Hi all!
With the demise of Runnerslife and my previous blog site, the life of this runner goes on and so I have created a new blog site to continue my ramblings and updates. Feedback welcome as I’ve not created one of these before! It’s still very much in progress but I’m just getting blogs up for now.
I’m currently in the incredibly exotic (this is sarcasm) Ashton under Lyne with most of the England Athletics team before we head to the athlete village in Glasgow. My journey here began in style. Cringeworthy style. II ordered an UberX taxi (this isn’t a porn site – it’s a taxi app) and when my driver informed me he was here, I left my apartment to be greeted by a man with a limo. I did not request this service but then endured the embarrassment of arriving at Sydney airport where my wife was waiting. I think she thought the occasion had got to me…..
The film selection on the flight was poor so we got into a very good French supernatural thriller series called The Returned. It’s good. Watch it.
30 hours later I touched down in Manchester at aforementioned exotic riviera. At the hotel, which is located in a big car park with nothing nearby except a ‘Leisure village’ where the leisure that can be conducted is Nando’s followed by bowling, I am sharing a room with fellow marathon team-mate Steve Way. We are sharing a room which can be best described as cosy. However, there is all we need really – good food options specially put on for the team, team physios, a communal area to chill out in. The running options are good enough – a canal is nearby, although Steve has chosen to do laps of a car park instead on some runs so he doesn’t get his precious little shoes muddy!
I have collected my kit, which is mostly way too big – even the XS, and am missing my race day kit, but apparently there are spares for exchanging kit. Hopefully this is true or I’ll look like I’m wearing hand me downs from an older brother and racing in long shorts and tops.
Well I have acheieved a lot today – an easy run, a massage, mastered the smoothie machine, ‘treated myself’ to a Starbucks (I’m such a coffee snob now…) and now set up a blog. Excellent.
Ben Moreau - marathon runner 
Good luck in the Games! It’s a long way from your time at Hopper’s to the Glasgow games – never mind the ‘delights’ of suburban Manchester. I’m still at Win Coll and look forward to seeing how you get on this Sunday.
However, you’re not the only OW competing in the athletics – I wonder if you know the identity of the other. I’ll give you a clue – he has a very different physique and I suspect that given your Sydney base, you’ve already competed in track meetings where he’s been participating.
So, add being wished well by a former Don – albeit one that never taught you – to the list of today’s ‘achievements’!
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Haha thanks Graham! I’m trying to think of who the other OW is. No idea – you’ll have to enlighten me!
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Tom Walsh, New Zealand shot putter and likely gold medallist! He came on a cricket scholarship for Cloister Time 2009 and did negligible shot putt training when at Win Coll – he then finished 6th in the World Youth Games and thought – ‘you know what, I can do this…’
I suspect he’s also the only OW who’s an apprentice builder….
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