A.M. Steady and easy pace, mix of asphalt and trail. Total 17,5k in 1:22:21, av pace 4:42/k, 7:34/mi. The Euro 2008 kicks off tonight with the opening match between Switzerland and the Czech Republic. For weeks it has been hyped up by the media. It is difficult to find a product in the shops that has not got a football somewhere on it, and everyone seems to be the 'official' supplier to the German team. We've been bombarded with reports on the players training, health, eating habits, stool consistency, well you know what I mean. A vast number of cars are flying the German or Turkish flags. I enjoy football but I will just be glad when the competition finally starts, and no I'm not that sour that England didn't qualify, I think long term for England it was the best thing that could have happened. A quick contrast back now to the London marathon in April. Irina Mikitenko won the marathon in a personal PR time of 2:24:14, and she broke a 9 year German record set by Katrin Doerre-Heinig. I watched the main news on ARD that night and I could not believe it - it was not mentioned at all, nor on the other channels. For a supposedly mass sport in Germany that is the value the media places on the top athletes. Whinge over. |