You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

 Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 12:- When did I run for Salford?

Dear Blog,

      Dust thou call me fool, Blog? Boy, am I clever?

I don’t if you know but the local paper in Coventry, ‘The Coventry Telegraph’, has carried a minimum of local athletic news in the last twelve months. It is not surprising that the following race report was not published. Neither was the photograph of the dramatic finish.

      “Last Sunday, Dublin Athletic Club member, Par O’Foill, visiting Birmingham for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, took full advantage of his short stay in the Midlands to run as a guest in Godiva’s traditional monthly run around the city suburbs. Held on the first Friday of each month, the April edition was a 13 lap race which started behind the Council House and took in most of the well known sights of Coventry.

      After several of laps of Broadgate taking in Primark and the Cathedral Lane shops, the field climbed the hill down to the Pool Meadow bus station and flew past the Whittle Arches. Passing the Whitley Waste Disposal Plant for the first time, O’Foill was in a group of four, which included Godiva’s new signing, Jan Flaip-Rol, a Dutchman who is on a 12 month secondment at Warwick University’s Biology Department where he is completing his Ph. D. in bulb technology.

        By the time Finham Sewage Works was reached on their fifth lap, the two foreigners were well out in front, both looking strong. The battle between the two continued over the next 42.3 kilometres which took the combatants through the Memorial Park, alongside the Warwick University Science Park, under the Coventry Technology Park, around the Prologis Industrial Park and over the Gallager Retail Park before Westwood Business Park was reached. However on lap eleven, the Dutchmen was unfortunately misdirected by one of the marshals, and he ended up running the wrong way along Far Gosford Street onto the Walsgrave Road, eventually getting lost in the one way system around the new Walsgrave University Hospital, where he was admitted in a confused state.

        With less than a mile to go, O’Foill, obviously dehydrated by the broiling hot April sun and the strong continental breeze, suddenly slowed to a walk, then stopped, asking for a drink. While seeking the much needed refreshment of a pint of Guinness in St. Finabar’s Club, he was passed by three of Godiva’s young runners, members of the Godiva Kids Section; Alf, who just managed to out kick young Oli and his elder sister Por over the last five kilometres, in a great sprint finish for the line which was situated alongside the Frail Pool at the Coventry City Swimming Baths and Sports Centre, now renamed The Coventry 2012 Experience. The winning time was just three days short of a week. The finish line had purposely been set up alongside the pool, so that all finishers were able to take a quick dip after their exertions of running around the city streets in ever decreasing circles. A souvenir T-shirt was given to any entries received after the closing date which is April 5^th. (£2 extra for unattached runners to cover the cost the fuel surcharge reduction announced in this week’s budget)

        The next monthly race will return to its usual format, involving all the customary features, details from the club web site at

colinkirkhamslondonmarathontrudge.blogspot.com”

The Telegraph at least gave me some coverage for Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre and Newlife. (£1 per guess at my finishing time, and with only a couple of hundred guesses, its got to be worth a punt??????)

                                                                                                             Colin

PS List of guesses to follow!!!!