid that I should actually be in good enough physical shape to do some proper exercise.......but apparently I am getting close. Hurrah! Right I am off to be totally middle-aged and moan about all my aches and and pains......oh sorry, I just did. Happy days.