Blogging early today. Paul Cotterill and I went to the Pennington Flash Parkrun, partly to see how things are done there. It was my first time at a Parkrun and I was really impressed – with the informality and friendliness and with the efficiency of the organisation.

On the surface there isn’t much to running a Parkrun. A few marshals and volunteers along with a bit of scanning technology to make the results easier to organise. It works well that way because it allows people to just turn up without a number, and yet still be able to be logged in the national database and get a recorded time. I was impressed.

The schedule says that I should be doing some weights today, but I think that I’m ok squeezing in a quick run rather than the session that I had planned.

We’re off to The Green Room tonight. A club in Liverpool owned (and apparently compered) by Ricky Tomlinson. It’s a birthday party and it should be really good fun. Goodness knows how I’ll feel tomorrow when I’m supposed to do my long run, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

For now I’ll just pat myself on the back. I’ve done more running in January now than I have in any other month since I started nearly a year ago. Well, I’ve run further and at some point this coming week I will have run for longer. I’ve also done more activities.

So far this month I’ve done the following:

• 25 activities
• 15 runs
• 10 weights / strength sessions
• 56.4 miles run
• 11.05 hours running
• about 5 hours weights

One week to go and I’m feeling really very pleased about it.

I’ve been thinking about old friends again recently. I should really be in touch with them more – especially those on Facebook, since it’s just a case of dropping a quick note. But I often feel like they’re busy, or wouldn’t want to be bothered by a message from me. I’m sure that one or two might read this from time to time. *waves* I haven’t forgotten you and I really ought to make more of an effort.

As it’s Liverpool tonight, I’m going to indulge in a little bit. I don’t really like The Beatles much any more, and I particularly don’t like the way that they’re idolised by planners and politicians in Liverpool. The people that I meet and know don’t seem to hold them up as saints, but I guess the city elders have to try and get tourists in somehow. It gives the impression of a city constantly looking backwards, unable to let go of the past. Of course the irony of that statement immediately after my note about friends isn’t lost on me! To continue the mixed up hypocrisy and confusion, “In My Life” is one of the few Beatles songs that I think I’ll always adore. Here’s the Johnny Cash version.