The next 10 days

It seems unlikely that I will be able to provide any coverage of the Sarah Killey Memorial walk this weekend.

You can read Michael George's preview of the event at http://michaelsparishblog.blogspot.com/

The walk was first held last year when I was running in the heat of the London Marathon and the walkers were frozen in the mist of the Isle of Man! The date clash has been avoided this year but I'm afraid that it is just one event too many to find time to commit to.

Good luck to all taking part and please take extra care with road safety, drivers as well as walkers.

My sister Margaid and her husband and two children will be starting their "Easter" Holiday in the Isle of Man on Saturday. They live in Crouch End in London and some of the UK schools have moved their holidays away from Easter this year. Its the first time that I have seen them since the London Marathon last year and we'll be out for lunch at Glen Helen on Sunday and plan to spend plenty of time with them and the rest of our family on the Isle of Man.

My brother-in-law Alan was offered £10,000 in sponsorship if he ran the London Marathon a few years ago but only managed only a single 10 minute run before telling his sponsor that their money was safe! He is Fund Raising Director for UK charity Shelter who had been one of the two special charities in the Flora London Marathon that year.

Since then, unbelievably to us, Alan has completed two short triathlons and now cycles daily to work. Some months ago Margaid looked up the fixture list on the manxathletics.com and noticed that there is a run in Ramsey next Friday when they will still be here. She decided that Alan would take part! Our son Robbie has been getting his sprint finishes honed in the belief that he can beat Alan. With our other son Ben having got the running bug (he goes back to university the next day) and the possibility of my nieces also running the junior race in Ramsey I'm looking forward to that night.

The only trouble is that I will be in London from Friday morning until Monday morning for one of the highlights of my year. I love the marathon weekend and I'll write more about it soon. I may even update the blog from London on my laptop.

As well as having run London in 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 & 2007 (8 times if I can count) I have spectated and supported the other Manx runners every year that I have not run in that period (I also watched in 1983 and 1984). It is quite demanding to provide the statistical and pictorial coverage on the website as well as running.

Before I go, if at all possible, I will do the next of the features on the parishwalk.com . I have provisionally arranged a meeting with the subjects for Wednesday evening.

I'm also hoping to take pictures and to make another film of the Snaefell Fell Race tomorrow, although the difficulty of access has lessened the chances.

Our holiday business at murrayandmarie.com has record bookings for this year and so when I return from London I will be preparing our cottage at Port Soderick every weekend until October (except of course the Parish Walk weekend when it will be outsourced!).

I'm not going to be able to make the cross country presentation tonight either but hope that it is reasonably well supported. Andy Fox, who already has so m any jobs in the sport, has worked so hard to make this happens. I hope that you enjoy it.

I understand that Brian Goldsmith's funeral is planned for Friday 11th April and so regrettably I shall miss it.

It has been an incredibly sad period for the Isle of Man with a succession of people connected with the sport passing away. This is another area that I will return to when it is appropriate to do so.

I hope to have a few words on other subjects in the next 10 days but, if there are gaps, please bear with me.