I’m in a mild state of shock..still. Last week was really quite extraordinary. It began on the Saturday, when I found myself dancing the Conga with Marion Bartoli after dinner at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Sunday at the Emirates had me wishing I’d made a trip to the bookies, as I’d made a successful prediction of the Arsenal football scores. Wednesday brought some brilliant news on the music front, and Thursday was the cherry, on the icing, of a great big fat delicious cake of a week!!
Word on the Jaffa Running Club Facebook page was that the acceptance/rejection magazines for The London Marathon had arrived at Ipswich sorting office. Suddenly I regressed to being a child of eight on their birthday, pacing excitedly around the house, pausing occasionally to peer down the road in the hope of spotting the PostWoman. When she finally appeared in my view, I actually emitted what can only be described as a small squeal. I just had a feeling about this one.
The Marathon is notoriously hard to get a place in, due to the sheer volume of entrants every year. Coupled with the fact that a huge portion of the places are taken up by charities, you are only left with something like a 1in 8 chance of success. When the magazine landed on the door mat, my hands clapped over my mouth. I could see the words ‘You’re In’ staring up at me from the floor.
Running in 2011 was unbelievable. I did it for so many reasons, but giving a good performance wasn’t one of them! This is my second chance to realise a lifetime ambition. Second chances don’t come around very often, and this one’s not going to get away!
I wouldn’t have gambled even a pound of my money two years ago on any of these things happening now, let alone all at once, but that’s the beautiful unpredictability of life.
So, another chapter, another blog, another challenge, and another journey begins. Destination Kansas. Why? I’ll tell you next time!
The Road to Kansas 