About last night...

(and how can it be twenty eight years since I saw that at the cinema?!)

Late to collect C from his underwater hockey training last night, I didn't spot that the gate was open as I dashed to the car. Seconds later I found myself sitting in a puddle on the little wall next to the gate, having first tried to impale my left leg on the gate latch before attempting to bend my right shin over the wall I was now sat on.  Bruised, grazed and feeling somewhat sorry for myself I didn't do the ironing as planned, but sat still for the entire time Sports Personality of the Year was on nursing my wounded limbs and pride.

In the end Jo Pavey didn't win, but she did come third - which I thought was a commendable achievement given the opposition, although listening to James Corden on Radio 2 this morning it is debatable about how pleased these elite sports people, who have just had a fantastic year, are going to be about finishing it off with an award for being the best of the losers! Or in Jo's case the second best!

She has cited her family and current contentment as the biggest possible reason for her recent success however Gaby Logan's comments regarding most new mum's struggling to match up their shoes before heading out the door has sparked an angry response in the press, and given rise to a debate over whether or not it was patronising to applaud her for her achievements in relation to the recent birth of her baby.

For what it's worth, I think it is remarkable that physically she was able to get herself to that level of fitness so soon after nurturing her child and mentally able to find the determination to get out and train at the level required to win. 

Watching Jo and the rest of the sporting world's finest last night, I did wonder as to whether any of them are hot wired to procrastinate, or if mentally they are stacked up differently to me and it is this, along with their physical talent, that makes them champions.  Perhaps disorganised and frequently more than a little bit flustered just doesn't come into their mindset! 

I appreciate that by the time we see them at the start of a game, or race, or event they are completely in the zone and that in all probability they wouldn't have made it to compete at that level, if they weren't able to focus and get on with the job in hand. But it has made me wonder if any of them have ever put some letters in the post, then been unable to find the larger ones that were due to go to the post office for weighing, and genuinely not known if this was because the letters had been left at home or posted unstamped!

Not that I'm saying that sixteen years on after giving birth my brain has remained as mush, but I was awfully glad to find them lying on the table when I got back home!

M - 512
Brighton Half - 69
Glasgow Half - 293
Total Distance covered      426.5 miles