Paris ‘24 - 19th March 2023

Once again it’s a Sunday. March 19th 2023. And once again I have returned to Bristol Harbourside for a chilly start to the morning.

Walking. Not running.

My hope in December to return to running a 10K by the end of January was put back in its box and the lid closed quite firmly. The right knee decided to be the next part of my Olympic Physique to complain at the rigorous pre-Olympics training schedule and went on strike.

One X-Ray later – no obvious signs of wear and tear – I decided to start walking instead of running and adopted the 10K a Day in March challenge minus one day off per week. I’ve skived two or three other days but will hope to make up the difference in kilometres by the close of March.

Routes thus far include:

1. Blaise – on my doorstep
2. Black Mountains above Crickhowell
3. Dorset – from Fontmell Magna
4. Henbury to Bristol Central Library

Snowdon, the Matterhorn, and the Pyrenees to come…?

So, progress towards Paris ’24 must be faced with a dollop of Gallic Shrug, a smidgen of hope, and a full tank of thankfulness for all the previous running injuries and recoveries, a miracle of healing thrown in, and a generous ladle of faith in God.

We press on.

Knocked down but not knocked out.

That is, of course, if Paris ’24 goes ahead. It seems the IOC is acting as an entity as powerful as a nation-state stating, quite firmly, that it will give its ruling on Russia’s participation independent from all other bodies. One wonders, if they rule that Russian athletes are to compete under their national flag, whether France will arouse herself from a Gallic shrug, and say ‘Non!’ and leave the IOC out in the cold.